Boys, Go Wash Up!
Two Georgia entrepreneurs prove that southern gentlemen—and their cars—clean up real nice.
What: One-stop
barbershop/carwash/dry cleaners
Who: Richard and Fred Calloway
of Male Care Inc.
Where: Augusta, Georgia
When: Started in 1998
Men have needs. Repetitive needs. Week in, week out, they get
their hair cut, their cars washed and their clothes dry-cleaned.
Recognizing that men "do those three things religiously and
consistently," as Fred Calloway puts it, he and his brother
Richard saw an opportunity-and took it.
They created Male Care, a "one-stop shop" that offers
all three services. Call it Southern hospitality. Here, men lounge
in comfort while the work is being done. Instead of driving around
town to three separate locations, at Male Care they can spend some
time reading, typing on their laptops or catching the ball game on
TV. The concept has garnered such a loyal following that about 80
percent of Male Care's approximately 1,800 customers visit at
least once each month.
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Richard, 46, and Fred, 44, initially financed the start-up with
$30,000 in pooled savings, but are now seeking investors to help
expand their concept across the United States through franchising.
With 2001 sales expected to hit $210,000, immediate plans include
opening a second Male Care location, also in Augusta, next
year.
One day, the brothers hope to add oil changes to the line of
services. They're also looking into launching an exclusive line
of personal-hygiene products (such as hair treatments, lotions and
after-shave) branded under the Male Care name.
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