The Hair Loft

What The Hair Loft does

The Hair Loft Ltd is a family-owned, multi-location premium salon business headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1980 by husband-and-wife duo Richard and Debi Johnson and now led by their son Ben Johnson. The company operates two active locations—the original River North salon at 217 W. Huron St and the 'withlove collective' concept in West Loop at 33 N. Carpenter St, which combines salon services with a retail boutique, food and beverage bar, and event space. Service revenue is generated across four organized categories: Color + Blonding (express color $50 to full max highlight $560), Design Space cutting and styling ($55-$85), Texture Space smoothing treatments and Bellami human-hair extensions ($265-$375+), and Details Space for nail and massage services ($35-$115), with pricing tiered by stylist experience and demand.

The underlying technology stack is composed of off-the-shelf SaaS rather than proprietary infrastructure: a Squarespace-hosted website, the Phorest salon management and online booking platform, and the in-house Comb Together mobile app supporting loyalty rewards, referrals, gift cards, and retail purchases. No proprietary AI/ML, API, or integration platform is disclosed. The business runs on a direct-to-consumer, pay-as-you-go service model supplemented by a take-home retail e-commerce store carrying curated professional brands (Davines, Kevin Murphy, Olaplex, Depot) and a tiered stylist structure that allows individual brand-equity and price differentiation within the salon.

The customer base is exclusively individual consumers in the Chicago market seeking hair, extension, nail, and massage services. The Comb Together Rewards program (1 point per dollar, 300-point redemption, $20 referral gift cards) provides modest retention mechanics, while brand partnerships with Bellami, Davines, Kevin Murphy, Olaplex, and Phorest anchor the technical and product ecosystem. The company remains wholly owned by the Johnson family with no external institutional investors, no funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue or financial metrics in the source data.

Name

The Hair Loft

Legal name

The Hair Loft Ltd

Website

https://thehairloftltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Hair Loft is a family-owned Chicago premium salon founded in 1980, operating two locations (River North and the withlove collective in West Loop) that offer hair, extensions, nail, and massage services to individual consumers, supplemented by a curated retail take-home store and a Comb Together loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hair Salon Services

NAICS

Beauty Salons (812112), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Haircutting & Styling Services (HSALAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hair Extensions & Weaves Services (HSALAAAG), Professional/Salon Haircare (Backbar & Retail) (CRABABAK)

Keywords

• Hair salon services
• Hair extensions
• Hair coloring
• Nail salon services
• Massage therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Salon Services: Service-based revenue from hair, extension, nail, and massage services. Pricing varies by service type and stylist tier.
2. Retail Product Sales: Sale of professional hair care products including Davines, Kevin Murphy, Depot, and Olaplex for take-home use.
3. Loyalty Program: Comb Together Rewards program where customers earn points for spending, redeemable for services and products. Also generates referral revenue through digital referral links.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Hair Loft Ltd is a Chicago-based full-service salon offering hair cutting, coloring, blonding, and styling services for men and women, plus premium Bellami human hair extensions (Tape-in, Beaded Row, I-Tip, K-Tip), nail services (manicures and pedicures), and massage therapy including reflexology. The company also retails professional hair care brands (Davines, Kevin Murphy, Olaplex, Depot) through its in-salon and online take-home store, and operates the Comb Together Rewards loyalty program with referral incentives.

Product overview

The Hair Loft is a multi-service salon offering hair, extension, nail, and massage services. The company operates two salon locations in Chicago (River North and West Loop as 'withlove collective'). Core services are organized into four service spaces: Color + Blonding Space for coloring and lightening services, Design Space for cutting and styling, Texture Space for smoothing treatments and extensions, and Details Space for nails and massage. The company also operates a loyalty rewards program (Comb Together Rewards) and retail shop selling professional hair care products including Davines, Kevin Murphy, Depot, and Olaplex.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Color + Blonding Space (Hair Coloring Services) Comprehensive hair coloring and blonding services including express color ($50-$80), base color ($90-$120), full color ($135-$175), dimensional color ($110-$165), vivid color ($95), shine treatment ($95-$200), mini highlight/balayage ($100), partial highlight/balayage ($210-$275), full highlight/balayage ($315-$365), full max highlight ($420-$560), and platinum card ($200-$270) for individual consumers seeking professional hair color services.
• Design Space (Hair Cutting and Styling) Hair cutting and styling services including cut + style ($75-$85), blow out ($55-$65), extensions blow out, and dress work updos for special events, offered to individual consumers in a tiered pricing structure based on stylist experience.
• Texture Space (Smoothing Treatments and Extension Services) Services for altering hair texture including the Supersilk Smoothing Treatment ($265-$375+) for smoothing and frizz reduction, plus the Bellami extension installation services, for individual consumers seeking texture management and premium hair extension services.
• Bellami Hair Extensions

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BellamicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBellami is a hair extensions brand that partners with The Hair Loft to provide premium hair extension services. Bellami products use only the finest intact cuticle, double-drawn, 100% remy human hair. Four application methods are offered: Tape-in, Beaded Row, I-Tip, and K-Tip installations.
• DavinescoreOthersItalian hair care brand and Certified B Corporation focused on sustainability in ingredient selection, packaging materials, and shipping schedules. Their Essential Haircare line provides regimens for every hair type.
• Kevin MurphycoreOthersCreated by editorial stylist Kevin Murphy for top-performing products. Available exclusively in-salon at The Hair Loft.
• OlaplexcoreOthersFoundational health and beauty company powered by breakthrough innovation inspired by professional hairstylists. Known for patent-protected technology and proven performance in prestige haircare category.
• DepotminorOthersHigh quality grooming products for men. The Hair Loft carries a curated selection of their hair care products.
• PhorestcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline salon booking platform used by The Hair Loft for appointment reservations, customer management, and service history tracking.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Sephora: Global prestige beauty retailer. Relevant as an indirect competitor for retail haircare sales and as a benchmark for prestige beauty consumer behavior and marketing standards.
• Aveda Salon (network): Network of independent Aveda-branded salons sharing a product, education, and brand affiliation model. Comparable in that independent operators (like The Hair Loft with Davines/Olaplex) ride a partner brand's prestige positioning and product ecosystem.
• Ulta Beauty: Mass-market beauty products retailer stocking many of the same professional haircare brands (Olaplex, etc.) that The Hair Loft retails. Comparable as a competitive channel for retail product revenue, not services.
• Bellami Professional: Premium hair extensions brand partnered with The Hair Loft. Comparable because it shares the customer and stylist ecosystem and represents an adjacent extension-focused service category.

Regional players

• Mario Tricoci Hair Salon & Spa: Established Chicago-area salon and spa chain with multiple locations across Illinois. Comparable premium positioning and broad service menu, though larger and more distributed than The Hair Loft's boutique footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Drybar: National specialty blow-out and styling bar chain. Comparable in service category (hair styling) and customer demographic, but operates a focused, mass-premium model versus The Hair Loft's full-service offering.
• Regis Corporation: Public parent of multiple salon brands (SmartStyle, Cost Cutters, Supercuts, etc.). Comparable in core category but operates at mass-market scale and price point - useful for understanding competitive floor and industry economics.
• Great Clips: Largest hair salon franchise in North America. Different value proposition (convenience and price) but directly competes for stylist labor and entry-level hair service demand in the same Chicago market.

Emerging players

• Blo Blow Dry Bar: Specialty blow-dry bar concept with growing footprint. Comparable service line and customer segment but narrower offering, competing for the same discretionary styling spend.

Direct peers

• Sine Qua Non Salons: Chicago-based premium full-service salon group offering cutting, coloring, extensions, and spa services - directly comparable in service mix, customer profile, and city to The Hair Loft.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thehairloftltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/thehairloftltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-hair-loft-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Hair Loft