FRANCHISE·WATCH·DESK

SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · NEW JERSEY

GREAT CLIPS franchise in New Jersey: what the public record shows

Franchisees of GREAT CLIPS in New Jersey have taken 21 SBA loans in the FY1991–present FOIA files (average $144,276). Fewer than 30 of them were approved through FY2020 and have resolved, so no local loss ratio is published. GREAT CLIPS's national ratio is 0.4×.

SBA loan outcomes · New Jerseyvs same-year franchise loans

Loans in NJ

21

Charged off (all years)

2 of 15

Loss ratio in NJ

—

Loss ratio nationally

0.4×

Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = NJ. Loss ratio = charge-offs among loans approved through FY2020 ÷ the charge-offs expected if each had defaulted at the national rate for franchise loans approved the same year; 1.0× is the same. Only charged-off and paid-in-full loans count. A ratio is shown at 30+ such loans; “not clear” marks a ratio chance alone could produce. The all-years count mixes every era and is evidence, not a rate to compare. Borrowers are matched to the brand by name and SBA franchise code; some matches may be wrong or missing.

Market density · New Jersey vs nationalDense market

Businesses in this industry

4,284

statewide, all operators

Per 100k residents

45.1

national 26.6

Versus the country

+70%

denser

Every business in GREAT CLIPS's industry operating in New Jersey — franchised and independent — from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (2023), against 2024 population estimates. Counter-intuitively, density is not a warning: across the brand-state cells in the loan data, denser markets have historically charged off less often than the thinnest (see the research page). A crowded market is usually proven demand; an empty one is often empty for a reason.

Labor cost · New Jersey vs nationalTypical wages

Avg weekly wage, this industry

$607

New Jersey, BLS QCEW 2025

National average

$698

same industry, all states

Versus the country

-13%

cheaper to staff

What GREAT CLIPS's industry actually pays workers in New Jersey, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2025), employment-weighted across counties. This cost signal is independent of the FDD: a market can look demand-rich above and still carry a margin headwind here if local wages run hot for the sector.

Same-sector systems with SBA loan history in New Jersey11 systems
SystemLoans in NJCharged off (all years)Loss ratio in NJUnits in NJ
Hollywood Tans415 of 330.7×NOT CLEAR—
European Wax Center180 of 14——
Amazing Lash Studio141 of 6—17
Fantastic Sams131 of 8——
Planet Beach114 of 9——
Sport Clips90 of 6—32
SUPERCUTS80 of 5—65
The Lash Lounge72 of 5——
WAXING THE CITY70 of 3——
BLO BLOW DRY BAR INC.51 of 3—4
SPAVIA50 of 4——

Other systems in GREAT CLIPS's sector whose franchisees borrowed in New Jersey. A loss ratio appears only where at least 30 loans approved through FY2020 have resolved; “—” means too few.

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