In 1963, Joe Francis opened the first The Barbers Hairstyling for Men salon in Minnesota. Five years later, the salons began styling women's hair.
In 1982, Francis diversified even more, founding family salon Cost Cutters. Twelve Cost Cutters centers opened that first year, and six years later, the 300th salon opened. Today, Cost Cutters is owned by Regis Corporation, a Minneapolis-based company that also franchises a host of other hair salons, including City Looks, Supercuts, Pro-Cuts, Magicuts and First Choice Haircutters.