Startup costs from franchise filings

How much does it cost to open a blow-dry bar?

Opening a blow-dry bar costs $368,920 to $726,660, going by the 2 blow-dry bar franchises whose current disclosure documents are on file in Minnesota: those are the medians of their low and high estimates for one new location, from the franchise fee to the first months of working capital. The biggest single cost is build-out and construction, typically $108,075 to $339,200. An owner opening independently pays no franchise fee and can often spend less on the space, which the budget below lets you test line by line.

Typical range: $368,920 to $726,660
Lowest to highest filed: $327,860 to $1,029,249
Filings compared: 2 brands

Read from Minnesota's franchise registry on October 16, 2026. Build your own budget · Download every line (CSV)

By brand

What 2 blow-dry bar franchises say it costs to open

Item 7 of each franchise disclosure document, the legally required estimate of the initial investment for one new location, low and high.

Brand	Total initial investment	Franchise fee	Build-out	Unit described
Blo Blow Dry BarFDD issued Apr 2026	$327,860 to $424,071	$45,000	$134,650 to $184,900	700 to 1,000 sq ft
DrybarFDD issued Mar 2025	$409,979 to $1,029,249	$50,000	$81,500 to $493,500	1,100 to 2,200 sq ft, 8 to 12 chairs

By cost

Where the money goes when you open a blow-dry bar

The median low and high of each kind of cost across these brands. A brand that folds a cost into another line is left out of that line's median, so the lines are a checklist, not a sum.

Cost	Median low to high	Brands
Build-out and constructionLeasehold improvements, plumbing, electrical, flooring, lighting and finishes, less any landlord allowance.	$108,075 to $339,200	2
Furniture, fixtures and equipmentChairs, stations, shampoo units, treatment beds or devices, reception and waiting furniture.	$55,568 to $89,463	2
SignageExterior sign and interior graphics.	$9,400 to $19,250	2
Computers, POS and softwarePoint of sale, computers, phones, music and security systems, software set-up.	$13,162 to $18,662	2
Opening supplies and retail stockBackbar and service supplies, linens, sanitation, retail products for the shelf.	$41,098 to $49,618	2
Grand opening marketingPre-opening and launch advertising, promotions and events.	$16,250 to $17,500	2
Rent and deposits before openingSecurity deposit, rent before opening, utility deposits.	$4,750 to $13,000	2
Professional fees, permits and licensesArchitect and design, legal and accounting, building permits, business and establishment licenses.	$12,053 to $36,578	2
InsuranceFirst premiums or deposits for liability, property and workers' compensation cover.	$975 to $1,150	2
Working capital (first months)Cash to cover payroll, rent and bills until the business pays for itself, usually the first three months.	$50,000 to $81,000	2
Franchise feeFranchisees only. The one-time fee paid to the franchisor for the right to open.	$47,500 to $47,500	2
Franchise training and travelFranchisees only. Travel and living costs to attend the franchisor's training.	$10,090 to $13,740	2

Your budget

Budget a blow-dry bar of your own

Start from the filed medians, without the franchise fee or the franchisor's training travel, and replace each line with your own quotes.

What are you opening?

Start from

Each line starts at the middle of the brands' low estimates across 2 filed blow-dry bar disclosures, with franchise-only costs left out. Replace any figure with your own quote; switching the business or the starting point resets the lines.

Build-out and construction

Leasehold improvements, plumbing, electrical, flooring, lighting and finishes, less any landlord allowance.

$108,075 to $339,200median of 2 filings

Furniture, fixtures and equipment

Chairs, stations, shampoo units, treatment beds or devices, reception and waiting furniture.

$55,568 to $89,463median of 2 filings

Signage

Exterior sign and interior graphics.

$9,400 to $19,250median of 2 filings

Computers, POS and software

Point of sale, computers, phones, music and security systems, software set-up.

$13,162 to $18,662median of 2 filings

Opening supplies and retail stock

Backbar and service supplies, linens, sanitation, retail products for the shelf.

$41,098 to $49,618median of 2 filings

Grand opening marketing

Pre-opening and launch advertising, promotions and events.

$16,250 to $17,500median of 2 filings

Rent and deposits before opening

Security deposit, rent before opening, utility deposits.

$4,750 to $13,000median of 2 filings

Professional fees, permits and licenses

Architect and design, legal and accounting, building permits, business and establishment licenses.

$12,053 to $36,578median of 2 filings

Insurance

First premiums or deposits for liability, property and workers' compensation cover.

$975 to $1,150median of 2 filings

Working capital (first months)

Cash to cover payroll, rent and bills until the business pays for itself, usually the first three months.

$50,000 to $81,000median of 2 filings

Your startup budget

$311,200

Franchised blow-dry bar units disclose a median of $368,920 to $726,660, franchise fee included.

Reading the filings

What these numbers mean for a blow-dry bar

Blo Blow Dry Bar ($327,860 to $424,071) is the compact format at 700 to 1,000 sq ft; Drybar ($409,979 to $1,029,249) plans 8 to 12 chairs in 1,100 to 2,200 sq ft, and its high estimate is a full new build-out.
Opening stock is a large line, $41,098 to $49,618 at the median: a blow-dry bar sells the styling products it uses.

Questions

Opening a blow-dry bar: costs, answered

How much does it cost to open a blow-dry bar?

The 2 blow-dry bar franchises with current filings in Minnesota put the initial investment for one new location at $327,860 to $1,029,249; the middle of their low and high estimates is $368,920 to $726,660. Those figures include the franchise fee, the build-out, equipment, opening stock, deposits and about three months of working capital.

What is the biggest startup cost for a blow-dry bar?

Build-out and construction: the filings put it at a median of $108,075 to $339,200, ahead of furniture, fixtures and equipment at $55,568 to $89,463. Get quotes for those lines first, because they move the total more than everything else combined.

How much working capital do you need to open a blow-dry bar?

The brands that list it budget a median of $50,000 to $81,000 in additional funds, usually described as the first three months of operation: payroll, rent and bills before the business pays for itself. Lenders expect to see this cushion in the plan.

Is it cheaper to open a blow-dry bar without a franchise?

Usually. The franchise fees here run $45,000 to $50,000, and the filings describe new locations built to a brand's design standards. An independent owner skips the fee and can take over a space that was already a salon, buy equipment second-hand and spend less on the opening, but carries the risk without the brand's systems. Start the budget above from the Lean figures and replace each line with a real quote.

Plan the rest

Before you sign a lease

Startup costs for other beauty businesses

All salon startup costs Hair salon Barbershop Nail salon Lash studio Waxing studio Massage studio Day spa Med spa Tanning salon Salon suites

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