In History: Sally Beauty, 60 years of professional beauty retail
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Sally Beauty and Salon Services. After six decades of stocking an ever-growing list of professional salon brands, TheIndustry.beauty takes a look back at how it became one of the largest hair and beauty suppliers on the planet.
Whether you're a beauty professional or a high street shopper, you'll probably have stumbled across Sally Beauty and Salon Services and its hot pink stores at one point or another. If you're in need of padding out your professional salon kit or want to get your hands on pro-level hair dyes or tools, Sally Beauty and Salon Services will be in your repertoire.
Salon Services is the professional leg of the Sally Europe family, the UK and Continental Europe operating arm of Sally Beauty Holdings Ltd. Sally Beauty is open to everyone and Salon Services is open to those working in the trade. Each brand has united under one marque to become the world’s largest distributor of professional hair and beauty products by connecting retail customers and professionals with over 800 brands and 8000 products.
TheIndustry.beauty has taken an in-depth look at Sally Beauty's milestone moments over the last 60 years.
This story began with a corner store in New Orleans, USA that opened its doors in 1964. To think, this was the same time new on-the-block hairdresser, Vidal Sassoon was making news with his geometric bobs, the Beatles were topping the charts and Mary Quant’s mini skirts were all the rage.
That corner store became the first step in a journey that has spanned the world and transformed the way that hair and beauty professionals shop.
Fast forward to today, Sally Beauty encompasses five businesses. Its stores span seven markets in UK, ROI, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands & Spain. In the UK & Ireland alone, there are 235 UK stores, which are part of Sally’s network of 4000 stores worldwide.
It serves 420,000 trade customers and nearly a million retail customers across Central Europe with its host of 79822 products across 858 brands.
The first Sally Beauty Store, 1964.
Timeline: A brief history of Sally Beauty’s milestones
1964 – Sally Beauty Supply opened its first store in New Orleans
1969 – Consumer products company, Alberto-Culver, purchased what has grown to become an 11-store operation at Sally Beauty.
1987 – Sally conquered the UK & Ireland and, in the process, opened its 500th store worldwide.
2007 – Sally acquired the enduring trade brand Salon Services enabling the company to add a large UK business with a strong European presence. Sally also acquired Beauty Express, a supplier to the beauty and spa industry.
2013 – The retailer opened its three-storey flagship store on London’s Oxford Street.
2017 – Sally hit the 5,000 stores milestone, committing to championing in-person retail.
2018 – Beauty Express and Salon Services merge to become one destination for all hair and beauty professionals
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2023 – Sally Beauty/Salon Services launched their very first Professional Hair & Beauty Awards in the UK and France.
2024 – Sally Beauty/Salon Services celebrates turning 60.
Dara Goolsby, Senior Director of Marketing at Sally Beauty and Salon Services, said: "It’s such a privilege to celebrate this milestone and serve our amazing communities, we couldn’t have done it without them. Our commitment to innovation and delivering more for our customers keeps us laser-focused on the future, a successful future that we know we will share with hair and beauty professionals across the UK and the world."
