I was flipping through one of those magazines that announces the Best Places to Live every year—you know, daydreaming about the possibilities. (Let me say right away—I have no plans to move, and, anyway, I feel like I already live in one of those “best places”!)
What really surprises me is the number of places on the list that have the reputation for deep cold and a lot of snow—I guess they really appeal to outdoors enthusiasts. Again, I do live in Minnesota and I have no plans to move. But if I did, I don’t think it would be to Fargo, North Dakota, or Anchorage, Alaska—two of the places listed on Livability.com’s 2015 list of 100 best places to live.
I got to wondering if any of these “best” cities are on the Great Clips list of under-served territories—markets that are currently open for applications from prospective franchisees looking to start their walk-in hair care salon business. Sure enough, there were several, including Arlington, Virginia; Rockland, Maryland; and, Paducah, Kentucky. I decided to take a virtual tour, to see what makes these places among the best to live in the U.S.—and, maybe, among the best places to be a Great Clips franchise owner.
Paducah, Kentucky, is a river city with a cool and growing theater, arts and quilting community. In fact, the city created a special redevelopment district to lure artists from all around the country to revitalize Paducah’s oldest neighborhood. Since it started, more than 70 artists have moved to that neighborhood. I love it, too, that the city makes the most of its riverfront location and is home to the National Quilt Museum of the United States.
Some of the other cities included on the 100 Best Places to Live list are Eugene, Oregon; Pasadena, California; Columbia, Missouri; Reno, Nevada; and Tampa and Orlando, Florida—all territories accepting Great Clips franchisee applications.
If you’re seeking heat, Forbes Magazine touts Abilene, Texas as a great place to live and retire. It started as a railroad hub for shipping cattle, has a cost of living 13 percent below the national average and the average home price is almost $70,000 below the national average. More important, for some people, it’s a hunting and fishing haven.
What are your considerations for great places to live? Job market? Weather? Good schools? Are you happy right where you are, wherever that is? Let me know in the comments box below!
And if you’re wondering what other cities have open Great Clips franchise opportunities, check out the map of available territories for Great Clips franchisees.