SportClips Opens at Turf Valley

Howard County resident Roger Gauert was in Missouri with his family three years ago when his wife asked him to go get a haircut with their son.

Gauert and his son ended up at a SportClips.

Little did Gauert know that he was glimpsing his future. He has since partnered with with fellow Howard County resident Mike Hassett and the two will open their third SportClips store Thursday.

It will also be the franchise's first Howard County location, at the new Turf Valley Towne Square.

Neither had previous experience as barbers; Gauert was in the Air Force and Hassett had a long career with Verizon Wireless.

Since they're taking care of the business of the barber shop, they needed a team of managers, barbers and stylists to take care of the patrons. The franchise specializes in haircuts for men and shows sports on televisions in the shop and lobby.

"My friends, and I’m sure Mike’s the same way, get a kick out of it that I have a cosmetology license," Gauert said. "Though it’s a license to own a store, not to cut hair.”

Coinciding with Thursday’s grand opening, the two are doing something special for the community.  Students at Marriotts Ridge, Mount Hebron, and Centennial High Schools can get a free haircut before prom.

Centennial’s prom is on Saturday, with Marriotts Ridge and Mount Hebron holding proms a week later.

Gauert’s wife was a Centennial graduate. When she heard about the promotion, she immediately began spreading the word.

“It was something where the idea came together pretty quick, but she was able to execute because she got excited about it,” Gauert said. “Face it, all of us would like to do something for our high school.”

As franchisees, Hassett and Gauert are obligated to open a total of eight stores. They plan to open three or four more SportClips locations in Howard County over the next couple of years, with a total of five or six inside the county’s borders eventually.

“We like doing business in our community.” Hassett said. “We like living here. Both of us have had pretty long, successful careers. Roger in the Air Force, I was in the technology field. We feel there’s not a problem we haven’t seen or an obstacle we can’t overcome.”

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