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Groomed for growth: Cookie Cutters not trimming back on expansion plans.

Article Excerpt
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When it comes to niche marketing, few companies are more specialized than Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids. The Indianapolis-based firm, with seven stores in central Indiana and a total of 39 across the United States and Canada, makes its living selling haircuts for children--specifically those between the ages of 2 and 12.

"The average age is closer to 4 years old," said company Vice President Larry Shelton, 58. "We like to say that once we sell a child [on the experience], they'll keep bringing the parents back."

The company is so sure of its grip on its niche that--in spite of tough economic times--it hopes to increase its tally of franchised locations past 100 within five years. But this small, family-owned business plans to tread carefully.

"We're entering into a period where we're going to start pushing stores a little bit more aggressively. But we're more concerned with getting stores opened and getting them in decent spots instead of just selling franchises all over the place," he said.

"We've been doing this so long, we've already been through that temptation to just go...

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