Justin Killingsworth has been busy. When he opened his first salon, The Color Bar (in Huntsville) in early 2020, he set a goal of opening five salons in five years; after reaching that goal in April 2025, he didn’t stop. The Color Bar now has seven locations in Walker, Harris, and Montgomery counties, including a bustling salon within Worthington Manor, a new retirement community in Conroe.
Whether guests visit The Color Bar in Huntsville, Conroe, Montgomery, Magnolia, Tomball, or The Woodlands, they will see evidence of the company’s slogan, “Where your experience matters” from the moment they arrive and are offered a complimentary beverage. “We want our guests to feel like they are the center of the world,” Justin says. “It’s our job to ensure our guests feel better when they leave than when they came in. We have the power to boost their self-esteem in the matter of about an hour.”
Meanwhile, Justin has decided to continue growing The Color Bar concept through franchising. The Color Bar franchisees will be able to pursue their dreams of salon ownership “without all the headaches of the admin side of the business,” Justin says. “We take all of their calls. We handle their online presence; we respond to positive and negative reviews for them so they can focus solely on what is happening within their four walls.”
Justin is uniquely qualified to be a salon owner. He holds a degree in business management from the University of Utah; when he didn’t find the corporate world to his liking, he graduated from the Aveda Institute. He was a hairstylist in the exclusive River Oaks area of Houston for several years before opening his own salon.
All seven of The Color Bar’s locations are now Aveda Lifestyle salons and use Aveda products exclusively. Justin estimates about 80 percent of guests receive color services, but The Color Bar salons also offer a full range of salon services. Guests range in age from toddlers to great-grandparents. The Color Bar caters to all budgets, too: some stylists (like Justin) are master stylists, while others as junior stylists offer lower price points.
Guests of The Color Bar might notice stylists aren’t distracted by ringing phones. That’s because The Color Bar has a central call center located in Conroe. Callers can make appointments at any of the seven salons by calling 936-439-4972. The call center allows stylists to “give their full attention to the people who are in front of us,” Justin says. (The Color Bar salons accept walk-ins, too.)
The Color Bar stylists want their guests to be delighted with the look of their color and cuts, but Justin acknowledges it’s impossible to achieve 100 percent success. For example, differences in lighting might affect a hair color’s tone. “That’s why the company has a seven-day guarantee,” he says. Guests can come back within a week to have their hairstyles or color tweaked, free of charge.
Nationwide, turnover at salons is generally high, with some sources estimating retention rates between 37 and 50 percent. The Color Bar, however, boasts a 95 percent retention rate among its hairstylists. Perhaps because Justin is a hairstylist himself, he strives to help The Color Bar stylists, encouraging them to “expand their craft.” He also provides frequent educational opportunities. “For me, it’s about helping other hairdressers achieve their dreams,” Justin says. “I wanted a company of opportunity. What we have created with The Color Bar is no glass ceiling.”
Justin’s energy seems to be contagious. “We are a very lively, very energetic, team-based culture,” says Abby Albright, lead stylist at The Color Bar in Magnolia. “It’s a breath of fresh air in the salon industry.” Abby began working at The Color Bar in Conroe about three years ago. Since then, while keeping her job as her priority, she graduated from the Aveda Institute and has continued her studies in health sciences at Sam Houston State University. Now lead stylist at the Magnolia salon, which opened in March 2025, Abby appreciates Justin. “Essentially, from the moment I walked in, it was breathtaking to see how much Justin poured into his people,” Abby says. “I love being here.”
“It’s a really fun job,” agrees Hannah Locke, who is lead stylist at the Montgomery location. She has a “really good team,” she says, and she appreciates the support she gets at The Color Bar. She also enjoys being able to connect with the community, making people feel good “on the outside and on the inside.” Guests particularly like her help with blonding and hair extensions.
“Everyone has been so amazing,” says Lauren Lawrence, who has been lead stylist at The Color Bar salon in The Woodlands since October 2025. She appreciates the growth and educational opportunities at The Color Bar and says the team has been extremely supportive. Lauren tries hard to meet each guests’ hairstyle goals and enjoys “enhancing their natural beauty and getting them to feel confident about themselves,” she says. “I love when I turn them and they see themselves in the mirror. That big smile—I absolutely love that.”
Amanda Hobart, lead stylist at the Conroe location, has been a hairstylist for nearly 16 years and has been with The Color Bar for more than two years. She likes the creativity her job allows and enjoys “making people feel beautiful.” She also appreciates the camaraderie she finds at work. “I love our team vibe,” she says. “I love that we are a family.”
The family atmosphere extends to guests, too, says Donna Howell, who, as guest service manager, oversees all The Color Bar salons’ front desk operations. “We try to make them feel like they are a part of the family,” she says.
Spending time “behind the chair” is Justin’s creative outlet, so he is still an active hairstylist, too, and he can be found on occasion at all seven salons. He is, however, devoting more of his time to hair education. He has also created a custom weft, as well as his own technique for installation, which will be introduced worldwide in about a year. These extensions, with the trademarked name Vomar, will last 12 weeks rather than the usual six to eight weeks, Justin says, without harming hair. Extensions do more than add length, he explains, because they can give hair more fullness and help it hold a style. “It helps make your hair healthier,” he says. “It’s an investment in your hair and your self-esteem—the way you feel about the way you look.”
Justin is generous with his knowledge in many ways. At the invitation of the CEO of Aveda, Justin will be a member of a six-person panel that will address questions from new salon owners at an upcoming convention in New Orleans. And in another recent spurt of energy, Justin founded a non-profit organization, The Color of Hope Project, which will provide “cuts for a cause,” he says, with an ultimate goal of creating housing for domestically abused women.
For more information or to begin your “where your experience matters” journey, visit colorbartx.com.
