Maddy Magoo, the children’s hair salon chain founded by Lauren de Swardt, has grown from a single Honeydew pilot store into a multi-branch business spanning Johannesburg, Bryanston, Bedfordview and Cape Town’s Table Bay.
A gap in the hair salon market
De Swardt, who also founded the children’s retail chain Kids Emporium, launched Maddy Magoo after her own son refused to go to a regular hairdresser. The salons are built specifically for children and tweens, with stylists trained to work with all hair types and amenities such as a first-haircut certificate and a keepsake lock of hair.
Where the brand stands today
Maddy Magoo now operates salons in Bedfordview and Fourways in Johannesburg, in Bryanston, and in Cape Town at Table Bay, alongside its original Honeydew store. The franchising sector it competes in remains one of South Africa’s more resilient business categories: the Franchise Association of South Africa‘s own sector data continues to show childcare and entertainment services as a stable, if modest, share of the market.
What the model still gets right
The salons succeed by treating a haircut as an experience rather than a chore: entertainment, photographs and glamour parties turn a routine errand into something children want to return for. That focus on a specific, underserved customer segment, rather than trying to be a salon for everyone, is the model’s core lesson for franchisees weighing niche concepts.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Maddy Magoo?
Lauren de Swardt, the entrepreneur behind children’s retail chain Kids Emporium, founded Maddy Magoo as a hair salon chain designed specifically for children.
Where does Maddy Magoo operate?
Salons operate in Bedfordview, Fourways and Bryanston in Johannesburg, and in Table Bay in Cape Town, alongside its original Honeydew branch.
What makes Maddy Magoo different from a regular salon?
Stylists are trained specifically to work with children, and salons include a first-haircut certificate, a keepsake lock of hair and glamour party bookings.
Is Maddy Magoo a franchise?
The brand has explored franchising its model, following the same expansion approach used by its sister brand, Kids Emporium.
How big is the childcare franchise sector in South Africa?
The Franchise Association of South Africa tracks childcare, education and entertainment as an established, if smaller, slice of the country’s overall franchise market.
Originally published in November 2016. Updated September 2026 to confirm Maddy Magoo’s current branch locations and add current Franchise Association of South Africa data on the childcare and entertainment franchise segment.
