By Tine Roycroft

So the sad truth is that last month’s V-day gift to your bro or beau went over like a lead balloon. Who knew guys didn’t appreciate the finer things ~ like overstuffed bears holding hearts and drug store chocolates that have been aging gracefully on shelves since the 60s?

Knockouts Haircuts for Men, located in Framingham, gives you a chance to redeem yourself. Dubbed the “Day Spa for Dudes” by NBC’s Today, Knockouts lets men enjoy being pampered in style while still maintaining their masculine reputations.

“We’re a full service salon catering to males, with a boxing theme,” owner Bing Yeo explains. “Every hairdressing station has a TV, a tool box. The whole environment is very manly. We’re trying to create an environment where are customers are comfortable.”

Knockouts is a dude’s dream come true. Televisions featuring various sporting events are everywhere. Talented hair stylists dressed in cute and sporty Knockouts uniforms give you just the right cut each and every time. Complimentary beverages such as water, tea and coffee await you. And the services offered here read like a laundry list of “man-style must-haves.”

“We do coloring ~ highlights, regular coloring, “ Yeo says. “And something we call Knockout Gray. It covers the gray hair, the whole process takes only about ten minutes and it’s one of our most popular services. We do waxing ~ full body waxing, back waxes, chest waxes, and also massage therapy, pedicures, manicures and mini facials.”

Not only is Yeo the owner of the popular Framingham location, but he’s the master franchisee for the New England area. Yeo purchased the franchise rights for the men’s full service salon in 2007. His goal is to open 20 Knockout locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine in the next ten years. As awesome as the concept of Knockouts sounds today, Yeo knew back in 2007 that he was taking a risk attempting to bring the idea to the Northeast.

“The franchise started in Dallas, Texas,” he explains. “It worked very well in Texas. But concepts that work elsewhere might not work as well here in New England just because we’re different. Our customers’ tastes are different. But I wanted to test out the concept and it’s been very successful.”

Ladies are children are always welcome at Knockouts, Yeo insists. 95% of his clients do happen to be men, but there’s always room for a little estrogen on the haircutting calendar.

But if you’re looking to smooth things over after an argument, or just give your guy the gift of grooming, head to Knockouts and treat him to a little something they call “The Heavyweight,” suggests Yeo.

“For The Heavyweight, you’ll have a consultation with a stylist and she’ll discuss what cuts would work best for you,” Yeo says. “Then it’s a shampoo, cut, another shampoo to get rid of the messy cut hair, and a head massage. The stylist will also style your hair so you can leave our salon and go out for a night on the town without needing to go home and shower.”

Knockouts Haircuts for Men
328 Worcester Road (RT9 East), Framingham
(508) 405-2829
www.framinghamko.com