Brad Blanken opened his first Hammer & Nails men's grooming salon on Woodmont Avenue on Friday, Aug. 21. He's already planning two more Montgomery County locations.

The Marine veteran and Montgomery County native, who runs the franchise with his wife Melissa, told Patch that a second Hammer & Nails will open in late October at the Cabin John shopping center in Potomac. A third location is planned for Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg, though that site depends on a building developers have yet to construct.

All three locations would give the Blankens a concentrated footprint across Montgomery County within the $21 billion men's grooming market, according to the company's Aug. 19 press release.

The Bethesda shop at 7712 Woodmont Ave., next to the Lionsgate Condominiums, held its grand opening Friday, Aug. 21. The California-based chain, founded in 2013, now operates more than 70 locations nationwide, but the Bethesda and Cabin John shops mark its first Montgomery County outposts.

"It just felt like a place that I'd be comfortable as opposed to the place that I go now, where it smells like antiseptic," Blanken said of his first visit to the brand's Reston Town Center location, which inspired him to become a franchisee.

The salon offers haircuts, straight-razor shaves, beard grooming, skincare, waxing and manicures in a setting with oversized leather recliners, big-screen TVs and noise-canceling headphones. A haircut runs $75 à la carte and a Classic membership costs $120 per month for two services, according to Bethesda Magazine's June preview. Walk-ins are welcome, and the shop is offering lifetime discounted pricing to its first 150 founding members.

Under a 2025 Montgomery County law that allowed barbershops to serve beer, wine and cocktails, Hammer & Nails plans to offer each customer a complimentary drink, Bethesda Magazine reported.

Blanken told Patch on opening day that his goal extends beyond grooming. He said he wants to contribute meaningfully to the community and considers that his biggest measure of success.

The Cabin John location is set for 7735 Tuckerman Lane in Potomac. No timeline has been announced for the Kentlands site; Blanken said talks are ongoing and the project hinges on developer construction.

The Bethesda shop is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Mondays.