Scissors Savings
Just Cuts and Great Cuts are only steps apart in the same plaza yet both offer affordable haircuts for the whole family. KERRY FIRTH
Neighboring salons share in each other’s success
BY KERRY FIRTH
Inflation is on everybody’s mind, these days. Yet two local hair salons are defying the trend by offering low, low prices on haircuts for men, women and children. Business has been so good, one of the stylists has opened her own place — in the same plaza as her former employer.
HAIRCUT WARS? NOT AT ALL.
Stylist Megan Ayers enjoys doing precision designer styles as well as standard barber shop trims. Ayers left her job as a stylist at Just Cuts to open Great Cuts a few doors down. CRYSTAL SPEIRS
The stylists and owners are all supportive of each other because, thanks to their business model, there are plenty of customers for everyone. Price is their key to success: Haircuts at Just Cuts and the newly opened Great Cuts are only $10. That’s less than a stylist’s tip at many hair salons. Yet, they make it work — for customers and stylists — by specializing.
All they do is cut. They don’t wash or blow dry hair, so they can serve a new customer every 10 minutes or so. But don’t judge the quality of their work by the low price. Most stylists working at high-end, full-service salons don’t cut repetitively enough to do it as quickly and masterfully.
“I worked at Just Cuts for nine years before I made the difficult decision to branch out on my own,” said Megan Ayers, who just opened Great Cuts, two doors down from her former employer. “I appreciate every aspect of the business and the ability I got from working there.
“I had reached a point in my career where I needed to expand. I had so many customers coming in and taking up seats while they waited, that there really wasn’t room for new walk-ins and customers of my colleagues. I wanted my own salon that would not only give me the space to take care of my multitude of customers but also give opportunities for other stylists to grow a clientele in a welcoming environment.”
Opening her own shop became a reality when her longtime friend,Travis Taxacher, offered to partner with her. He leases the location and gives her discounted chair rental, in exchange for her managing the business. “I recognized the drive in Megan and saw the need for her expansion, so I decided to invest in the venture,” Taxacher said. “Megan is in control of all aspects of the business, including hiring stylists, marketing — and she even painted and decorated the place.”
Family Affair
“While I was at Just Cuts, my clientele was mostly retired,” Ayers explained. “At Great Cuts we want to offer the same, affordable haircut services to young families. I feel it is needed now more than ever, to have a place you can get a great haircut at a great price. We also do precision designer cuts for $15, beard trims for $5, and bangs trims for $3. By leaving out the extra services, like washing and blowing, we are able to deliver quick and convenient haircuts for the whole family.
“When you think about it, if a family has four or five children — at $25-$30 a cut, which is often the going rate — they can spend hundreds of dollars on haircuts. Here they can spend just $10 each.”
Ayers has even created a kid’s corner, with a library of children’s books, games and a TV, to keep them occupied while they wait their turn. Great Cuts will also have year-round special promotions. For instance, when the school year starts, there will be a back-to-school special: $5 haircuts, for children 12 and younger. Throughout the summer, the salon will be collecting donations for school supplies, to give to families who could use the help. First responders get $2 off a regular cut and $5 off a designer cut, on the first Friday of every month; veterans get $5 haircuts on Veterans Day.
Since opening Great Cuts in February, most of Ayers’ established clients have followed her, and she continues to attract new customers via social media and word of mouth. She has hired stylist Cheryl Hallers, who comes from a similar background and agrees with Ayers’ philosophy of giving to the community and building relationships. Ayers said she hopes to add another stylist or two by next fall.
Just Cuts stylists Anthony Anderson, Lucie Cordero, Connie Hayes and Jill Gagne see an average of 75-100 walk-ins a day. KERRY FIRTH PHOTOS
ROOM FOR ALL
Cheryl Hallers is thrilled to be part of the new Great Cuts team, with additional members expected.
Meanwhile, two doors down at Just Cuts, the stylists are happy for Ayers, and happy to have the open seats for walk-in customers.
“We all have our own clients, so her departure really doesn’t affect us at all,” said Connie Hayes, a stylist at Just Cuts. “She took her own clients, but didn’t take our steady stream of walk-ins. On average, we have 75-100 walk-ins a day. Some will request a particular stylist. Others are happy with any of us, and just want to get in and out.”
All four of the stylists at Just Cuts have been in the hair-cutting business for 25 to 30 years, including at full-service salons. All agree that by scaling down and focusing on just haircuts and nothing else, they can make a good income and work fewer hours. Some work only two and a half days a week, others up to four days a week.
“We have a lot of repeat business and, of course, the walk-in traffic,” said Anthony Anderson, who’s been at Just Cuts for four years. “Each of us will see 20 to 30 customers a day so, even at $10 a cut, we are making a very good living. That doesn’t include the tip — and we find most customers are very generous tippers, because they see the value in a reasonably priced haircut.”
If you are looking for just a great cut, at an affordable price, head on down to Great Cuts or Just Cuts in Vero Beach. See how great a “sawbuck” haircut can be.