By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
The Country Cuts Salon, 700 E 8th, recently opened in Hays, but while the 20-year-old owner is just getting started, she continues a family tradition dating back almost three decades.
While owner and stylist Kenna Spencer was ready to strike out on her own, she also leans heavily on her mother’s experience in the field and tailored her shop to reflect the casual, hometown atmosphere that was found in her mother’s shop.
“After 28 years, I sold my salon and so my clients are all going to her now. So, I am in here just kind of teaching her the ways of how I do hair and with my clients,” said long-time Hays stylist and former owner of Hair Repair Salon Kathy Zimmerman-Cossaart.
She had hoped Spencer would someday take over her salon after finishing training at the Hays Academy of Hair Design, 1214 E 27th, but an unexpected setback changed that goal.
“The goal was for her to come to work at my salon and take over, but she ended up being diagnosed with MS,” Zimmerman-Cossaart said. “So, kind of put a little lump in.”
With the diagnosis, even finishing her training was in question, and so she sold Hair Repair to one of her long-time stylists.
But Spencer was not going to let her goal of succeeding her mother end completely.
“Before I got diagnosed with MS…I didn't want her salon just to go to anybody or her clients to go to anybody,” Spencer said. “Because I know they're like family to her. So, in my mind, I wanted to do that for her.”
Moving past the diagnosis, it would take her nearly two years to graduate from the academy, but out of that time came a blessing – she would connect with two other students that now also work in the salon.
Reagan Musquiz, is a cosmetologist, nail tech, lash tech and offers sugaring in the salon while Afrika King, is also a cosmetologist, lash tech, nail tech, sugaring and works as a massage therapist.
“I didn't graduate with the class I started with,” Spencer said. “I graduated with their class and the class below them. So, they kind of just brought me into their class and made me feel more comfortable at school.”
“I think also, one thing we really have to give credit to and for is Hays Hair Academy because they really allowed us to venture out and try a little bit of everything and so for us all graduating from there, we got to really figure out what our passion was,” Musquiz said.
“I actually started at Fort Hays massage therapy program,” King said. “I didn't actually think that I was going to be a cosmetologist. Like that wasn't like my lifelong dream or anything, I just kind of fell into it because of COVID and fell in love with it. So, I already did massages before that. And then when we were in school, I was just doing all of the extra classes that you could, because I was just interested.
“I think that's the great thing about cosmetology and about us is that we all have different passions, we all shine in different places,” Musquiz said. "While we all also, especially with Kathy being here, we get to learn from each other. ... We're making a life for ourselves while also growing in this industry.”
So far, Zimmerman-Cossaart said her former clients have taken to the new salon.
“My clients are very happy,” she said.
And while she is excited to see her long-term clients embracing the location, she said she is still somewhat surprised Spencer went into the family business.
“Frankly, she's my farm girl,” Zimmerman-Cossaart said. She was “raised out on the farm with her dad and loves doing that. And then she came to me to say she was gonna do hair.”
“She's very country, but you can tell it in here,” she continued. “ But (my salon) was the same way. Mine was very homey."
The laid-back, country vibe is very much visible throughout the salon.
“I wanted to make it more comfortable for anybody and everybody to come in, where they don't feel like 'Oh, I don't belong,’” Spencer said.
For more about Country Cuts Salon, visit their pages on facebook and instagram.
For more about Spencer, or to book services at the salon call, (785) 498-4247.
She also maintains and account on instagram.
King can also be found on instagram and booked by calling (785) 735-4237 or by email at [email protected].
Musquiz can be found on instagram and booked by calling (785) 871-7779.
