Country Cutts: Hair care and community

PALMER — Stan Guthrie likes to walk to work. Since his house is right around the corner, it only takes a few minutes. Sometimes, though, he takes the long way, enjoying the scenery and thanking his creator.

To Guthrie, work is everything. His studio, his employees, his customers and the simple joy of a day’s work, cutting hair — these drive him to maintain the Country Cutts hair salon for more than 33 years.

Guthrie had a salon in Anchorage. He sold it and established Country Cutts in downtown Palmer. He chose Palmer because it had a “town feeling.” He said that to him, he felt a sense of community, families and businesses working together. Today, Palmer is still mostly comprised of small businesses, something that he appreciates in a community he calls home.

Guthrie said he came to Alaska in the 1960s because he was “young and dumb.” He said that he was drawn by the lower population and long winters, since he loves cozy, small communities and winter so much. He’d left Colorado, which is somewhat similar in terms of landscape, but he notes now, “nothing is like Alaska — nothing.”

Guthrie got into hair care during the 70s when there was a “lull” in the economy. He said he decided to work with hair because it was something that would always be viable and was a skill he could take anywhere. In the beginning, it intermixed pretty well with his other jobs commercial fishing and working some odd jobs in the Bush — “this and that,” he calls them. While honing his craft and building his name, he adjusted his schedule as he went along. He was able to get his start with hair by adapting over time.

He said that his business model is the upmost professionalism. That is why he chose to be a Paul Mitchell salon, which to him mirrors his studio’s image of refined quality and care.

“For the best possible prices for the common person, families, younger, older — I want to be able to reach all different aspects,” he said. “That’s always been my model.”

Guthrie donates a lot of time, money and resources to local schools, and youth sports across the Valley, not just Palmer.

“Palmer is part of the Valley and the Valley part of Palmer and we all reach each other in some way,” Guthrie said.

Located at 432 South Alaska St., Country​ Cutts does more than just hair. There’s a café on the first floor that serves coffee, espresso, specialty drinks and artisan donuts. They also serve breakfast burritos, Umpqua oatmeal, muffins, bagels and croissant sandwiches. Country Cutts is also a full service spa, with beauty and wellness services like massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, waxes, make-up application and more.

For more information about Country Cutts, visit www.countrycutts.com or call 907-745-7809.