Getting a Clip, Welcome to the Man Cave
Written by Ty Walker, Contributing Writer
Nikki Griesenauer and Robyn Flynn met about seven years ago, cutting hair at a barbershop chain in Oregon City. They grew tired of working for somebody else; then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and they had a lot of time to think about their future.
They decided they wanted the freedom of being their own bosses and opened their own barber shop. In September 2020, Nicks & Cuts Barbershop was born, and a couple of years later, so was Robyn’s first born son, Stanley.
“It was the best decision that we’ve made,” Nikki said of the business partnership. Nikki, who has three kids, and Robyn wanted more time to spend with their families.
They found a small office space in Nikki’s hometown of Canby, big enough for two barber stations and a small waiting area. They transformed it into a man cave, complete with a fridge stocked with beer and soda. It looks and feels like a teenager’s converted garage bedroom.
Decorated with tin signs advertising beer and cars, vintage barber shop tools and automotive parts, sports posters and sportsman’s gear, Nicks & Cuts caters to a mostly male clientele. Ironically, the shop owned by two women doesn’t get many female customers. That’s the way they want it.
Women are welcome, of course, but usually they’re women who like short hair. This is no beauty salon, ladies. There’s no basin for shampoos and they keep their clippers in an industrial size toolbox on wheels.
Some regular customers come to the shop just to relax in the laid back atmosphere and join in the barbershop chit-chat. Nikki and Robyn also share the gift of gab but both agree that Nikki is the more talkative of the two. “One of my clients said you guys should definitely have a reality TV show here,” Nikki said. “To some people we’re like Dr. Phil.”
The partners in business are like sisters. They have a lot in common. Both are mothers, engaged to their longtime boyfriends, and were the tomboys of their families growing up.
“I grew up fishing, clamming and camping until the baby took over my life,” Robyn said. “Nikki grew up dirt biking.”
Nikki, whose hair falls to her waist, wears it tied up in a bun when at work. Robyn recently shaved her head with a straight razor.
Nicks & Cuts generally cuts hair by appointment but accepts walk-ins when time is available. They offer a wide variety of popular short styles, from straight razor shaves to buzz cuts, mohawks to military fades, mullets to scissor cuts.
Robyn specializes in military fades and mullet cuts. Nikki prefers doing traditional haircuts with scissors. Nikki handles mostly young boys and older men’s haircuts. She recently cut the hair of a 2-month-old and has a customer in his 90s.
Nikki has about 15 years experience behind the chair and Robyn about eight, more or less. Nikki said, “There are four barbershops in town, and we’re probably the best.”
Nicks & Cuts is located at 917 SW 4th Ave. in Canby. Give them a call at 971-334-1212.
