Community Insider: Hair Cutting Company planning for big anniversary
The late Wayne Reif started The Hair Cutting Company in 1981, relocating from Hesston to open a hair salon on Main Street. [Kansan File]
By Chad Frey
Newton Kansan
Sitting at the corner of Fifth and Main Streets, the Hair Cutting Company is preparing to celebrate in 2026. The company is turning 45 years old.
The late Wayne Reif started the Newton business in 1981, relocating from Hesston to open a hair salon on Main Street.
“This is in the middle of downtown, right downtown,” said current owner Shannon Reinert. “It is right in the center of it all. I have a great location. I have good parking … I love this location.”
It was a location picked very purposefully by her predicessor, and he put a lot of time into during his time operating and then working for the business.
“He built it all out. When he moved in here it was a big open space,” said current owner Shannon Reinert. “He built it out and put all the stations and stuff in.”
This month the Hair Cutting Company became one of the first businesses to sign on to The Newton Kansan Community Insider/Subscriber Perks program
The Community Insider/Perks program works like a discount card — Kansan online subscribers can find a list of perks and discounts on the Perks section of thekansan.com.
In the case of the Hair Cutting Company, subscribers just show Reinert the deal listing on their phone and they get the perk.
“Anything that helps to get people to come downtown, shop downtown and walk into the business, that is mainly it for me,” Reinert said. “Just to get somebody in the door.”
In 2009 Reinert bought out her then boss, taking ownership of the place she went to work for in 1994. She made a few changes along the way, while taking on the roll of being a foster care provider for cats from Caring Hands Humane Society.
But the Hair Cutting Company was her focus, and trying to soften the blow of change for Reif.
“I absolutely adore Wayne, but he hated change,” Reinert said. “Any change, any little change I would make, even the faucets on the sinks he would complain about. But I loved him, and he was always my biggest supporter.”
Reinert is not entirely sure what she will do to mark the anniversary that is coming in 2026, only that she will.
And she will honor Reif as she does.
“I can’t say enough good things about him. I miss him every day,” Reinert said. “I have a picture of him and I on my station on the last day that he worked. He is a big deal to me.”
Reif ‘s salon career spanned over 60 years, during which he also served as inspector for the Kansas Board of Barbering. Many of his adult clients tell the story of getting their first haircut from Wayne. He reluctantly retired at 80 after 10 years working for Reinert.
For most of his 60+ year career, he worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week, but this never stopped him from ambitious, if not sleepless, weekend adventures.
Reif passed away December 21, 2022 in Newton at the age of 83. His memory still lingers at Fifth and Main.
“That motivates me to keep this place going. We have 45 years coming up, lets do 50,” Reinert said.