Inclusive Cuts Brings Sensory-Friendly Haircuts to Owensboro

The team at Precision Studio recently opened Inclusive Cuts at Wendell Foster. Sam Greer and shop manager Memory joined us on the morning show to chat about that new endeavor as well as several other ways they are building community and supporting folks who need it. Keep scrolling to listen if you missed it!

What is Inclusive Cuts?

Inclusive Cuts is Owensboro's newest barber shop located at 701 East 9th Street on Wendell Foster's campus. Services are open to the entire community, and anyone can book an appointment. Sam shared, "While the studio is equipped to provide great services for every client, it was designed specifically to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities."

Sam has been working on this project for some time now after learning that there were folks at The Wendell Foster Center and beyond with challenges when it comes to getting to their Precision Studio location on Triplett Street. Sam said, "I had the privilege of one of my clients bringing me a resident from Wendell Foster to my shop about 2 years ago. They told me how they didn’t really have anyone to cut residents' hair very often."

I LOVE that Sam was determined to solve this problem so much so that she reached out to the powers that be to make something happen. "After about 6-8 months of conversing and planning with several people inside Wendell Foster, we (my wife and I) started cutting residents' hair on campus."

The smiles multiplied, confidence boosted, and the Greers came together with Kara Howard, Doug Hoyt, and the Wendell Foster team to improve the overall experience even more. "Inclusive Cuts was brought to life with it standing for exactly what its name says, inclusion for all but specifically designed to cater to individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities."

Sam Greer and her wife, Ashley, offer a variety of haircutting services at Inclusive Cuts and their Precision Studios location, including but not limited to basic haircuts, beard trims, and bald fades. They even offer deluxe services for men to get a little pampering session.

Here are the sensory-friendly features they offer to help minimize discomfort caused by traditional salon set-ups.

A private styling space for clients who prefer a quiet, one-on-one environment.
A permanent, consistent location for clients who benefit from routine and familiarity.
A wheelchair-accessible styling station and shampoo sink.
A TV to play favorite shows, movies, or videos for comfort and distraction during appointments.
Weighted capes for clients who find deep pressure calming.
Sensory tools and fidgets available for clients to use.

When booking at Inclusive Cuts on Booksy, folks can share preferences and sensory needs by answering questions such as, "Would clippers or scissors be best?" or "Do the sound and vibration of hair clippers cause sensory discomfort or overload?" That way, each appointment is customized and comfortable for each client.

Coming up in a week and a half, Sam, Ashley, and the team are hosting their annual free haircut event to get kids ready for school. Last year, they did an INCREDIBLE 300 FREE haircuts for kids and gave out about 350 backpacks of school supplies and hygiene products.

If you would like to be a part of their mission and help get the kids off to school with everything they need, you can contact Sam Greer at (270) 903-4055 or precision.studios2021@gmail.com.

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