Smart Cutz

I have been cutting my hair here for years and the service is awesome. Whether it’s a full cut or just a lineup, I always leave the shop feeling like a million bucks! Great service, great experience, great atmosphere. I love the option of cash or card swipe.

Started going to Sean when he opened the new shop up in Kent, everyone here is exceptionally friendly. It’s a great family friendly environment. There’s even a bouncy house business next door to take your kids if they’re waiting for their chance to get cut. We’ll definitely be back soon

I have gone in here a couple of times with my boyfriend and his daughter. Each time we were out running errands and were in the area so we stopped in so he could get a cut, very convenient. It’s a great family friendly environment so taking his 6 year old daughter in is done without hesitation. Any other barber shop I won’t even walk in let alone with a child. Sean is who cuts my boyfriend’s hair and it always looks great. We’re usually in and out pretty fast too especially considering we’re just walking in. I would definitely refer anyone here.

If it were possible to give this place no stars I would do it. I have to start by letting you all know that I am reviewing Smart Cutz based on a 2^nd experience with this facility. The first was actually not bad. I have a 13 year old son and have been taking him to the barber since he was about 6. We had been going to the same guy for 5 years and even followed him when he moved from a shop on the Eastside to Southcenter. My son loved this guy, but alas, he made the move to Vegas and a new place needed to be found. (We miss you Will!)
In my quest to find my son a new shop I came across 5-​star Unilocal reviews for Smart Cutz in Kent. A few weeks ago, we decided to give it a try. After calling to inquire about prices ($ 15) and trying to make an appt. by phone I was told to just walk-​in, so we did. There were only 2 barbers in the place and one was busy, so my son was asked to sit by the barber who was available. He spoke to my son in hushed tones about what he wanted and went to work. The barber was quiet, didn’t say much at all, but his haircut… oh that haircut… extremely meticulous and precise! My son walked out of there thinking he had found his new barber and barbershop. He informed me that he only accepted cash as payment. Not having cash on me, that young man allowed us to drive away to find an ATM so we could come back and pay him, which we did a few minutes later. All in all it was $ 20 well, well, well spent! But that was the first experience…
Cut to 2 weeks later — My son needs a haircut again. We walk into Smart Cutz on a Monday only to learn that the quiet, meticulous barber has moved on to another shop (Kingdom Kuts in Des Moines). Knowing that shop is closed on Mondays and also knowing what his schedule looks like for the rest of the week, my son decides to stay and get a haircut from the guy we speak with, Willis. Willis, was in the process of finishing a haircut on another client and it looked good, which aided my son in making his decision. When it was his turn, my son sat in the chair and gave Willis his instructions. Keep in mind that these are the same instructions that he has been giving barbers for the last 5 years. Will, his old barber had to go on vacation, had deaths and births in his family, had kid emergencies, etc. and each barber who stepped into his place was given these same instructions; each time, the haircut came out pretty much exactly the same way, give or take a bit of tweaking at the end at times.
After ½ hr. Willis spent a bit of time trying to convince both my son and I that his finished cut was what my son wanted. He then proceeded to tell us that this cut looked good on my son and that he should just stop. It was obvious to me that Willis didn’t know what he was doing and I convinced my son to stop. In turning the chair around to see my son’s face, I noticed that his eyebrow had been cut clean thru. Willis played it off, chuckling «yeah, yeah», very casually like this was the cool thing to do. I looked over at my son and he just shook his head, but said nothing. A few minutes later Willis eagerly grabbed the $ 20 from my son’s hand, slipping it quickly into his pocket offering no change or discount of any sort.
Cut to the car ride home — My son is fuming! He tells me this is the worst haircut experience of his life. He is Embarrassed asking me «how in the world do you expect me to go to school, first of all with this haircut, then with my eyebrow cut through like this?» «Wait…what? You mean you didn’t ask for this eyebrow thing?», was my reaction. Knowing this is what boys his age do sometimes to set themselves apart, I was just going to chalk it up to that. It wasn’t! My son tells me that Willis dropped the clippers on his eyebrow and didn’t say a word about at all. He cut his eyebrow and gave him a stupid looking haircut! Not just that, his customer service skills were sub-​sub-​sub par to the nth degree.
I called the main shop # as soon as we get home and find that this is the cell # of the owner, Sean. He listens to my problem and offers to make it up. Sean says this is unacceptable and that «we don’t do things like that around here». Saying he will have Willis give me my money back and that he, Sean, will personally cut my son’s hair, TWICE, to make it right. He apologizes for the faux pas and we hang up with an appt for Friday which I rescheduled by text for Thursday at 4, which Sean agreed to. Unfortunately, he has flaked out on me too numerous times to count, so that haircut is a no-​go as of today. After his first cancellation saying that he had a family emergency (of which I understand), I have reached out to him many times to re-​schedule. Petty, but here is an example of our interaction by text: Thursday ³⁄₉ from Sean — Have to cancel. Me: Oh wow, what other time can you do it? Sean: Have a family emergency so tomorrow or Saturday. Me: neither works, out of town this weekend Sean did not respond

Definitely checkout this place for amazing haircuts and for a friendly environment. I will be back thx Shawn for the Great Cutz.

When I needed a quick and professional line up I visited smart cutz. I was impressed by the whole experience and would highly recommend smart cutz.

Black men know how hard it is to find a new barber that you would actually stick with… been getting a haircut here ever since I moved to
Seattle last year.

Excellent service and great stylist! Been coming here since he open. Come check em out!

Great family friendly environment for me to bring my son and his friends to get a proper cut in Kent! Line ups, fades, basically whatever your needs may be, Sean can do! A barber shop for guys! I’ve been seeing him for years now, good man… GREAT BARBER! He takes walk-​ins but if you’re like me and free time is limited, set an appointment. He’s always on time, so you can be too!

When I moved to WA from MD I went to several shops looking for a good barber. Which means I had several BAD cuts! That came to a end once I started going to Sean. Aint been to another shop since!

Smart Cutz couldn’t come soon enough. Looking for great cuts and a fun respectful atmosphere this is the spot. This is a place you can bring your family and know you will be greeted and treated with A1 service.

Been looking for a good Barber in the central Kent/​auburn area for years… I found one! This guy is dope with the fades and line ups. He faded me and my son under a hour! I will definitely be back!

I’ve been seeing McCoy for over a year now, love his line ups and fades — I’d recommend him to anyone!
Very proud of him for opening his new shop, he’s come a long way.

Moved up to the Seattle area a couple of years ago and took me a while to find a great barber. I’ve been going to Sean for about a year now and he’s honestly the best barber I’ve ever been to. If you’re looking for a great haircut, hit up Smart Cutz.

I’ve been going to McCoy for haircuts for the past year and his skill and professionalism has always been on point. The decision to support him in his new venture at Smart Cutz was a no brainier. If you are looking for great service, good prices, and a family friendly environment, this is your spot!

Best shop I’ve been to in town. I enjoyed the vibe and the haircuts are always on point. I won’t be going anywhere else, love this spot!