Local businessman combines community values with cool

There is a generous spirit that runs through Logan businesses. Many successful people in our tight-knit community have needed a helping hand at different points in their lives. Giving back is just a part of living in Logan and this generosity complements work by local charities and Logan City Council.

Barber, small businessman and all-round lovely local, Nicky Pati of Spasifik Cuts in Logan agrees: ‘People work hard in Logan and people support you. But when you’re helping someone in a place like Logan, someone else is going to be helping you. Everyone’s doing their part. Businesses are helping and friends and family are helping.’

Nicky is the owner of Spasifik Cuts, the first urban barber shop to open in Brisbane doing razor fade, American-style haircuts and hair art using the cutthroat to shave.  Nicky emphasises that the store was originally established by Beau Loulanting and that he wouldn’t be who he is personally and professionally without Beau. These two waves of successful ownership, means the business has clients who travel from Ipswich, Gold Coast, Redlands, Brisbane City and the northside.

Nicky plays his own part in this cycle of assistance in official and non-official ways. In February 2021, Nicky and 11 other local business people got together and set up Hisspace – a forum for men to talk about mental health – with the initial launch sponsored by Council. ‘I created the space but it’s been real teamwork with other Logan community businesses like Black Butterfly. We invite people in the mental health field to speak and another local group, Healing Rain, leads the monthly discussion.’

It’s a very organic process in that he listens to what is concerning his customers on the floor each week. If an issue comes up 3 or 4 times, that becomes the topic chosen.

Depression was the first topic and the guest speaker was Anthony Mundine – a long-term customer. ‘He’s such an interesting guy, so different to what you see on the media. He has such a big heart – he shared his experience with depression,’ Nicky says

Nicky has had his own personal battles, which deepens his empathy for others. In fact, he befriended a homeless man a few years ago, in a park. Nicky explains, still mystified: ‘It was never planned, I would just head there when I needed time-out we would sit together and not even talk – just stare at the moon.’

Nicky ended up helping the man back on his feet – offering him a place to stay and giving him small jobs around the barber shop. ‘Everyone at the shop started helping him too – they’d bring him food. Every time I paid him for doing odd jobs, he would walk to the shops and buy a gift and say this present is to thank you. Even when he had nothing, he was trying to give me something. My relationship with my customers is what I love. It’s not just a haircut, it’s the conversations we have. Customers are like family to me.’

Nicky’s first experience with helping disadvantaged people was during his barber training in New Zealand. ‘We used to practise cutting hair on the homeless. It was very stressful, I didn’t want to stuff up someone’s day by giving them a bad haircut.’

Monthly, Nicky throws open the doors of Spasifik Cuts to the homeless and locals who can’t afford regular haircuts. He works in conjunction with local charity ADRA Community Care, and connects people in need with free health checks, food, care packages and a bus ticket to get them to his shop. This hub of love and giving, inspires others and residents and local businesses drop off food and other gifts during these monthly times of giving. ‘They won’t say who they are, they just drop things off. It takes a village to raise a child.’

As much as his barber shop is a hub for giving, it’s also a hub for like-minded people from the street and sport communities – especially boxing. Spasific Cuts sponsors rising kickboxing stars Connor Gillen and Albert Tuua. He cuts the hair of members of the Logan Boxing Team, boxing promoters, footballers like Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Anthony Mundine’s Technical Advisor Chris McCullin and Anthony Mundine himself, who trains out of Logan Boxing Team when he’s getting ready for a fight.

He’s taken many calculated risks in his business. Originally very much an all-male place where men felt comfortable being themselves, he brought Lama’s Braids to do braids on men. ‘The girl doing the braids – she asked me if a girl could do braids on men. I took a risk, I wasn’t sure how it was going to go.’ It also changed the nature of the place. ‘Before, men loved going to a place a place where they could just talk with other men. I lost some customers. I know that I gained a lot for bringing different people in. So now we’ve got girls, guys, kids – everyone.’

In fact, even Deputy Mayor John Raven heads in for a fresh fade.

Nicky appreciates the new Council leadership: ‘All the leaders in the community are getting together and getting involved in the community. I have never seen Council leaders like this before – they’re really involved in the community. You know, the barber shop is a newsroom. I hear the good news about the Council getting out into the community. I hear it from clients.’

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