Meet a 'Logan Legend' – Nicky Pati
Meet the 8 Logan Legends inspiring our city – and share the legend in your life with us.
Underneath a tree in Samoa, with his mother’s sewing scissors and a stick carved into a makeshift comb, a young Nicky Pati gave his first haircut.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was the beginning of something powerful – a lifelong passion for connecting with people, building community, and making others feel seen.
After finishing school in his homeland, Nicky moved to New Zealand in 1999 to sharpen his barbering skills. In 2004 Nicky decided to cross the ditch and move to Logan, a city that’s home to one of the largest populations of Pacific Islander peoples in Australia.
‘I moved here when I was 25,’ he says. ‘Logan felt like home. There were so many Samoans and Pacific Islanders here, I felt like I could connect and I related,’ Nicky says.
Nicky Pati: Cutting hair, connecting hearts
That sense of belonging was key to Nicky’s decision to settle and raise his family in Logan.
‘It was the right place to bring up kids, to build something meaningful. There were better opportunities here, and the community felt like family,’ he says.
Nicky’s path to business ownership began with friendship. In 2005, his mate Beau Loulanting opened Spasifik Cuts in Slacks Creek, and Nicky joined the team a year later.
‘Beau used to cut my hair back in Auckland and when I found out he was here we connected,’ Nicky says.
‘I started as a regular barber and then managed the shop, became a partner, and eventually took over the business in 2017.’
Nicky says the name ‘Spasifik Cuts’ is a play on ‘Pacific Cuts’, a nod to Beau’s heritage and a statement of pride.
‘Back then not many Pacific Islanders owned businesses. Beau laid the platform and empowered us to show that we can own businesses, we can lead communities.’
ABOVE: Nicky Pati and his family.
In recent years Nicky has worked hard to grow Spasifik Cuts, opening a second shop in Springfield, Ipswich.
Hugely popular with South East Queensland’s Pacific Island communities, the barbershops aren’t just the home of fresh fades or tracks, they are micro communities.
Clients visit to get a haircut, but they leave feeling seen and heard, not just by Nicky but by his team of authentic barbers.
Whether it’s listening, giving advice or sharing a laugh, Nicky says Spasifik Cuts is there to help take care of its people.
In July 2025, Nicky, his team and the Pacific Island community celebrated 20 years of Spasifik Cuts, with Logan Mayor Jon Raven championing the business.
‘Nicky Pati and the crew have become an iconic part of Logan’s identity over the last two decades,’ Mayor Raven says. ‘They do so much more than cut hair – they’ve poured their heart and soul back into our community.’
That spirit of empowerment runs deep in Nicky’s work. Beyond haircuts, Spasifik Cuts has recently become a place of healing and hope for young men from Logan and surrounds.
On the last Monday of every month Nicky hosts a group called His Space; it’s a time when connections are made, stories are shared, and culture is celebrated. Importantly, people with lived experience of working through challenges share their wisdom to empower and educate younger men on how to live good lives.
Nicky also opens his heart and shop to give free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness or financial hardship. It’s also a way for young apprentices to practise their skills under Nicky’s gentle guidance.
‘A few years ago a homeless man came in. He didn’t open his eyes the whole time. I gave him a haircut, some water. When we finished he opened his eyes and said, “I haven’t seen that guy in a long time”,’ Nicky says.
‘He used to own a business and that haircut took him back to when things were good. Maybe it helped him reflect, maybe it helped him turn things around. I haven’t seen him on the street since.’
For Nicky, it’s never just about the haircut, it’s the conversations and the connections that he has with regulars and first timers.
‘Customers become lifelong friends. I learn so much from the people who sit in my chair. I feel like I haven’t worked in more than a decade, I’ve just been doing what I love,’ he says.
Nicky says Logan’s diversity and warmth is what sets it apart from other cities and he’s proud to be a Logan business owner and local. As a dad, he wants to pass on his community values to his children.
‘I want my kids to see that you can make a difference with something simple. That you can build something from nothing and can love what you do and help others along the way.’
‘I want them to know that success isn’t just about money – it’s about impact. It’s about kindness, connection, and community.’
As Nicky puts it: ‘I’ll keep doing this until my eyes can’t see anymore.’
Nicky Pati’s story is one of 8 that celebrate the heart of Logan. Explore the other legends – and tell us about a local hero in your community. loganlegends.au