A Cut Above Hair Studio

With its stately columns and spacious porch, the 100-year-old brick exterior of A Cut Above Hair Studio recalls a time when hair coloring was a luxury only beet farmers could enjoy. Luckily, the renovated house—which once belonged to the Payne family, owners of the Payne Music Company in downtown Greenville—now welcomes tresses of all professions into its homey interior. A brick fireplace invites guests to sit for a spell and admire the deep-maroon walls and hardwood floors, or hear antique wooden furniture talk about how long it would have had to walk if it had been able to go to school.

Though the decor is old-fashioned, the techniques and products used in the salon are not. When coloring curls, the experienced stylists focus not only on beauty but on the health of the hair, using the Goldwell line to gently accentuate natural hues. They also share their up-to-date knowledge with cosmetology graduates, helping them to jump-start their careers or newfangled gas-powered hair dryers.