For Stephanie Kauffman, hair styling is less about following trends and more about intuition. After more than 15 years in the industry, Kauffman opened Archetype Hair at 24 Miles St. in Greenfield. The new solo venture marks a shift toward bespoke, sustainable beauty, offering Greenfield residents a “chill,” low-stimulus alternative to the traditional salon experience.
As the owner and sole stylist of Archetype Hair, she offers a variety of services, including cutting, color and styling. She prioritizes personalized styling over what she described as “cookie-cutter” cuts.
“I like to work with my clients to develop custom cuts — it’s not like I’m going to put the same haircut on every single person,” she explained.
Kauffman grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, and attended Hampshire College in Amherst where she studied experimental film. She then moved to New York City, working as an art handler — moving art on trucks, installing art in people’s houses, packing art for shipping — for some time before deciding on a career change and attending cosmetology school. She began working at a salon in Greenpoint, Brooklyn where she to this day sees clients for four days about every six to eight weeks.
“I always just had a knack for [hair styling]; it always felt very intuitive to me,” she said. “I feel like I could look at people and be like ‘this is what you need to do,’ and some people would let me do it.”
In July 2023, Kauffman moved to Greenfield with her family after her landlord in Brooklyn announced that they were selling the building she was living in. She has always dreamt of having her own salon, but in New York City it was both too competitive and expensive. To Kauffman, opening her own business has felt like “a long time coming”; she noted that she has been actively trying open a salon for more than a year.
Formerly the site of two barbershops and a bakery, the space underwent an extensive renovation before opening in January as Archetype Hair. It took months of work, beginning after her lease began in October, and finishing up in January. Among the renovations were repainting, adding new shelves and baseboards, spackling, sanding and adding electrical outlets.
Visitors can see glimpses of Kauffman’s personal aesthetic throughout the salon, whether in the arched window adorned with crystals, or the warm candle burning on the kiosk.
“I wanted to create a space that is not overstimulating, and is chill,” Kauffman explained.
Rejecting “big-box” corporate products, Kauffman curates her backbar with sustainable alternatives, including high-performance brands such as CULT + KING and Davines. She also is a member of Green Circle Salons, an organization that helps salons recycle up to 95% of their beauty waste.
Kauffman said that a sustainable model is essential for any business right now to succeed long-term. She explained that sustainability is a “huge part of what’s happening” at Archetype Hair.
“I think that sustainability is incredibly important, and I don’t like throwing things in the trash,” she said.
While Kauffman has a client base rooted in western Massachusetts, she is excited to grow her business, and potentially hire another hairdresser in the future.
“I want to grow and be busier. I think eventually I’ll probably hire somebody, but I am definitely not there yet … ideally, three clients a day is nice, I could do more,” she said.
At Archetype Hair, a ‘long haircut’ is $100, and a ‘short haircut’ is $85. To book an appointment, visit archetypehair.squarespace.com/services
