Hans Kissner calls himself the "Grandfather of the hair business".

He has been styling hair since 1953, when he started out in his father's hair shop in Germany. He continued with a three year apprenticeship in Switzerland and Dusseldorf, Germany. At age 23, he went to work in Kansas City and, after two years, opened his own salon. In later years he had the "Salon Contessa", in Cherry Creek, followed by a 17 year marriage to "Superhair" in downtown Boulder, and now "Cutter's Edge" in Gunbarrel suburb of Boulder, Colorado.

He feels that finding the right hairstyle for someone involves real communication. He listens to his clients, but will also tell them if he thinks they have selected an unsuitable style. "I could give you any of a dozen different hairstyles and you might hate it," he says. "I need to talk to my clients about their lifestyles, to look at their face and then together we decide what would be best. If you don't like the hairstyle, it is worth nothing to you."

In answer to how difficult it must be to keep up with current hairstyles and trends, Kissner replies, "Not really. I learn more and more every time I go back to Europe, and my staff and I attend many local and some national hairshows. This way we're always on top."

Cutter's Edge is in the Gunbarrel Shopping Center, in the southeast section, next to Page Two

Directions:

From Boulder: Take Iris, Foothills Pkwy, or Jay Rd to the Diagonal Hwy (119) and head Northeast toward Longmont. At the 63rd St. light, turn right. Go 1 block to Lookout Rd and turn Left. Follow Lookout Rd for 1/4 mile and turn Right onto Spine Rd, then left into the Gunbarrel Shopping Center.

From Longmont: Take the Diagonal Hwy (119) south to 63rd street (follow above directions)

From Hwy 287 (north or southbound): Turn west onto Hwy 52 and follow it to the Diagonal Hwy (119) and follow the above directions