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INDIANA, Pa. (AP) — A new Indiana business is aiming to revamp the old-fashioned barber shop into a place that men of all ages will look forward to going to, whether it's for a haircut, the environment, or the cold draft beer that comes with every standard adult cut. Indiana native Matt Kowchuck, who said he has been cutting hair for 20 years, opened Matt's Cuts, at 580 Philadelphia St., last month. "No matter what I wanted, they'd still give me what they felt like giving me," Kowchuck said about his various childhood barber shops and hair salons. "One time, they snipped my ear and I got a couple stitches. That was in November, so I asked for a pair of clippers for Christmas and I've been cutting hair ever since." Eventually, Kowchuck began cutting hair for many of his friends and family. About eight years ago, they encouraged him to make cutting hair his career. He did a barber apprenticeship, went to cosmetology school and later opened his first Matt's Cuts in Nanty Glo, which is still open. To set his shop apart from the competition, Kowchuck designed Matt's Cuts to have an atmosphere similar to traditional barber shops, while keeping a modern audience in mind. "I think all guys in general are tired of going to beauty salons and getting their hair cut by women," he said. "They want a guy's atmosphere." The shop is decorated to match exactly that type of environment. Warm chocolate leather, dark wood furniture and two flat-screen TVs — one of which is equipped with a PlayStation game console, and the other streaming sports — contribute to the shop's "man cave" vibe. To top it off, one complimentary draft beer from Levity Brewing Co. on Indian Springs Road comes with every adult haircut, which costs $16.50, as long as the guest is 21 years or older. While only one type of beer is available at a time, the beers do vary based on what Levity is selling the most of when Kowchuck needs to replace the keg. "Right now, I've got the Indiana PA IPA," he said. "Whatever is (Levity's) best seller at the time, I'll probably do." However, Kowchuck also said he'd eventually like to take suggestions from his customers about what kind of beer they'd like to sip on while getting their hair snipped. "I want this place to be for the customers," he said. "I want this to be a place that they like going to. Like old-school barber shops — people would come in, get a haircut and then hang out. Heck, a lot of people would come in and wouldn't even get a haircut. They'd just stop in. And you don't see that anymore." Matt's Cuts also offers hot-towel shaves, beard trims, line-ups, razor-ups, razor fades and hair designs. Kowchuck said he enjoys using different hair lengths to create texturized designs such as checkerboards and spider webs. Designs start at $5. Even if you don't need a haircut, you could stop in for a simple, old-fashioned shoeshine. "For the businessmen, the police, the prison guards at the jail, the bankers and lawyers around here, shoeshines are an old-school thing that you don't see anymore," he said. "It's not something you'd get every day, but it's something you get once or twice a year." Matt's Cuts also offers an extensive list of discounts: veterans, firemen, EMS and police officers receive $2 off; senior citizens receive $1 off Monday through Wednesday; IUP students receive $1 off; Indiana locals receive $1 off; and employees of the Pine Grove State Correctional Institution, the Indiana County Jail, the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, First Commonwealth Bank, Fox's Pizza and S&T Bank all receive $1 off. Aside from hot-towel shaves and cut and shaves, which require an appointment, Kowchuck said he only takes appointments under special circumstances. In general, he operates strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. In the future, Kowchuck plans for Matt's Cuts to be active in the Indiana community. He said he has already donated to various organizations in the area, and has plans to offer low-cost haircuts for people with disabilities through a nonprofit organization called Lifesteps. The original Matt's Cuts in Nanty Glo, about 25 miles southeast of Indiana, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The Indiana location is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday. "I love cutting hair," Kowchuck said. "Not too many people get to actually do what they want to do in life, or are happy doing their job, but this is what I like doing. So, I'm just trying to bring the barber shop back, because really, it's dying out." ___ Online: http://bit.ly/1TIxTTC ___ Information from: The Indiana Gazette, http://www.indianagazette.com

Shave and a brewski: Barber shop offers beer with cut