BY MAUREEN PARKER for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 8/28/2026
If you haven’t been living under a rock and you live in Tacoma, you’ve probably noticed what’s been going on in the STW area of the city. I actually am one of those people, but we ain’t talking about me right now. (Don’t worry, though. We will, lol.)
We’re showcasing and bringing to light several different businesses, old and new, that call STW home. And today, you get a two-for-one, so it’s a lotta bang for your buck!
The Clean Cut Boys Club (CCBC) and The Clean Cut University (CCU) are right in the heart of the STW business district. Marc Brown is the owner and CEO of both establishments and has actually been in business since 2013, starting at another location closer to Lakewood but still in the STW area.
A Tacoma-area native whose family originated in Louisiana, Marc didn’t start his career with clippers in his hand. Before becoming a business owner, he worked in home finance. When the recession hit around 2008, he decided it was time to pivot, change up the game plan, and start barbering.
He built his clientele largely through word of mouth before eventually moving the business to its current STW location around 2019.
Now, the concept behind CCBC is pretty slick. For a subscription fee, clients can come into the shop for a fresh cut or other barber services at an affordable price. The model also encourages something every small business needs: loyalty and repeat customers.
But now check this part out.
Marc, being both a savvy businessman and a community-minded gentleman, took the concept a step further and opened The Clean Cut University directly across the street from CCBC.
The idea? Build up barbers.
Give students the training and clinical hours they need, give them real-world experience, and then give them options. They may have the opportunity to work with CCBC after graduating, or they can go off and do you, boo boo!
At the same time, students get valuable hands-on experience by providing free haircuts to people and children in the community who need them. The community gets a needed service, students get practice and clinical hours toward graduation, and new barbers get a foundation for building their careers.
Winning!
And entrepreneurship definitely runs in the family. Marc’s mother is the owner of Bite Me! Cookies, so that drive to build something of your own isn’t exactly foreign territory.
CCBC and CCU have continued thriving over the past few years, and plans for another location are now in the works. Growing and changing with the times while staying community-based isn’t always easy for any small business. For Marc, however, keeping the company moving forward while still providing affordable grooming services for clients has been, and continues to be, a priority.
Then there’s marketing.
We all know the landscape has changed. Having a social media presence, an aesthetic, and, most importantly, a voice that stands out from everybody else in your industry is something business owners constantly have to think about. Marc has his finger on the pulse of that in a very specific niche way.
Merchandising is part of it, too. Walk into the establishment and you’ll find hats, hoodies, shirts, and the like, because people need to know who is out here in these streets giving out mid-taper waves, doing bald and low fades, and trimming up them beards on the daily!
But behind the branding, barbering, and business model, the community piece keeps showing up.
Recently, CCBC participated in a fundraiser benefiting Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital that included a 24-hour haircut marathon. Marc also participates in a community-based back-to-school program providing free haircuts to kids.
And on a personal note, Marc has absolutely been “adopted” by my own mother. He has personally been cutting her hair for a while now, and she wears his merch proudly.
Yessir.
Of course, keeping everything firing on all cylinders takes more than one person.
Having good staff, knowing who has your back, and recognizing the people who are genuine assets to your company matter. Cassandra Garcia, Marc’s front receptionist, software developer, and PA, wears more than one hat herself. Multitasking is clearly something these two do well.
Together, Marc and Cassandra make a great team working toward the same goal: keeping CCBC and CCU moving forward while continuing to be there for the community and helping wherever they can.
As for what’s next? I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing the next phase of CCBC because, apparently, there are good things coming! I’m also looking forward to the upcoming back-to-school event in the next few weeks.
Because listen . . .
Dem bay-bays are about to go back to school, and they need to be cute!
