Tracy Burgoyne, owner of the Cutting Corner (Photo courtesy Dracut Economic Development)

Tracy Burgoyne has been a professional hairstylist for about 30 years, but she started styling hair even before that.

“When I was about 10, I was always playing with my mom’s hair,” Tracy said. “My mom was always my guinea pig for everything, even when I was taking my test for my license.”

Now 50, Tracy is still doing her mother’s hair. And her father’s. And the hair of many other folks.

Tracy owns The Cutting Corner, 1229 Lakeview Avenue, which is the Dracut Economic Development Business of the Month for October 2025. The Cutting Corner is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Tracy grew up in Dracut and went through Dracut schools until it was time for high school. She already knew what she wanted to do for a career, so she chose to attend Greater Lowell Technical High School to study cosmetology, graduating in 1992.

Before going out on her own, she worked at a few local salons. In 2000, when she found out the shop where she was working was closing, she found herself in a hairy dilemma: Find another salon to work in, or try to make a go of it with her own business.

“It was at that time that I began to wonder, ‘Hmm, maybe I should go out on my own,’” Tracy said. “My parents said, ‘Do some homework and see how much it’ll cost.’”

So she did, and she decided it might just work out. Her parents, Al and Linda Cote, loaned her some money — which she paid off — to get her up and running.

“My parents always joke that they paid for my hairdressing kit in cosmetology school and, in return, they have had a lifetime of free haircuts,” Tracy said.

Tracy first opened her salon at the plaza at Hampson Street and Pleasant Street.

“I was there 11 years, but in 2011, the rent was going up, so I decided to see what else was out there,” Tracy said. “I found this spot. It was double the size, so I took a risk. The business took off, and it was at that time that I decided to do booth rentals.” (She has one booth available at the moment, incidentally.)

The new space needed a lot of work, and her family came in. Her husband Brian, who Tracy met in high school, designed the remodel, and he, along with Tracy’s father and brother, Chris Cote, did all the work.

Her father has continued to do any work that needs doing around the shop.

“I couldn’t have done this without my family, friends and clients,” Tracy said.

So far, the next generations of the family haven’t produced any girls whose hair Tracy can look forward to playing with. She and Brian have three sons and two grandsons – not a girl among them.

But Tracy has plenty of clients to keep her busy. She has three other stylists and a nail tech, but they’re all independent contractors who make their own schedules. She minds her corner of The Cutting Corner.

Tracy is open Wednesday through Saturday, and she said making her own schedule is one of the perks of owning her own salon.

“It’s very convenient owning a salon. My sons went through Dracut schools, and I never missed a football game.”

And, like death and taxes, hair appointments are another certainty of life, no matter what else is going on, so there is job security.

“Even in hard times, with the economy down or whatever, people still come,” Tracy said. “Hair is still a priority.”

Which is why Tracy feels The Cutting Corner is just hitting its stride at age 25. She doesn’t plan on doing anything else for the foreseeable future.

“I can picture myself here with my walker,” she said with a laugh. “It’s all I know. I love it. I love my job. I talk to so many people who can’t stand their jobs. I can’t even think about going to a job every day that I hate. I love making people feel good about themselves.”

For more about The Cutting Corner, call 978-957-6978, or email cuttingcornersalon@yahoo.com.