Nelson Group Salon

Named a Reader's Choice salon by the Daily Herald in 2012, the Nelson Group Salon staffs skilled stylists who groom clients' locks, skin, and nails using products by Aveda, Bumble and bumble, and Schwarzkopf. Many of the salon's stylists boast more than a decade of experience and professional training from such coiffure heavyweights as Vidal Sassoon and Aveda, which they apply to their services as they snip and color locks in modern styles.

Built in 1890, the salon's charming interior once housed a hospital, which was then subsequently repurposed into a bakery and next into a zombie factory, before finally transforming into its present state more than 20 years ago. Salon owner Nelson, a stylist for more than 23 years, still prefers "old-school German shears" to style ever-evolving haircuts. He emphasizes keeping up with trends and mastering new techniques, saying, "it's not just a job, but a craft."