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This easy-to-miss salon—plunked above a drugstore—may be outfitted in faded black-and-white posters showcasing outdated hairstyles from the mid-eighties, but what it lacks in glamour, Double G makes up for in character. Owner Gus Skreptos greets clients with double-cheek kisses, then sends them on their well-coiffed way with a thick, Greek-accented, “I love you!” Since it’s a one-man operation, the salon closes when Skreptos has a doctor's appointment or other personal engagements. Who’s complaining? The loyal mostly older regulars are also the stylist’s lifelong friends. By Manhattan standards, the amenities are less than lustrous: no swanky jazz or neo-alt rock humming in the background; no complimentary wine, tea, coffee or even lemon water; no funky exposed-brick walls hung with abstract art. Instead, the focus is on conservative, dependable cuts and basic color and a generous misting of aerosol to ensure that not a hair falls out of place. — Molly Noonan