Profile

Tucked amid the tidy Loisaida boutiques—and dangerously close to Motor City—Kropps & Bobbers has relocated once again, expanding its services and tarting up its image. What started as a modest parlor in the West Village in 1994 by veteran stylist Joni Johnson has morphed into a seven-chair, full-service salon with a mani-pedi station and a quiet treatment room for facials, body waxing, and massage by resident therapist Jean Ockuly, who uses her own homemade oils. The laid-back vibe of the original remains, but the once-trademark funkiness has been swapped (along with Johnson’s dreads) for a more elegant patina: Fresh white walls now serve as the palette for works by local artists, along with displays of products by Bonacure, Osis, the L’Oreal Tex line, and American Crew. K&B still boasts its time-honored menu of edgy, high-end cuts and color, perms, relaxers, pinch-braid and heat-seal extensions, as well as dread perms, regular extensions, and maintenance. Hair talent runs the gamut here, as does the clientele. — Sarah Walker

Many K&B stylists are dog owners, so expect to socialize with some four-leggers, or feel free to bring your own.