Nichols Barber Shop, Rockford

Linda Nichols looks back with nostalgia on an era when friendly, old-fashioned barbershops were not a rare sight on America’s street corners. Though she has trimmed men’s hair and beards for more than three decades, it was only 10 years ago that she took matters into her own hands and opened Nichols Barbershop.

The red and blue striped barber’s pole that hangs from the shop’s modest storefront prepares guests for a throwback experience that combines contemporary fashion with an old-time sense of hospitality. Inside, the shop's skilled barbers take the time to get to know each client while leading them to a vintage barber chair and prepping their implements for a traditional haircut or straight-razor shave. After a particularly successful trim, the staff even offers to take and store a picture of your haircut, ensuring that they know exactly what to do during subsequent visits and FBI inquires. As for the atmosphere, it's cozy—like a barbershop should be—and loaded with quirky memorabilia: the walls pay homage to Linda's favorite television show, The Andy Griffith Show, with stacked displays of prints and pictures.