The past few years have ushered in Gent, known for its clean cuts, and Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, a go-to for straight-razor shaves. But the new 18|8 in St. Louis Park is a veritable manscaping mecca, offering haircuts, facials, manicures, and everything else a guy needs to stay groomed—right down to nose-hair waxing.
Each styling station is set between tall walls, lending a feeling of intimacy during treatments. “A lot of guys are interested in trying some of the more spa-like services, but they don’t want to feel judged,” says manager Rebecca Stapp. “Having an all-male salon—and one with lots of privacy—helps.”
It also helps that everything from the waiting-room magazines (Esquire, GQ, Rolling Stone) to the salon chairs (La-Z-Boy-esque) to the styling product for sale (Crew, GO 24-7, etc.) has been chosen to appeal to males of varying tastes, from your Don Drapers to your Paul Bunyans. And the lobby décor is guaranteed to make guys go gaga, featuring owner Ross Bowen’s barbecue pit master trophies.
