If you’ve ever tried to park on Middle Neck Road on a Friday afternoon, you already know: in Great Neck, the blowouts are blowing, the extensions are hiding, and the running out to feed the meters is beyond.
By 3:00 p.m., it’s not traffic — it’s triage. Women managing kids remotely, home from school, men sneaking in for “just a trim.” Someone loudly explaining, “We don’t do Groupon”.
On the peninsula of Great Neck (nine villages, doncha know), we boast an astonishing concentration of hair and nail salons — particularly clustered around Great Neck Plaza, but sure, they are also to be found uptown through Kings Point, too.
From legacy barbershops to Russian manicure specialists to boutique blow-dry bars, it can feel like there’s a stylist for every strand and a nail tech for every mood. But this isn’t random. It’s economics. It’s demographics. It’s culture. And, frankly, it’s very Great Neck.
And quite orchestrated. Cancelling a scheduled hair appointment is risky. Your stylist won’t just be disappointed — she’ll say, “No problem,” in a tone that makes you reconsider all your life choices.
Forget about switching it up for a do at an alternate shop, you’ll rue the day. Best to set it and forget it, for life. In other towns, people ask, “Where do you get your hair done?” In Great Neck, they ask, “Who does your color?” — like they’re asking for your cardiologist.
And nail salons? That’s not a manicure, silly. That’s a two-week contract, in perpetuity. When your nail tech says, “See you in two weeks,” and you say, “Same time,” without even checking your calendar, that’s a bona fide commitment.
Where to get your hair done: From the O.G salons to the newbies
Every town has its institutions. Among the longest-running on the Great Neck Peninsula are de-al Salon, VS-1 Salon, Ade Beauty, Ashraf, Salon Ruby, Marcari Salon, Kathy’s Salon, Young’s Hair and Salon DeFranco. Newer to the scene are Sam & Ko Salon, Hikari, Meet Y Hair, Hairmode, Salon Or, M3 Hair, Raymonda Glam, and Airbar Blow. For the Guys- Joseph & Co., Peters Barber Shop, Daddy’s Barber Shop, Mr. Scissor Barbershop, Roman Barber, Village Barber Shop. Surely, we missed a bunch. It cannot be helped.
The nail scene: A town that books biweekly
If hair is maintenance, nails are religion. Longtime favorite Favor Nails has been in business for nearly three decades. J & J Day Spa, Butterfly Garden, and Dashing Diva have served steady streams of loyal clients for 15–20 years. Meanwhile, a steady influx of newer salons — from boutique Russian manicure studios to quick-service walk-ins — ensures that no matter your price point or patience level, there’s a chair waiting. And maybe a free neck massage. In many American suburbs, manicures are occasional indulgences. In Great Neck, they’re calendar items. Biweekly fills are standard. Holiday refreshes are mandatory. Before a gala or temple journal dinner? Don’t even ask.
Great Neck is a compact, affluent, high-visibility suburb where wellness and presentation are baked into daily life. Hair and nails here are not indulgences, nor are they women-only. Rather, they are part of the culture– a budget line for upkeep. Not unlike mow-n-blow for our green lawns, it’s maintenance for the soul. And tip like you mean it, cuz you’ll be back. If you still doubt the strength of the local beauty market, try booking a Saturday blowout in May or June. You’ll understand immediately.
Why – err, how so many?
Great Neck’s median household income sits well above national averages. The town is home to attorneys, physicians, business owners, and titans of industry — people (& their spouses) who are client-facing and presentation-conscious. Looking polished here isn’t vanity. It’s communal currency. Visibility is constant, even at Everfresh and other meet markets.
This is a town of bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, fundraisers, and community events. Social circles overlap. Salons function as both grooming stations and informal networking hubs. It follows, Great Neck rinse, blow and repeat clientele have created a veritable ecosystem where salons benefit by loyalty and less frequently, walk-in spontaneity.
Great Neck is one of the most diverse suburbs in Nassau County. Strong Asian, Persian/Iranian, Israeli, Russian, and Eastern European communities — alongside long-established European-Jewish American families — shape local norms. In many of these cultures, done nails are standard, weekly blowouts are routine, hair color is meticulously maintained, and event styling is frequent. Yes, of course, we have the Dyson at home, but that is strictly for emergencies. Or, the teen set. Discuss.
Can They All Survive?
Short answer: not all do. What looks like “so many salons” (lash places are another story) is often a steady reshuffling of a fixed number of storefronts. Ownership changes. Rebranding. Branching off by popular stylists who build loyal books. Certain segments, in the luxury lane, are more protected long-term.
High-end color, extensions, bespoke styling, advanced nail techniques — these clients are less price-sensitive, deeply loyal, and make time for life’s necessities. (Gym/ tan/ laundry, refined). Of note, loyalty is fierce and word-of-mouth dominates. In communities like Great Neck, clients follow their stylist for 20+ years and multi-generation clients are common. When a skilled stylist builds a book, they’re essentially recession-resistant. And AI–proof, too. So while it may be true that we don’t have much retail shopping left in our town, we do have great places to eat, and we clean up well — even when we venture out to a Polls Bros. restaurant, points East.
Janet Nina Esagoff, a serial entrepreneur, founded Destination: Great Neck Ltd. in 2021 to strengthen and celebrate her hometown. Follow @greatneckbiz. In 2017, Janet launched Esagoff Law Group PC, located “in town” on Middle Neck Road. Prior to her law practice, Janet designed special–occasion wear for girls/teens at Party Girl, on Bond Street.
