Spiotta Salon

Men’s salons used to dominate midtown — before Spiotta Salon began cutting through a once-standard row of barber chairs and replacing them with wash-and-wear styling. Named after its founder, the hair salon sits on 38th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, a block where the garment district thins out and the lights stay on late. A quick sweep southeast reveals the Empire State Building peeking over the rooftops; inside, beach waves meet blunt bobs on repeat.

What used to be booking by word of mouth now takes only a phone call — the number (212) 730-1312 lands straight through to the front desk, where appointments are scribbled onto a single clipboard shared by colorists, barbers, and blow-dry artists. Folks drop in for clips, shaves, face waxing, keratin treatments, and even fashion color sessions; the station labels change weekly but the mirrors stay the same.

Twentieth-century lobby buildings bookend the block, giving the neighborhood an uneasy turn-of-the-century vibe; the salon’s address — 219 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018 — sits squarely between them, sharing a sidewalk with shipping doors that slap open at dawn. After a color job or a trim, clients spill back onto the sidewalk, usually clutching thin plastic bags and a latte from the cart on the corner.

If you can’t decide between a fade and a balayage, Spiotta Salon keeps the line free and the scissors sharp; dial (212) 730-1312 or pull up directions on the maps listing before you head out. Locals call it the best-kept styling secret on 38th Street.