16 barber shops on the cutting edge of style

Happy Friday, CHS. Jen here. Today, we’re talking personal style... hairstyle, that is.

The dudes of Charleston tend to (hair)do it well– from the shaved heads worn by the Citadel Knobs to the sun-bleached man buns donned by Folly Beach boys.

But you shouldn’t trust just anyone to take scissors to your hair. Shoutout to the hair stylist who– against the wishes of my mom + myself– gave me a bowl cut when I was three. So we asked our readers for their personal recommendations when it comes to local barber shops.

Read on to see their picks.

Downtown

💈 Barrelli Barber
📍 701 East Bay St. (at the Cigar Factory)
📞 (843) 414-7457
Come for a shave, stay for the complimentary drinks.

💈 Broad Street Barber Shop
📍 102 Broad St.
📞 (843) 723-6533
“A full-service in men's wet cuts, clipper cuts, military cuts, beard trims, straight razor face shaves + much more.”

💈 Lowcountry Barbershop
📍 114 Cannon St. (also has a Summerville location, see below)
📞 (843) 793-1567
Specializing in both classic + contemporary cuts.

💈 The Palmetto Barbershop
📍 129 N. Market St.
📞 (843) 805-6500
“Terry and her crew are the best!” –CHStoday reader David A.

💈 The Thunderbird Barber Shop
📍 10 Exchange St., Ste. 201
📞 (843) 729-1768
“The Thunderbird Barber Shop is clearly the best men's hair and beard trim in Charleston. Jenna McMillan, formerly of The Old South Barber Shop, opened her own shop just a few months ago. Located downtown, she offers the best in men's haircuts, beard trims, and scalp massages.” –CHStoday reader Conrad C.

North Charleston

💈 Celebrityz
📍 5060 Dorchester Rd., North Charleston
📞 (843) 303-6549
“Best barber: Alex Reavis.”

Mount Pleasant

💈 Elite Barber Shop
📍 1167 Basketweave Dr., Mt. Pleasant
📞 (843) 270-7714
“I don’t have a beard but if I did it would be glorious and Larry would be the only one allowed to trim it!” –Facebook review from Evan J.

💈 Jeff’s Barbering
📍 1971 Riviera Dr., Ste. B-2, Mt.Pleasant
📞 (843) 284-8832
“We are an old-fashioned barbershop, one that makes you feel as though you have stepped back into time.”

West Ashley

💈 CJ’s Barber Shop
📍 1703 Savannah Hwy., West Ashley
📞 (843) 225-4948
“Been there 3 times with my 96-year-old Dad and they always go above and beyond and also treat him with great kindness!” –Facebook review from Elizabeth H.

💈 Ed’s Barber Shop
📍 1970 Ashley River Rd., Ste. D., West Ashley
📞 (843) 556-9754
Family owned + operated since 1968.

💈 Geer’s Barber Shop
📍 1649 Savannah Hwy., Unit A., West Ashley
📞 (843) 766-7735
“I got my first haircut here when I was 8 years old. I would consider them family. They do great work!” –Facebook review from Garrett R.

💈 Mooney’s Barber Shop
📍 1660 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., West Ashley
📞 (843) 766-9988
Fades, military cuts + kids cuts.

💈 Yale Barber Spa
📍 2276 Savannah Hwy., West Ashley
📞 (843) 718-3826
“Haircut, styles, beard trim, hot towel, straight razor facial shave.”

James Island

💈 Rob's Barber Shop
📍 989 Harbor View Rd., James Island
📞 (843) 872-6557
“#1 for males cuts; including bald fades, tapering, all styles, straight shaves, neck shaves, and facials.” –Facebook review from Megan B.

Daniel Island

Daniel Island Barber Shop | Photo by @daniel_island_barber_shop

💈 Daniel Island Barber Shop
📍 211 River Landing Dr., Ste. B, Daniel Island
📞 (843) 936-6526
Offers senior, military, first responder, Blackbaud + Benefitfocus discounts.

Summerville

💈 Lowcountry Barbershop
📍 2139 N. Main St., Summerville (also has a Downtown location, see above)
📞 (843) 771-9330
Specializing in both classic + contemporary cuts.

💈 Towne Barber + Styling Center
📍 209 E. 3rd North St., Summerville
📞 (843) 330-0347
Walk-in only.

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I’m no expert when it comes to men’s haircuts– so I appreciate all of you who helped me out by offering up your personal recs.

And a special shout-out to Larry at Lowcountry Local First, who shared with me this relevant cat gif. Y’all know I love a good cat gif.

Cat barber | .gif by Giphy

– Jen