Manchester: April Arnold of 26th on Hanover, 26 Hanover St. in Manchester, 626-0250, www.26thonhanover.com.

"Total shock" was the phrase first used by Arnold upon hearing she made the list. Arnold has been the owner at 26th on Hanover since the salon opened two years ago. Once she got over the disbelief and became convinced that there was no punchline, Arnold expressed deep gratitude to the clients she works with every week for getting named to the "Best of" list for the first time.

"It's all about understanding the needs of your clients and helping them look the way they want," Arnold said.

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