I discovered John at J Crager thru Wigs For Kids. He is an Ambassador Salon & offers a complementary haircut for anyone donating their hair. John is a seasoned professional when it comes to hairstyling and knows how to properly prepare the hair for a donation, including putting it into 20 mini ponytails. He is delightful to chat with throughout the appointment, great at listening to understand what you want, and I definitely plan to come back for my next haircut! read more

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John was amazing thru all the steps of purchasing a wig. He gave excellent advice on what to buy. When the wig came in he cut it to look exactly like the real cut. He then added a few highlights to brighten up the color and make it match. He spent alot of time with us and made the entire process seamless. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a quality wig! read more

Cannot thank John enough!! He made my mom look beautiful. He is so genuine and so passionate about his job. My mom who is undergoing chemo feared about losing her hair and John made her experience with finding the perfect wig (cut, color, and style) a breeze. He made a hard day for my mom, a lot easier to get through. He is an angel who does amazing work and he is so compassionate about what he does. I wish there were more people like John out in the world. read more

What a superstar! I spent over four hours there , being pampered and well taken care of I had purchased wigs at two different shops, one considered high end on the east coast Only here was I able to get my wig trimmed so that it doesn't look like a wig. I purchased a second wig, great quality and also trimmed to perfection I was shown how to care for my wigs and was never pushed for a sale No hesitation giving them 5 stars read more

I cannot say enough good things about John Crager and his hair salon. I recently had chemo therapy and brain radiation and my hair was falling out in droves. I was devastated. I called and left a detailed message and he called me two hours later offering an appointment the next day on a Saturday. Although I suggested coming in when I would be in Chicago the following Wednesday, he somehow knew I should not wait and he was so right! He educated me about the effects of chemo on the scalp, was compassionate, patient and he did not push me to purchase one of his wigs (I had one already). He shaved my head. Beforehand, he even offered to give me three different hair cuts so that I would see what my hair would look like at different stages as it grew in. He does have a wonderful heart and a tremendous sense of humor. He kept me and my husband entertained the whole time. He was incredibly generous in all ways. I highly recommend John. I travelled over an hour to get there and it was so worth it. Thank you John! read more

I can't say enough great things about John and the product (wigs) and emotional support he provides. My sister is starting chemo and will lose her hair and I was soooo happy after we left John. I could see my sisters eyes smiling under her mask with each of the wigs she tried. And knowing that John is there to help her through the process of acclimating to impending baldness is so wonderful and reassurig. I feel like it's an investment on her mental health! read more

John is the absolute BEST! He has a great heart, incredible knowledge, and a tremendous sense of humor. Being diagnosed with alopecia was a scary and frustrating time for me. I kept looking for doctors and specialists in the field to help me and to understand the social and emotional toll of hair loss. Thanks to yelp I was able to find John. On the phone he was patient and understanding. At the consultation he kept the mood light as he walked me through all of my options. Three years later and I still trust John to be honest. I value his opinion and professional judgment. I have shared his business card with dermatologists, as I believe they need to be better equipped with resources. I would highly recommend calling John if you are in search of solutions. He is a great man to have in your corner. read more

I am glad others have had a positive experience with hair transitions due to chemotherapy. I did not. The prospect of losing your hair can be very emotional. John had been recommended as someone who could support me in this process. I must echo everything the others who were unhappy had to say. The appointments were long. I felt I was mandated on the best course of action - it was not a dialogue. The cost for the wig and the service were crazy expensive. I could have had a first class vacation for the price. The wig I got was uncomfortable and does not fit properly. I received my wig, wore it a couple times, and have not been back. No one from the salon has called has called for follow-up. So much for service. This was a very expensive venture. A very expensive mistake. In the end I ordered several wigs from an online source, asked a trusted friend for her opinion, and settled on a $100 model that is adorable. So comfortable and I get loads of compliments. Save your money, time, and frustration. Use it for your healing. read more

A+ all the way! I had tried so many other places and people, and tried to buy online and DIY. No one knew how to deal with my thin hair. But John did! He is an expert! I recommend J.Crager 100%! Totally worth it! read more

What a disappointment. We went to this salon because my mom is losing her hair due to a combination of surgery and trauma to the body. We were hoping to try out a few different colors and styles, but we were stricktly told that no, my mom had to go with her own hair color and cut. Um, ok. So what were we shown? Three blond wigs (my mom's a brunette). John, the owner, basically kept us captive in his chair to sell us his products, not to help my mom through this diffucult phase in her life. It was a trying, depressing, few hours for both my mom and me. We found a better, more caring, less expensive place to purchase a wig after this terrible experience. read more

I had been dealing with hair loss for the longest time and had searched for solutions and never found anyone or any product that helped me. My search has finally stopped as John gave me hope and he really knows what he is doing. My hair piece looks so natural that you couldn't tell the difference. This has restored my confidence and I have to thank John for the great work he's done! read more

I highly recommend John and his expertise when it comes to choosing wigs and caring for your bald head :) I was diagnosed with cancer last May, and after learning I would lose my hair, I booked an appt quickly with John. He is funny, easy going, flexible and works with you in order to make the hair-loss process as un-traumatic as possible. In fact, when I went in to have my head shaved, I brought my parents and friend and we were laughing and having fun the whole time. He cuts your hair in phases so you can imagine how your hair will grow back after certain amounts of time once the treatment has ended. Concerning the wig: he helped me chose one that best fit my needs and he even high and low-lighted it: perfectly designed to match EXACTLY how my hair looked. He trained me how to care for it, style and use it and sent me home with a plethora of supplies to help adjust to the bald life: including a satin pillow case, various products for the wig, warm caps to sleep in, stands for the wig, and combs. Additionally, I could always call him and set up times for him to wash and style my wig (lets be honest, he does a better job haha) particularly for times when I wanted it to look the best (visits home, weddings, etc) Yes the entire process is expensive, but he does help you with insurance reimbursement if thats available. Yes you can always find cheaper options online, but I wouldn't trade a thing for the personal care I had with John. He will make you laugh, share stories, and help you through on the the toughest times in your life. He cares about making sure you are confidant and feeling good during this time. I highly recommend him to anyone going through this transition. read more

I think very highly of this salon. John is an amazing man with a strong, deep passion for what he does. He has an extremely capable, caring staff who work for him. They all share the same passion to help people! A good friend of mine found John while going through the life-changing process of losing her hair during chemo. I am so glad the J Crager Salon exists! My dear friend speaks highly of John and what he does for her, STILL! What a sweet man. There needs to be more people like him. I would definitely recommend the J Crager Salon to anyone who needs to start wearing a wig, for whatever reason. I happen to know someone else very close and dear to my heart who now works there. He's always had the same passion that John has. Helping others feel good and look good...the J Crager Salon cares about you and wants to help you heal. It's a place to go where you don't have to be afraid because they understand. Even if you just need a haircut, you will get nothing less than 5 star treatment from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you leave. You just need to go and experience it for yourself! Sincerely, GWB read more

For many weeks my hair has been shedding and impossible to style. My daughter's wedding is in a month and I've been envisioning walking her down the aisle wearing either a hair piece or a bag over my head:). But after a short conversation with John, I felt he understood the problem and could help me. I took the proverbial "leap of faith" and decided to let him do a color and cut. Wow!! I walked out of his salon happier than I've been in months. John did exactly what he promised. His knowledge and expertise on the complexities of hair and scalp care genuinely impressed me. And who can resist his warmth, sense of humor and his kindness? I am forever grateful. John is 10 stars.. Thank you John! Susan Millner read more

I can't begin to say what a great business this is and what an awesome person was. I took my mom here who has been suffering from hair loss and John treated her like a queen and with great respect and compassion. In addition to being extremely knowledgeable in his trade he is really personable and we all enjoyed visiting with him very much. My mom loved her wig which is top quality and looks awesome on her. We HIGHLY recommend John andhis company read more

The moment I walked into J.Crager Alternatives for your hair salon I felt welcomed. John treated me like I've been his client for years. He erased all my doubts and fears I had about my hair!!! He was very informational about different ways of styling and taking care of my hair.My overall experience was Superb.Highly recommend John A. Crager! This salon is definitely a gem! Thank you so much! Erika P read more

Five stars for John, no doubt about it. For his passion and talent, customer service, humor and knowledge. I don't think there's anyone in the Midwest, let along just Chicago, who can do wigs as John can do wigs. I lost all of my hair three years ago to Alopecia and found John simply by Googling. I had a few options: buy something for cheap online or at a costume/wig shop on Milwaukee Ave. and risk feeling or looking like a drag queen, OR investing into a human hair wig, that would basically replace a very important part of my body that I had lost. Yes, human hair wigs are not cheap, but: it looks REAL. I remember John joking around at one of our first appointments and he said something like, "I can make this wig sing and dance, baby!" and he did. I went from my hair to bald to wig in about three months on my maternity leave, and was able to proudly go to a baby shower with college girlfriends in my new wig, duping everybody! In fact, I am not "out" about my Alopecia, and this is due to the natural look of the wig that John sold me and created. I say created, because he gave my wig low-lights, roots and perfectly placed wispy pieces framing my face. I now have two wigs that I bought through John, and will go no where else for future pieces. This guy is TALENTED, and will work with you until you are HAPPY. He wont nickel and dime you for a quick appointment to trim the wig or cut more wispy pieces. He budgets in time to teach you how to wash and style your new hair. He taught me some tips for styling a low, soft up-do for a wedding I stood up in! And I remind you, no one (except close family and a few select friends) officially knows about my baldness! If Alopecia is my long term plan, and unfortunately it's looking like it will be, John will be seeing a lot of me!! I joke with him that I worry about his health and safety because I don't know what I will do without him! read more

I had a very bad experience with John Crager/Alternatives. I went to John in April of this year when I started chemo and still had hair so he could see the color and style to start the wig process. My first appointment was 8 hours long. John is a very entertaining and informative guy, however, he talks faster than he works and subsequent appointments to 'tweak' the wig were 4 hours long each through my very stressful chemo process. I will not take you through the laborious almost 5-month process until he delivered the final version only to say that each session was 4 hours long at a time when I had little energy and was very ill. The John Crager experience was very costly to me monetarily - I only have worn the wig 6 times, however, it has been far more costly to me in stress during a very difficult time in my life. I am now going to donate my wig as it is very over processed, looks like a 'bad wig' and my friends all concur that I look better without it. read more

John is an amazing person who legitimately cares about his clients. His human hair wig service is easily one of the best that I have come across, and it shows in all of the people I have met who have gone to him and are still so happy. Definitely recommend! read more

This is a long overdue review! I went through chemotherapy back in 2011. John made this experience and the transition of losing my hair just a bit easier with his positive and charismatic attitude. I loved my wig, it was great quality and his attention to my concerns were sincere. I always left his shop feeling beautiful, wig and all! I truly thank God for having him there to make my journey better. read more

In early 2011, my sister-in-law passed away from an aggressive form of cancer. Her death was shocking and devastating, as no one knew she was sick until she suffered several massive strokes. Despite two brain surgeries and aggressive chemotherapy treatment, she fought for another couple months before passing away. She left behind a husband, 3-year old son, and 1-year old daughter. She was a 37-year old daughter, sister, wife, and mother whose life was taken much too soon. After she passed away, our families were faced with the painful decision of an open or closed casket. Since her illness was so sudden, many co-workers, friends and family members had not seen her since she became sick. After brain surgery, chemotherapy, and several months of fighting for her life, she was not the same beautiful, young mother that most people remembered. Her entire family was in agreement that we could not have an open casket unless we found a wig that reminded people of that beautiful, young mother they had seen last. I came across John's name randomly, and luckily, through an Internet search. I called him up and he told me to come by his studio as soon as possible. All he asked was that I bring a picture of my sister-in-law. Never having been in a similar situation, I didn't know what to expect. I brought him the picture and told him I needed the wig in less than two days so we could decide whether or not the wig looked good enough for an open casket at the funeral. John was professional and more importantly, compassionate, and assured me he would get it done. When I picked up the wig, I was shocked by how real it looked. I still didn't realize the magnitude of what John had just done for us, but I thanked him and asked how much I owed him. He merely shook his head and said "nothing". He did this out of the kindness of his heart. After showing the wig to her family, everyone agreed that it looked just like her and we should have an open casket ceremony. I returned to John's studio several weeks after the funeral to bring back the wig and thank him again for what he had done. Despite preparing for this moment for several weeks, I was unable to truly express just how much his act of kindness had meant to her entire family. Because of John, hundreds of people were able to say goodbye one last time to my sister-in-law and remember her as the beautiful, young person she was. But most importantly, her sister and brother were able to say goodbye to their big sister, her mother was able to say goodbye to her daughter, my brother was able to say goodbye to his loving wife, and my three-year old nephew was able to say goodbye to his mom. While I'll never be able to fully repay John for what he did, hopefully my story will shed some light on an amazing person and help someone know where to turn if they are ever faced with a similar situation. read more

Finding a wig after a Cancer diagnosis could be very traumatic. This ended up being one of the best encounters I have had with a professional. John is the most compassionate, knowledgable, understanding and just fun. He understands what someone is going through and makes the process the best experience it could be. I would highly recommend j crager alternative to anyone in need of a beautiful wig. F read more

One star is being too generous... John is a scam artist. This guy talk a good game and makes everything sound wonderful. When I received the product it's cheap, uncomfortable, and absolutely over priced. I was also very disappointed in follow up service, not once have we got a follow up phone call or even a email. When I call in they just hang up. Customer service is definitely lacking. Stay away, save your money, and go elsewhere to a professional center read more

Very disappointed in follow up service. My mother in law was very excited after first visit then sadly disappointed with no follow up. Beware girls he is not who he says he is. read more

This establishment is not what it advertises on it's web site. I ended up with a wig that was not useable and wasted $1,000.00. He doesn't listen and he was always late, He always left me sitting while he took care of other customers, like my time didn't matter. The appointments were always at least 3 hours long. They would have been shorter if he had spent less time talking about himself. I got very tired of his Harley.I went back 4 times and finally gave up, tossed the wig in the trash and wrote it off as a bad experience. The room in the basement is not what you would expect from a salon, tacky. read more

Love, Love, Love John! He is an amazing person. My moms wig is outstanding and she feels great wearing it. She has received several compliments. She feels extremely comfortable with John and appreciates his professional feedback. John has a great sense of humor, very professional, reliable and genuinely cares. He is a real gem! Thank you for making my mom feel confident and comfortable during her chemo experience. read more

When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer her first question was would she lose her hair? We needed help with that sad and traumatic process. Luckily we found John. We were still shell shocked from the diagnosis when we walked into his salon. He immediately made us feel so much better. He helped us understand the process and was able to instill lighthearted humor to get us smiling. He helped to cut her hair in stages, then trimmed her starter wig and more recently styled and trimmed her human hair wig. We will be returning to learn how to wash and care for it. We look forward to our appointments as they are some of the few bright spots in this horrible journey we must make. I can't recommend John enough! read more

I've had a wonderful experience with John! One of the worst things about chemotherapy is losing your hair. Look no farther!! It was a no brainer when I met John. My wig is human hair. John used to be a hairdresser. He gave my wig roots and cut it to look more natural. Not everyone knows I'm going through chemotherapy. When people saw my new hair they couldn't stop telling me how much they loved the style and it looks so much healthier! Whenever I want my wig washed John always fits me in. read more

John is skilled, creative and caring. I lost a lot of hair after a surgery, and John created a hairpiece that looks just like my natural hair. I love the color! I feel so much more confident and most of my friends did not realize that it is not my hair until I told them. John is always willing to meet me late or even on Sunday when I need a trim or color. He does not nickel and dime me if I need my piece washed or styled. I am very surprised by the other reviewers here as I have never been happier with my stylist. read more

My hair stylist's name is Evelyn. She has worked thoroughly, diligently and carefully on several haircuts and color jobs for me. I appreciate her finesse and attention to details (my 2 colic's) giving me a great hair cut! If I understand correctly she is a recent graduate of the excellent Pivot Point school and she is leaning the process of doing incredible hair work. That being said, I wish she could be faster in the time from start to finish. Most likely my entire family will go to J Crager in prep for my brother's November wedding. If Evelyn does the same great cut she does on me, we will all have kick-ass hair! read more