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NEDERLAND — A woman walked to Cropo’s Barbershop Thursday morning with a plea for help.

She had just moved to Mid-County from Oklahoma for work at one of the refineries. She needed a haircut.

“She said, ‘I know y’all probably don’t cut women’s hair, but can you please trim my hair? I don’t know where to go,’” according to Cropo’s owner Holli Vidrine. “So I trimmed her hair. She said, ‘I love this street. This is so cute.’”

Whether new to Nederland or a fourth-generation resident, most have come through Cropo’s, which has operated for decades and is conveniently located at 1116 Boston Ave.

Bearing the name of Carl “Cropo” LeBlanc, the business passed to Nancy Landry in 2001 after LeBlanc’s death. LeBlanc hired Landry as the first female barber in Nederland in 1967.

Landry retired earlier this year, and Vidrine took over ownership. Landry hired Vidrine in 2018.

“I want customers to feel comfortable,” Vidrine said. “This is a great place to get a haircut. It’s a legend in Nederland. We’re friendly here, outgoing and like to talk.

“I’m really excited about the future. It is going to be great. I have some good ideas lined up for getting Cropo’s name out there again. I know everybody knows about it in Nederland, but what about the people just coming to town or who have small kids? I’m excited to just blast the name out there again.”

A 2007 graduate of Hamshire-Fannett High School, Vidrine first pursued nursing but didn’t find the profession matched her passion.

She went back to school for cosmetology in 2015, and that move felt closer to her natural home.

She worked in salons for a couple of years, but the second she stepped into Cropo’s for her first interview, “it felt like home.”

“Nancy (Landry) is a very blunt person, and that is good for someone who is learning,” Vidrine said. “I had experience and always felt like I was better at men’s cuts. She showed me a lot of tips, tricks and easier ways then I was doing. She was a great mentor. She had a lot of experience, and I always listened. She did this for a long time, so she was somebody I could trust if I had any questions.”

Vidrine started working at Cropo’s in August of 2018 and officially took over as owner March 1. She plans to continue the casual atmosphere and quality service.

Cropo’s remains a walk-in shop that doesn’t take appointments. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays.

“I am super excited to be a business owner in Nederland,” Vidrine said. “I have been in Nederland for seven years and have grown to love it. Mostly, I love the convenience. Everything is right around the corner. The people are great. I love the small businesses and I love Boston Avenue. It is just growing so rapidly. People are coming in and out.”