ROCK FALLS – Whether you’re looking for a new ’do, or new doodads, there’s a place in downtown Rock Falls that’s got you covered.

Thelma’s Unisex Salon and Jeff’s Juke Joint operate under the same roof at 217 W. Second St. Thelma’s can set you up with a haircut or style, and Jeff’s can set you up with just about everything else.

And while the two shops may not seem like the perfect match, they actually go hand in hand, just like their owners.

Jeff and Thelma Spangler are the husband-and-wife duo behind the quirky business that’s been around for more than a decade.

Thelma cuts, colors, and highlights hair for customers of all ages while Jeff stocks the store with merchandise for the same sorts of customers: folks of all ages.

“A lot of families come in and they all sit down and get haircuts,” Jeff, 66, said. While they wait, Jeff’s Juke Joint has tons of products to browse, from the wigs and beauty products that the shop first started with to music, toys, books African clothing, decor and more – a lot more. How much more?

“A little bit of everything,” Jeff said.

The business’ name was inspired by the juke joint in the movie “The Color Purple” – and while you won’t find any dancing or drinking going on, you can pick up some coffee mugs and CDs.

“For a long time, we would play music all the time in the shop,” Jeff said.

Jeff and Thelma, 56, have regular customers who come in every few months to get a haircut or buy a new wig, some who occasionally stop by during their travels, and some new customers who just pop in to see what’s hoppin’ at Jeff’s Juke Joint.

Jeff orders from wholesale companies all over. He enjoys “getting a new catalog every few months and seeing what new things people have to offer.”

“That’s probably the most fun part of this,” he said.

The business is a one-man – and one-woman – operation. Jeff and Thelma are the shops’ owners, and their only employees.

Thelma opened Thelma’s Unisex Salon about 15 years ago in Sterling. As the couple began to break into the business of selling more and more beauty products, they eventually bought a space next door for storage. Soon enough, that storage space turned into a shop where they sold beauty products, wigs, hair pieces, and other odds and ends that appealed to Thelma’s customers.

Around 2007, the Spanglers bought their current space in Rock Falls. Jeff’s experience in remodeling and fixing up rental properties in the area came in handy as the new building required a lot of renovations.

The place had been empty for a while and “we had to put sprinkler heads in, put thicker drywall in the ceiling, and get things up to meet the current codes,” Jeff said. “It took us a couple years to get through the approval process.”

The couple operated their two businesses in both Sterling and Rock Falls for a while, but decided to put everything under one roof in Rock Falls – “it was kind of silly paying rent for two places,” Jeff said – and that’s where they’ve been for the past 12 years.

Thelma grew up in Sterling, and Jeff grew up in Dixon. After some years of exploration, the couple decided the Twin Cities is where they wanted to land for good.

“I guess this is where my heart is at,” Jeff said. “I grew up here, my family and friends are here. Maybe I stayed for the Rock River. I love the Rock River.”

When Jeff isn’t at the shop, he works as a full-time engineer and spends time fixing up the couple’s rental properties.

The motto for Jeff’s shop is “Maybe I got one.” If you’re wondering, “one of what?” Jeff has as answer: “Well, what are you looking for? Maybe I got one.”

MORE INFO

Jeff's Juke Joint II

217 W. Second St., Rock Falls

Hours: noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday; 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Online: https://www.loc8nearme.com/illinois/rock-falls/jeffs-juke-joint-ii/5476052/