Rockabilly music, Pompadours and hot rods. Have we found some sort of time warp into the 1950s? No, we’ve entered the world of Eddy’s Deluxe Barbershop located at 3716 J St. in the heart of Midtown Sacramento. This theme barbershop is owned by stylist Rea Reeder and has been in operation for just shy of five years.

The shop is tucked away in the middle of a street-side strip mall and may be easily missed by passersby. However, it is a great find for anyone interested in local artwork, Rockabilly culture or just some friendly neighborhood banter. It was Rockabilly music itself that inspired Reeder, who has had her cosmetologist license for 15 years, to open Eddy’s Deluxe.

“I opened the shop because I wanted to own my own business and I got tired of listening to the music other people wanted to listen to,” Reeder said. “This kind of music drove me to open my shop, so I could listen while I work.”

Rockabilly was the earliest form of Rock and Roll and was born in 1952 when the group Bill Haley and the Comets released its single “Rock the Joint.” Artists such as Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley made this musical style popular.

Much of the Rockabilly culture revolved around the styles of hair and clothing worn by its performers. Reeder specializes in hairstyles such as the Pompadour, which basically consists of the sides of the hair being slicked back and the top of the hair pushed forward, curling over itself. Elvis made this style particularly famous. Another Rockabilly cut offered at Eddy’s Deluxe is called a Ducktail. In this style the hair is greased on the sides and gathered in one central parting in the back, creating the look of a duck’s tail.

“It’s a very classic greasy guy haircut,” Reeder said.

Although ’50s styles are this shop’s focus, customers can make requests for any sort of haircut they wish. Past patrons have been of all different age groups and of course women’s cuts are given as well. A basic haircut goes for $14 to $17 for long hair. Bang, beard and neck trims go for $5 and buzz cuts go for $10. Customers under age 11 can get a cut for $11 and those over 64 pay only $10.

This flexibility lends itself to some interesting requests such as comb-overs and mullets, said to Jennifer Collins, Reeder’s fellow stylist.

“She makes me do all the emo haircuts,” Collins said.

The barbershop is also a place to find Rockabilly CDs. Albums by artists such as Rory Justice and His Ubangi Rockers and Eddie Cochran adorn a rack full of music. Eddy’s Deluxe has even had live Rockabilly bands play in the past, but has cut back in recent times.

“On Dec. 2, for our anniversary party, we’re planning on having a band or two play,” Reeder said. “We’re still open to the possibility.”

Other highlights of Eddy’s include the pieces of local artwork that adorn the walls. Many of these pieces somehow tie into the rebellious 1950s Rockabilly theme, including some beautifully angled photographs of hot rods and classically-drawn tattoo art.

“I had all these empty walls that I couldn’t afford to decorate, so I started recruiting local artists,” Reeder said. “It’s kind of like your closet. It’s empty to begin with but you keep adding more and it fills up.”

One photograph in particular marks the day on which a scene from the upcoming independent film “Ranchero” was filmed at Eddy’s. This was an extremely proud and memorable experience for the shop, Reeder said .

With its five-year anniversary approaching, Reeder has specific plans for the shop itself and for her own business.

“We are putting a couple more (haircutting) stations in and I’m starting a line of water soluble pomade called Cock Grease,” Reeder said. “We sell 13 brands of hair grease and I’ve decided to come up with my own since I’ve done five years of research with it. When that happens, I won’t be here so much, but I don’t want to open a new shop – just keep expanding this one.”

Regular customers will continue to promote this expansion because most of them know they can’t get cuts such as the Pompadour at other barbershops. This is due to the fact that most hairstylists don’t understand Rockabilly cuts when clientele attempt to explain them, Reeder said. The reliably casual atmosphere is also very appealing to returning patrons.

“I keep coming back ’cause it’s a local neighborhood joint and Rea’s a laidback person. I moved out of the neighborhood, but I keep coming back,” said Rob Morin, a regular customer of Eddy’s. For anyone wishing to experience the Rockabilly culture that is Eddy’s Deluxe, the shop is open Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sunday.