Dennis RomeroHave manscaping, male vanity and metrosexual fashion gone too far?
Not far enough if you talk to the folks at Hammer & Nails. The business that officially opens on Melrose Avenue tomorrow bills itself as “the first male nail shop in Los Angeles.”
Mani-pedis for the man's man? Yes, indeed. And Hammer & Nails is just getting started:
The salon says in a statement it will be the anchor for “Mangelenos” who previously “had to bravely accompany their female counterparts to salons, checking their pride at the door for the sake of a little TLC.”
This is no girly-man spot, mind you.
It's a self-professed man-cave with an auto-body shop feel that will serve as a flagship for what Hammer & Nails hopes will be an expanding business.
Turn the page for photos of L.A.'s first-ever male nail salon.
A wide shot of the interior.; Credit: PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LOO
The details are self-consciously masculine.; Credit: PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LOO
The location features “king-size” leather chairs, flat-screen TVs tuned to “premium sports channels” and “no lady gossip in your ear.” (When can we move in?)
Founder Michael Elliott tells us:
My goal is to open several Hammer & Nails shops in the near future in major markets across the US — New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle etc.
Credit: PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LOO
Credit: PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LOO
Turn the page for more details.
Technicians work on male customers at Hammer & Nails.; Credit: PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LOO
If you're a guy who loves to gossip, you're out of luck: There are no stacks of US Weekly anywhere in sight.; Credit: PHOTO BY STEPHANIE LOO
Does Elliott really think guys in this notoriously sloppily-dressed town will go for such a high-maintenance routine?
Nail care for men is no different than brushing your teeth, wearing nice clothes or combing your hair and men are finally realizing that nail care is an important aspect of grooming and looking your best. Male celebrities and professional athletes who consistently visit salons have helped guys realize that it's not a feminine practice or something that's only popular with “metrosexual” men. Every nail salon in LA has at least a few male customers, but most of them will feel much more at home in our nail shop.
Yeah, we could see studio moguls and local sports stars going for some digital shine. Elliott says guys have already been filling up the shop's appointment book — days before its grand opening.
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