The team here at NAILS tries to do that (that’s us out on the town after our Maggie Award win this year).

The team here at NAILS tries to do that (that’s us out on the town after our Maggie Award win this year). 

At last, a terrific article on the nail business! The Los Angeles Times did a wonderful, though story last week on nail salon “culture.” Its purpose was not the airing of dirty laundry of an industry, not uncovering nasty business and salon practices, not muckraking for evidence of unlicensed practitioners—just a well-researched article on why nail salon are so popular. For research, the writer not only talked to me and managing editor Hannah Lee, she sought out nail technicians and salon owners, clients, and a manufacturer. The focus of the story was how nail salons dominate the landscape in Southern California and it explored the phenomenon of discount salons, the Vietnamese factor, and why California has been the birthplace of trends in nail care. It also had an informative sidebar explaining the different kinds of services and nail extensions available—provided by a real live nail technician! This kind of well-balanced article serves our industry well because it celebrates what we’ve known all along: Getting your nails done is fun.

The story is a great reminder to all of us now, especially during this kind of economy, this kind of global political climate. Everyone from manufacturers to individual nail techs has a tendency to get caught up worrying about business, competitive pressures, economic fluctuations, chemical and safety concerns, the stresses of customers it’s possible we get away from the fact that, pure and simple, clients coming to get their nails done should be having a good time doing so! We should be taking great advantage of the fact that the salon can be a haven for clients, a respite-even if for only an hour—from all the pressures in their lives.

This is the way I want to close out 2002: by telling you to keep it fun. The team here at NAILS tries to do that (that’s us out on the town after our Maggie Award win this year). And we wish you a happy holiday season and lots of fun in 2003.

P.S if you’re interested in reading the story in the Los Angeles Times, go to the NAILS website at www.nailsmag.com and click on “Did You Know?”

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