Hammer & Nails Handles Guys' Hands and Feet with Care

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• How did the idea for a men's nail salon come about? "A woman I was dating at the time wanted to surprise me, wanted to treat me to something. So we pull up and we park in the back of a nail salon, so I didn't see the name of it. It wasn't unt
• What's been the response so far to Hammers & Nails since it opened in November? "With men I've noticed because of this place, this is much more a treat. They've discovered something new that they can do, that their wives or girlfriends can do
• "Another guy saw us on TMZ, and he lives in Long Beach. His wife and daughter brought him here [and] dropped him off, and he was in heaven. What's interesting about that is, it's not that he wanted his nails clipped and filed for his birthday, it's about
• What's been the most surprising thing you've found? "The most surprising thing, I would say 50 percent of the customers that come in here are first-time manicure/pedicure people. Can you imagine? For one out of two people, this is their first
• This was a huge risk for you, especially coming from a very different industry. What did you friends have to say about it all? "I have friends who though I lost my mind. Like, I have one friend who laughed at me, like LAUGHED, he just thought
• What would you recommend for a newbie looking to dip his toes in the water? "I would recommend maybe starting with a manicure just so you get used to what it's like to have a woman do it. I would start there. I think there's a sort of stereot
• Have you had many women try to get their nails done? "Everyone's welcome and we don't discriminate, but we don't do the services that most women would want done. For the most part, women have seemed to just respect this place as a place that
• Michael Elliot at his new men's nail shop on Melrose. So what's next for Hammers & Nails? Any plans to start a product line? "Yeah, yeah skincare, private label skincare, that's something that I plan to offer. [Hopefully, we

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be in this business," professional screenwriter Michael Elliot tells us as four men are sitting on the floor below him, relaxing in dark brown leather chairs at men's nail shop Hammer & Nails on Melrose. It's his first foray into the world of R&R, and as the name and decor suggests, this is not your average nail salon.

With hammers displayed in shadowboxes and a vintage punching bag on the back wall, the 1,000-square-foot space the antithesis of a nail salon—and that's the point. Offering manicure and pedicure services from $25 to $110, the gent's feet and hands haven was designed in mind for "the guy who would never step foot in a nail salon," but who's looking to discover a new way to pamper themselves, without all the uber-feminine frills typically found at women's mani spots.
In addition to indulging in pro pampering services, clients are also treated to their own TV and free drinks. Elliot tells us he wanted the the space to "appeal to every man [...] meaning you can be an agent at William Morris, or you could be the DirectTV installer, you could be a cop. Or you could be the kid sitting right there (pointing to teen boy seated downstairs)."

Hammer & Nails is located at 8257 Melrose Ave; hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9am to 8pm and Sundays from 10am to 5pm (closed Mondays).
· Hammer & Nails [Official Site]
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