In my two years of fairly regular attendance at nail salons, I have learned plenty.

The people who run the salon are generally oriental in origin; everyone who has spoken with me about their lives has been of Vietnamese origin.  They tell me of families being in the business, and speak to me of America as a land of opportunity in a way I have not heard since my own Grandmother-Of-Blessed-Memory spoke of such things.

The “boss” of the salons is usually a male.  He answers the phone and masterminds schedules.  The general mood in the salon seems to be a function of his personality.  I have seen a few, especially in the larger salons, look angry and raise their voices at employees who seem to cower in fear.  The employees in such situations generally tell me that they respect such owners and deny any kind of abuse, even verbal.  They generally have structured rules about having clippers sterile and such and they tell me that he monitors such things. Read more on The Nail Salon As A Social System…