My nail salon is getting invaded by guys getting pedicures (and a few manis). What gives?

I’ve been going to this small neighborhood nail salon for a few years and occasionally, there’ll be one random guy getting a pedicure or a manicure.

This past weekend, THREE guys came in over the course of one hour while I was getting my pedicure.

• One was a young hipster who got a pedicure (no polish) and a manicure. A pedicure without polish meant he was done and ready-to-go in half the time it takes me.
• Another young guy came in for a manicure.
• Finally, a professional-looking middle-aged guy came in with his girlfriend. It was clearly his first pedicure and he was very excited about it.

Watching his experience, also made me realize how my salon would have to change if more guys like him start coming in for weekly or monthly services:

• First, he desperately wanted his chair to recline. And he couldn’t get over the fact that no matter how much he kept playing around with the chair’s remote, he could only get it to wiggle and jiggle. But I saw the owner of the salon take note of how much he wanted that chair to turn into a La-Z-Boy. I’m sure his next request after the chair would be a big screen TV to watch “the game.”
• Second, he wanted to read magazines while his feet soaked in hot sudsy water. And, he was very specific about the temperature the water should be kept at throughout his pedicure. The magazine thing was so odd. I have never seen a woman even glance at their magazine rack. We’re all on our phones texting or checking Instagram.
• Third, he really wanted this grooming experience to be ultra pampering and to include a massage beyond the 2-3 minute foot massage the pedicurist provides. I left before he had fully comprehended that the only massage offered at the salon was a 10-minute shoulder rub while your nails dried.

In doing some research, I found that men have a lot of questions and concerns about getting pedicures. But there appears to be a growing consensus that it’s a good thing for men to take care of their feet (their “dogs” as the NBA players call them in all their interviews on the topic).

Recently, articles on the subject have popped up everywhere, from Men’s Health (“Why Men Should Get Pedicures”) to the WSJ (“Nice Toes, Bro. Young Men Invade Nail Salons”).

The funniest article was in Psychology Today (4 Truths about Male Pedicures). It’s worth a read. I got a giggle out of it.

I even came across a new “manly” salon franchise called Tune Up that is opening soon in Amarillo, Texas. It will offer pedicures along with beard trims – and free beer while you wait.

The American Med Spa Association shows that guys are spending up to 13% more money at spas than women, and will make up 30% of the market within the next decade.

I also discovered some heavy hitters from the sports world who are breaking all kinds of taboos by talking openly about the importance of their pedicures .

Scroll down and find out who I’m talking about.

Celebs driving this culture shift in male grooming

NBA players love pedicures (Source: Washington Post)

NBA players from Michael Jordan to Shaq to Le Bron James have all been spotted getting a manly pedicure. They do it for foot health, general grooming and the love of the game.

As do football players:

And let’s not forget the royals

Prince Harry got a pedicure because he had to give a speech while barefoot at the recent Google Camp on the Environment

And finally, photo of Tune Up, The Manly Salon, soon to open in Amarillo Texas