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Nail salon confronted after overweight customers ‘fat shamed’ with offensive sign

Nail salon confronted after overweight customers ‘fat shamed’ with offensive sign

A woman from Memphis, Tenn., claims she recently visited a nail salon, only to be confronted with an offensive sign requiring overweight customers pay more for their pedicures. She took a screenshot of the sign in question and posted it to Facebook on Saturday.

“Sorry but if you are overweight, pedicures will be $45 due to service fees for pedicurists. Thank you!” — the sign stated.

“Went to get my nails done on Overton Crossing and Frayser Blvd and this is what they have up….so rude,” Deshania Ferguson captioned the image.

A pedicure at the salon in question, Rose Nails, costs $30 — but the sign wasn’t clear as to why overweight clients would be required to pay $15 extra for the service. It was also unclear as to where the sign originated, since Son Nguyen, the owner of Rose Nails, repeatedly denied posting it.

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A reporter at WREG News Channel 3 confronted Nguyen and showed him a screenshot of the questionable sign (it was nowhere to be seen on the premises). Nguyen admitted that he was thinking about putting up such a sign, but never actually posted one in his salon.

The reporter showed him a different photo of the sign that appeared to be posted in the salon — it had the same flooring, the same chairs and the same walls as the Rose Nails salon. The pedicure fee could even be seen in the background. “This isn’t your business?” The reporter questioned as she showed Nguyen the photo. “Because it looks like the same floor…this has a picture of the sign in it.”

Nguyen put on his glasses and peered closely at the photo. “No, I don’t think so,” he said.

Nguyen was adamant that the salon only charges $5 extra for men for their pedicures since they don’t visit the salon often. Instead of posting a sign, the shop owner said they simply don’t service extremely overweight customers as it’s difficult for the nail techs to give them pedicures.

He also said he’s had two chairs broken in the past that cost him upwards of $2,500.

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Still, the sign has people divided on Facebook:

“What is the difference from a ‘normal’ weighted 210 pound man and a woman with more curves that weighs about the same?” One man questioned. “The owner spoke on TV about the expensive Spa Chairs. What about a disabled person that finds it clumsy to get into the spa chair? Charge disabled customers more money too?”

“He should have the right to run his business as he pleases, but we also have the right to avoid him. Signs are a good way to let us all know when to take our business elsewhere,” another stated.

“I get his point about the chairs. If those massage chairs aren’t geared to handle a certain weight, then he can refuse to service them,” one woman commented. “Sadly, this country has an obesity epidemic and, yes, it does present problems. I think he needs to provide parameters though, overweight can mean anything.”

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Some even compared the sign to a form of extreme discrimination.

“I am amazed of how many comments where people think this is funny or OK,” one woman commented. “So if this guy had a sign said no black people or no Mexican people or no gay people and only allowed well dressed white women in would this be funny then. I think not. saying a obese person can’t get a pedicure is just as racist as saying any if the other people I posted here.”

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