I went in this past weekend to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure, and unfortunately, the…read moreexperience left me extremely disappointed and, ultimately, in tears.
I started with a pedicure. I did not choose the basic pedicure, yet the service felt very rushed and incomplete. The sides of my toes were not cleaned properly, including the areas where sock lint had collected. I had also decided that I wanted the same brown color on my hands and feet, along with a design on both.
When it was time for my manicure, I realized the same person who had done my pedicure would be doing my nails. I decided against tips and explained that I wanted my usual builder gel and polish. There was a significant language barrier, and I had difficulty understanding much of what she was saying. I was ultimately talked into a jelly gel color instead of the brown color I had originally wanted to match my toes.
When I left, I was extremely unhappy with the finished nails. The design and overall application were not what I had expected, especially considering that I was paying for this as a special treat for myself. I have attached a picture of the initial final product.
A friend of mine who knows the owner, Cindy, contacted her and explained how unhappy I was. Cindy told me to come back and said they would fix my nails. I returned around 3:45 PM on Monday, and Cindy directed me to sit at station #4.
Unfortunately, the experience when I returned was even more upsetting. The technician- Mai Pham immediately became argumentative with me about the color. She told me I had to keep the jelly color and that if I wanted the same brown color that was on my toes, I would have to pay an additional $15 for a color change. I tried to explain that the jelly color was not what I had originally wanted. I had initially requested the same brown color that was already on my toes.
She eventually agreed to change the color but told me there would be no design. During the interaction, she also told me that she didn't do my nails originally, that I should have said something while I was there Saturday, and that she "doesn't like cleaning up after someone else." She then explained that they work on commission and that someone had to pay her and that it would be her boss.
At that point, I was so uncomfortable that I began silently crying. I told her that the way she was speaking to me was making me feel like an idiot. She continued speaking in her language to the other employees while I was sitting there, which made me feel even more uncomfortable and isolated.
I want to be clear: I understand that mistakes happen. I also understand that employees work on commission and that correcting another technician's work may be frustrating. But none of that should result in a customer being made to feel embarrassed, belittled, or unwelcome--especially when the owner herself had invited me back to have the service corrected.
Despite everything, I still tipped the technician through Venmo because I always tip for service. When I was getting ready to leave, she put the cash equivalent of my tip on the table and told me she didn't want my money. I left the money on the table and walked out.
I left in tears over something that was supposed to be a simple treat for myself.
What makes this even more disappointing is that I have been coming here regularly for pedicures. This was not my first visit, and I had previously considered this a place I could return to and enjoy. Unfortunately, the way this situation was handled has completely changed my impression of the business.
I am not writing this review because I expect perfection. I am writing it because the quality of the service was disappointing, and more importantly, the way I was treated when I returned to address my concerns was extremely upsetting.
Customers should be able to voice a concern and have it addressed respectfully without being made to feel like a problem. Unfortunately, this experience left a terrible impression on me, and I will not be returning.
