Last week I went to Athena's Nails in Astoria for a manicure/pedicure. It was Monday and I was feeling down because I didn't get the job where I was going to work for free. In addition to that, I had just come from the doctor for an ear problem that was plaguing me for five days or so.
Anyway, it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I was hoping to lift my spirits a little.
So. That's what I did. I walked into the nail salon at 1 in the afternoon on the first day of the work week for a manicure/pedicure and it was very busy. But I was taken right away. I was optimistic. The manager showed me to a pedicure chair and instructed me to sit down and take off my shoes and socks so I could start soaking my feet in the foot sink.
And there I sat. Alone. Ignored. With my feet soaking. For 10 minutes. After which I said to the woman working on the woman next to me "When is somebody going to help me?" She replied in broken English that just because I was sitting there didn't mean I was next.
If I had been sitting on the bench in the front of the salon waiting for my turn I could understand how that might have been true. But the manager herself set me up to be next, by putting me in that damn pedicure chair.
So I ceremoniously dried off my feet, put my shoes and socks back on and got up to leave. No one tried to stop me as I stormed out the front door with my middle finger discretely sticking up in the general direction of the manager.
I went to a different salon. Around the block from our apartment, the old laundromat had been sold and converted into a nail salon. Glamour Nails Design at 30-23 30th Street in Astoria to be exact.
There was only one other customer in there when I walked in. And the woman running the place I recognized from having worked at Athena's Nails. It was Christine who is well known in the neighborhood for doing the best acrylic tips. Very nice. Very sweet.
The woman who worked on my feet also jumped Athena's ship.
Turns out Athena was working people too hard. They started resenting her so her best employees left to either start or manage their own salons.
During the next hour we laughed, we cried and ran the gamut of emotions as we reminesced about Athena's Nails and joked how we will, none of us, ever go back there again.
My nails look great. My feet are soft and pink again and all is right with the world.
2 comments:
Well, as a strong supporter of Athena's Nails, I think fate was just out to get you that day. You see, Athena's Nails is a sucessful business and it can get very busy at times. I would expect any adult to understand that. No matter what, someone would have attended you; 10 minutes is not a long wait at Athena's Nails. Plus, you could have simply occupied yourself with magazines.
Also, those employees who do leave Athena's Nails are skilled and talented, but that is only because they gained a lot of experience from working at Athena's Nails.
And...wow...an hour ridiculing Athena's Nails with probably a bitter employee who could have possibly been fired but just can't admit it...and I thought we adults were mature. Ha! Hilarious.
I have been going and not going to Athena's for almost as long as she's been opened. I didn't base my decision on one visit to Athena's. They will often make me wait or go on their lunch breaks just as soon as they seat me for a pedicure. The girls who work there are nice but the management sucks the big one.
Athena's needs better management.
Especially when they push aside patrons for obviously richer ones which I've seen them do plenty of times.
And believe me. I've seen a lot because I used to go there - A LOT.
So support Athena's all you want.
That's your right. Especially if you're one of the rich obnoxious customers that Athena takes over the poorer less good looking ones.
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