Dawn Moon has dreamed of opening her own salon for the past decade after becoming a licensed nail technician. However, now that her dreams are beginning to come true, Moon’s salon in Sandusky, Ohio is creating some controversy due to its suggestive name, Hand Jobs Nails & Spa.
“This is an idea I’ve had for 10 years!” Moon said in a statement about the naming of her salon. “It’s a play on words, but really is exactly what we do as nail techs…HANDS!”
Even though Moon has the belief that the salon name is quite logical, others have shared their mixed opinions on social media.
“What the hell are people thinking,” someone wrote, while another stated, “Take it down I cannot believe Perkins allowed you to use that name. Offensive!”
However, all of this attention viewed simply as being free advertising by Dawn Moon the owner, along with many of her supporters.
“The talk about the sign started almost immediately! Within 24 hours we had massive social media attention,” Moon said. “Honestly, we have had way more positive feedback and a ton of support, and very few who don’t love it.”
The salon idea’s fans include some local businesses who openly shared support for Moon when responding to a Facebook post that asked if people are offended by the name. However, the town still needs to approve the salon’s signage because Moon failed to submit a sign permit request. Until she does, the town will not be able to comment or review about the proposed name.
Moon was asked if she has a plan B is the signage permit is denied, and said, “Of course, although we aren’t speaking on that at the moment.”
Meanwhile, Moon has still been fulfilling merchandise requests, following a few people suggesting shirts that have the salon’s name on them.
“We are in the process of making the design now,” Moon said.
UPDATE: After all the noise, the sign survived. The Perkins Township zoning board first denied Moon a sign permit following a wave of complaints, telling her she would need to file an appeal if she wanted to keep it. Moon refused to budge, insisting she would never change the name no matter the outcome. The board then reversed itself after discovering that both the Ohio Board of Cosmetology and the Ohio Secretary of State had already approved similarly worded business names, clearing the way for Hand Jobs Nails & Spa to keep its lettering. The salon went on to open at 220 W. Perkins Ave. in Sandusky, and the viral attention — national headlines, international write-ups, and hundreds of social media comments — delivered exactly the kind of free advertising Moon said she was after. As she put it, you cannot pay for that kind of exposure.
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Featured Image Credit: Hand Jobs Nails & Spa in Sandusky, Ohio.
