CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A woman in southern Ohio was denied a pedicure at a local spa because of her weight.
The Greenfield woman — who the Guardian is not naming — posted a review on the social media page for Real Nails, a spa located off Bridge Street in the state’s first Capital of Chillicothe.
The review reads:
“Went to this salon waited to hours to ve told they can’t do my pedicure because of my weight!” [sic] —
Review posted onto Real Nails on April 24.
Within three hours, the store commented on the woman’s review and said that their “$3,000 chairs” could not support the woman’s weight.
“Hi …. Am so sorry about today. We ask you to come outside so we could tell you quietly and no body can hear and judge you about your weight. We told your friend jen about it too and we feel bad. However, we can’t just take your 35-50$ and fix $3000 plus chair when we know it won’t hold your weight. Because you don’t understand us of how we feel if the chair break than please no need to come back. Thanks” [sic] —
The store’s reply to the woman’s review on April 24.
The Guardian reached out to the woman for an interview, but did not hear back from her.
A man who would only identify himself as Lee told the Guardian on Thursday that he was a manager at the spa. He said when the woman showed up for her appointment she could not sit in the chair, and that is when he and his staff asked the woman outside. Lee said he wanted to tell his side of the story and that the spa does not discriminate.
“We aren’t judging based on her size or weight or anything, and we asked her to come outside, and the chair would not hold her, and I don’t know how to explain to you, but she could not sit on the chair. We kindly took her outside and explained to her,” Lee said. “A lot of our customers are pretty big, we take all sizes and all colors. I just want to clarify my side. I don’t want people to think we discriminate.”
The chairs are leather and have built-in massagers for patrons to utilize while they receive their pedicure.
Lee said the business has called Chillicothe home for a decade and that the people in the town know how well they treat their customers. He said he apologizes to the woman, but that past experiences with a previous woman of size cost the store thousands of dollars to replace equipment. Since then, he said, the spa is cautious about who they service.
“I am a big guy myself. I am 200 pounds, you know? We do not have a weight limit. If she can sit on the chair, we gladly will take her. If you can sit on the chair, yes, we will take care of you, we love everybody. We don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
Dozens of people flocked to social media on Thursday after the post went viral. The majority of people lambasted the spa for their reply to the review.
“The fact that you would even reply in this manner is further example of your lack of professionalism and lack of compassion,” wrote Jenn Thomas. “There are much better ways to handle situations and I can assure you that this isn’t it. I’m embarrassed for her and even more embarrassed at how unprofessional your reply is. Do better.”
Suzanne Cox said she understood the business’ decision to refuse service.
“I’m a big girl and I don’t consider this fat shaming,” Cox posted. “Y’all have to think about the language barrier and the fact that everything has a weight limit. That chair is how they make their money. Airplanes charge bigger people for two seats; roller coasters have a weight limit.”
As for the woman, she said she took her business elsewhere and received her pedicure at another local spa.
dmyers@ChillicotheGuardian.com