When I heard a new nail salon was opening up on the corner of 7th and High, I just knew I had to check it out. Toe-tally Beautiful Salon is a nail salon that focuses solely on pedicures, a fact that I found a little off-putting to begin with. It seemed odd that anyone would open a nail salon without the option of a classic mani-pedi. But I just couldn’t resist the allure of a new salon, so I scheduled an appointment anyway.
When I walked in, I was immediately shocked by the startling amount of foot-related imagery plastered on the walls. Don’t get me wrong, it is tastefully decorated but there are photos of feet everywhere. Framed pictures of feet, presumably of previous clients, cover the walls floor to ceiling, and sculptures of the appendage are scattered throughout the salon, some nearly five times as large as the average foot. After taking in my surroundings, I was greeted by a very friendly young woman, who guided me to the back for the pedicure. I first grew concerned when I noticed that there was only one chair in the room. If you’re unaware, a typical nail salon has many chairs for maximum clientele at once to receive pedicures. One chair certainly is a statement, and I thought that perhaps the individualization is what makes the experience special, unique, and worth the $75 price tag.
Once I was seated, my pedicurist entered the room and introduced himself as the owner, William. As he began the pedicure, all was normal. We had some polite conversation, I asked him how business was going so far, how he liked Columbus, etc. According to him, business had been slow but starting to pick up and he mentioned that he was loving “all the feet and the people attached to them” that were coming in. This is when I began to suspect that this highly individualized foot-centric experience was not created for the benefit of the client, but to satisfy the desires of William. Now normally I’d walk right out then and there, but by this point in the pedicure he had already painted two of my toes and I’ll be damned if I was going to walk around with one-fifth of a pedicure peeking through my sandals.
After I asked what he likes about his job, William spent the remainder of the pedicure discussing how much he loved feet. He went on and on about seeing feet, touching feet, washing feet, scraping feet, painting feet, lotioning feet. Truthfully, it was upsetting to hear. It surprises me how open he was about his fetish, considering how many people would kinkshame him for it and the loss of customers that it likely causes. Maybe he only talked about it because I asked, but it kinda seemed like he would have spilled the beans to anyone who would listen. It was at this point in the pedicure that I decided I would never return to Toe-tally Beautiful Salon, the main reason being that I just didn’t think I could stomach any more foot talk ever again in my life.
But then, the pedicure was finished. I looked down at my feet and the results were shocking. My feet were glistening. My nails were popping. I felt my skin and it was smoother than smooth jazz. The design on my nails was intricate and delicate, yet perfected down to the last detail. My callouses were snatched, my dead skin removed, and any insecurities I had about the appearance of my feet went the way of Amelia Earhart as she flew over the Bermuda Triangle (they disappeared, friends). I was so astounded by the quality of William’s work that when he asked if he could take a photo of my feet (for the wall, I assume), I said yes. Now my feet are visible to all that unassumingly wander into Toe-tally Beautiful Salon and I don’t even care. Who knows, maybe those pictures will kick off my foot-modeling career. That pedicure was so damn good—I dare say the best pedicure of my life—and you can bet that I’ll be revisiting the establishment next month to get another one.
In short, Toe-tally Beautiful Salon has the best pedicures around. If you’re looking for a personalized salon experience, immaculate nails, and feet that look and feel better than they ever have in your entire life, this is the place for you. However, William, the owner and sole pedicurist is a confirmed foot-fetishist, so if that’s going to weird you out, then you’d better stay at least 100 feet from the premises just to be safe. If you can get past that though, then Toe-tally Beautiful Salon will be your new go-to spot for all foot-related care. 4.5/5 stars
Written by Francesca Varga, Social Media Officer