Male grooming took a step forward in Germany on March 24, 2015, as the first male manicure and pedicure centre in Europe opened its doors in a plush address in Central Munich.
Hammer und Nagel (Hammer and Nail) is the brainchild of successful Munich businessman Philipp Pechstein, and he explained to Total Munich where he got the idea from:
We were on holiday in Los Angeles last August, and I saw a similar store there. I had never seen anything like it. A couple of months later, while driving to Berlin with my wife, I suddenly realised that this would work VERY well in Munich, so we decided to open if we could find a great location.
Things moved very quickly after that. First of course was the need to find a prime location, and Philipp managed to secure the lease on a premises on Blumenstrasse, a stone's throw from the world-famous Viktualienmarkt and Marienplatz, and next door to one of Munich's top restaurants, Zum Goldenen Kalb.
A complete and very stylish fitting out of the space, including lots of very creative touches, such as this 'knuckle duster' clothes brush, and Hammer und Nagel was ready to open its doors just seven months after the visit to L.A.
Although much of the interior, such as these bricks, looks dated, everything is new. In all their are four regular stations for clients, who can recline and relax in a deep armchair, as well as one VIP are at the back of the store.
The location is important, for as well as being in the centre of town, it is also close to a sizable catchment area of single affluent men in neighbouring residential zones. As the store opened its doors for the first time, the first customer was... an Englishman!
Pechstein is confident that the concept will catch on, and he is already planning his expansion to other parts of Germany, including Hamburg and Cologne. There are a range of manicure and pedicure services for men, starting at just 18 euro for a quick pedicure. An excellent idea, and one which will surely take off, in the same way that men visit a barber for a shave.
Follow Hammer und Nagel on Facebook.
Blumenstraße 3
089 24206200
