How did Asians working in nail salons come about?

[kiminky]

Typically a lurker, but my husband and I were discussing this tonight and I really am curious. How did this start? When did this start? And it isn't just a regional thing, you can go into about any nail salon in the US and it will be all Asians working there. As long as I can remember going to nail salons it has been this way. I have also noticed something similar with Indian families owning Subway restaurants, at least in my city. I want to sometimes ask the people working there to gain insight, but do not want to seem rude, really just interested. Must be the Sociology mm major in me.

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[Deleted]

This is a good read

www.npr.org/2012/06/14/154852394/with-polish-vietnamese-immigrant-community-thrives

[Deleted]

Well.

[TrickyBob]

Why does anyone do anything?

[lola]

:-#

Might I suggest that you go back to lurking until you have a better idea of what thoughts should and should not be expressed? 

[kiminky]

Aug 21, 2013 18:23:08 GMT -5 @porcupine said:

This is a good read

www.npr.org/2012/06/14/154852394/with-polish-vietnamese-immigrant-community-thrives

Thanks porcupine that's exactly the kind of thing I was talking. Not trying to be obnoxious, just thought I would voice my curiosity about it.

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[overture]

I don't think this is a strange question. Back in the day, lots of industries recruited immigrants from specific regions for various reasons. Like copper companies who sought out Italians. The British did a lot of recruiting for bus drivers in Jamaica. It's not illogical to think there's a story behind it.

[pantsparty]

I once heard an interview on NPR that discussed when immigrating from China, the Chinese had difficulty making in-roads into business ventures due to prejudice. Some business areas that were easier to get into were food and laundry. It was a really interesting interview; I wish I could remember the actual book they were discussing.

[kiminky]

lola, not sure what thought I am expressing that is so wrong, just an honest question, anything you may be reading into it is certainly not intended on my part.

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[Deleted]

There was an article in either the Seattle Times or Seattle PI several years ago that gave a good explanation to this.

[kiminky]

Seriously? I really don't think I'm being a naive jackass to ask the question, in terms of the history behind it.

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[Deleted]

It's not really "all Asians."  More often than not, those yellow folks are Vietnamese, so great work just lumping everyone together.

The NPR article is probably the most decent explanation.

But this question is really no different from asking about dry cleaners, convenience store owners, etc.

How did white people working at Abercrombie come about?

How about you explain that?  Or how did white people working at EVERY PLACE IN THE U.S. come about?

[wannabe]

See yeah, I don't think she's being offensive. It's not like she's saying all Asians work in nail salons...just asking why most nail salons appear to be Asian businesses.

Am I wrong?

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2013 18:31:41 GMT -5 kiminky said:

Seriously? I really don't think I'm being a naive jackass to ask the question, in terms of the history behind it.

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Yes, seriously.

[Deleted]

m.nailsmag.com/article/40699/the-asian-influence

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2013 18:32:17 GMT -5 wannabe said:

See yeah, I don't think she's being offensive. It's not like she's saying all Asians work in nail salons...just asking why most nail salons appear to be Asian businesses.

Am I wrong?

Yes.

[wannabe]

I'm a bad Asian. I just don't think this was an awful thing to ask for clarification on.

[pixelpassion]

Part of me was like "well that's kind of stereotypical" until I remembered that my mom is Korean and she indeed worked in a nail salon for a little while.

Damn.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2013 18:33:25 GMT -5 wannabe said:

I'm a bad Asian. I just don't think this was an awful thing to ask for clarification on.

Wording matters.

[wannabe]

Aug 21, 2013 18:34:34 GMT -5 @beagle said:

Aug 21, 2013 18:32:17 GMT -5 wannabe said:

See yeah, I don't think she's being offensive. It's not like she's saying all Asians work in nail salons...just asking why most nail salons appear to be Asian businesses.

Am I wrong?

I feel like this is one of those questions that's probably best solved by google, and not asking a random community of internet strangers.

I always learn shit from ML. There are so many different opinions here. I just can't get wound up over it.

[pantsparty]

I think this was the book I was talking about. It speaks more to how Chinese food in America is vastly different than real Chinese food, and how those business owners essentially adapted their dishes for an American audience. www.amazon.com/The-Fortune-Cookie-Chronicles-Adventures/dp/B003P2VDF6

[Deleted]

Not getting wound up about things means you're part of the problem.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2013 18:36:18 GMT -5 pantsparty said:

I think this was the book I was talking about. It speaks more to how Chinese food in America is vastly different than real Chinese food, and how those business owners essentially adapted their dishes for an American audience. www.amazon.com/The-Fortune-Cookie-Chronicles-Adventures/dp/B003P2VDF6

That's my college classmate.

We were on the newspaper together.

[kiminky]

Aug 21, 2013 18:34:02 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Aug 21, 2013 18:33:25 GMT -5 wannabe said:

I'm a bad Asian. I just don't think this was an awful thing to ask for clarification on.

Wording matters.

Okay, so sorry for my improper wording. No, I by no means meant all Asians work in nail songs, if my original post implied that, I apologize. I also used the word 'Asians' b/c I am not aware of the specific ethnicity of each employee working at each salon. I was trying not to be offensive or racist.

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[pantsparty]

Aug 21, 2013 18:37:11 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Aug 21, 2013 18:36:18 GMT -5 pantsparty said:

I think this was the book I was talking about. It speaks more to how Chinese food in America is vastly different than real Chinese food, and how those business owners essentially adapted their dishes for an American audience. www.amazon.com/The-Fortune-Cookie-Chronicles-Adventures/dp/B003P2VDF6

That's my college classmate.

We were on the newspaper together.

OMG NO WAY!!!! Okay, now I really have to read this book.

[kiminky]

Aug 21, 2013 18:36:30 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Aug 21, 2013 18:33:25 GMT -5 wannabe said:

I'm a bad Asian. I just don't think this was an awful thing to ask for clarification on.

You aren't a bad Asian and the OP isn't an awful person to ask why the majority of a certain type of business seems to be owned almost entirely by a certain demographic. 

How does this make me an awful person to ask a question re: the history of something I have observed?

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[wannabe]

Aug 21, 2013 18:36:23 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Not getting wound up about things means you're part of the problem.

So be it.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2013 18:37:29 GMT -5 @rumpshaker said:

Aug 21, 2013 18:32:00 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

It's not really "all Asians."  More often than not, those yellow folks are Vietnamese, so great work just lumping everyone together.

The NPR article is probably the most decent explanation.

But this question is really no different from asking about dry cleaners, convenience store owners, etc.

How did white people working at Abercrombie come about?

How about you explain that?  Or how did white people working at EVERY PLACE IN THE U.S. come about?

Where does she say all Asians?

Aug 21, 2013 18:16:17 GMT -5 kiminky said:

you can go into about any nail salon in the US and it will be all Asians working there.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2013 18:38:22 GMT -5 pantsparty said:

Aug 21, 2013 18:37:11 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

That's my college classmate.

We were on the newspaper together.

OMG NO WAY!!!! Okay, now I really have to read this book.

No, you really don't.

[lola]

Aug 21, 2013 18:28:29 GMT -5 kiminky said:

lola, not sure what thought I am expressing that is so wrong, just an honest question, anything you may be reading into it is certainly not intended on my part.

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I think you worded this very poorly. I also think you should have Googled this, and done some reading, and then *maybe* brought up the topic to be discussed. 

When you go all, "When you walk into about any nail salon in America it's all Asians!" and "What about those Indians at Subway" you come off as a touch .... offensive.