New Bethesda Salon Puts Grooming, Community Under One Roof

BETHESDA, MD — A luxury men's grooming salon has arrived in Montgomery County, serving as the new hot spot where residents can feel pampered while catching up on the latest game.

Hammer & Nails Bethesda officially opened to the public on Friday at 7712 Woodmont Ave., next to the Lionsgate Condominiums in downtown Bethesda.

From haircuts to straight-razor shaves, waxing, and manicures and pedicures, the shop provides elevated grooming geared toward men.

Delivering on the idea of a luxury experience, Hammer & Nails Bethesda pairs its range of services with oversized leather recliners, endless big-screen TVs, mood lighting, and noise-canceling headphones for the ultimate level of relaxation.

The Hammer & Nails brand was first founded in 2013 in California as a means to break the stigma that grooming services weren't just for women, and that men could equally thrive in the space — just with a more "man cave" vibe.

The Bethesda opening marks the brand's expanded reach into Maryland, where Hammer & Nails opened its first location in Annapolis on Thursday.

While the brand does operate on a membership model, it's not an exclusionary service, shop owners told Patch. Walk-ins and à la carte services are entirely welcomed.

Where Everyone Knows Your Name

The Bethesda location was opened by husband-and-wife team Brad and Melissa Blanken as the couple sought to start a more community-driven venture.

While Melissa hails from the Pacific Northwest, Brad is a native of Montgomery County and a Marine veteran.

He told Patch that he fell for the messaging behind the Hammer & Nails brand after making an in-person visit to the salon's site in Reston.

"It just felt like a place that I'd be comfortable as opposed to the place that I go now, where it smells like antiseptic," he said.

For Brad, launching Hammer & Nails Bethesda was about creating a place where "people would feel comfortable and be seeking out the experience instead of dreading the experience."



The salon, he said, will be the place where staffers really get to know guests and catch up — à la Norm from "Cheers."

"We're a men's grooming services company, so we're focused on delivering those services and lifting people up in that regard," Brad told Patch. "But if people feel in this space just a little bit lighter or a little bit less burdened, a little bit more stress-free, then we'll have succeeded."

"We want to be a positive member of the community. That's my biggest goal. If I'm meaningfully contributing to the community, then I'll have done my job," he said.

Plans For Expansion

Embedding themselves deeper into the community, the Blankens are planning to open two additional Hammer & Nails locations in Montgomery County.

One site will open in late October at the Cabin John shopping center in Potomac. The wait for the third Hammer & Nails in the region, however, may take a little longer.

Brad told Patch that talks are ongoing for a new site at the Kentlands Market Square shopping center in Gaithersburg.

The catch is that the site largely depends on a building that has yet to be built by developers.

Until then, residents can stop in for a cut or a nail trimming at the Bethesda salon.

Residents can stop in at the shop Tuesday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Doors stay closed on Monday.

The downtown Bethesda shop can be reached by calling (301) 301-6585 or via email at woodmont@hngrooming.com.

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