The Nail Bar Built for the Girls, the Gays and the Theys
Credit: Haus of Femme
Bushwick, Brooklyn
Walk into Haus of Femme in Bushwick and the first thing you will notice is that it does not feel like it is trying to be anything other than exactly what it is, a space for the community, built by the community.
The space is the brainchild of Sam Diz, founder and owner, who opened Haus of Femme in October 2024 at just 25 years old after five years building her client base working from home. Before the salon, she spent five years working alone, building a client base from her home. The skill was always there. What took time was the belief that she deserved to take up the space.
That confidence did not arrive overnight. For years, Sam focused on the work itself, building relationships client by client and letting her talent speak for itself. Opening a storefront meant stepping into a much bigger role. Suddenly it was not just about doing nails. It was about creating a space people could rely on, building a team, and putting her name on something visible. The salon exists because she eventually decided she was ready to take up that space, even before she felt completely ready.
The name has a story behind it. Sam told us she was at dinner with her mom and sister when the idea clicked. She had already decided she wanted to open a salon for people like her, and was trying to figure out how to sneak the concept past her mom without her catching on. Then it hit her: Haus of Femme. On the surface, a house of femininity. But also, unmistakably, a nod to being a femme lesbian. “My sister and I were cackling about it and my mom was like, what’s going on?” Sam laughed. She played it off as just a fun word for feminine. Her mom bought it, for a while. “She caught on. But it’s okay, it’s too late now. It’s done.”
What started as a private joke became something much bigger. When Sam opened the salon, she was not trying to build a movement. She just wanted a space for people like her that was not centered around alcohol, somewhere to hang out and get serviced without needing a bar in the room. But the impact grew fast. “We’ve come to realize how seriously beauty is gender affirming care,” she told us. It is the message she and her team are carrying into Pride this year, and the one she says shaped everything that came after.
Sam Diz — @thatpiscesnailtech
Credit: Haus of Femme
Sam opened Haus of Femme at 25, five years into doing nails. The hardest adjustment was not the day to day, it was learning to share. After years of working alone, suddenly being responsible for other people meant getting flexible with different personalities and different ways of working. “Every nail tech has their own groove,” she said. “It is not gonna be how I want it all the time. As long as it works, that is all I care about.” Finding her team started with Instagram and word of mouth, a few Indeed ads too, though she was quick to flag how expensive those turned out to be. Now people come to her. The process starts with a portfolio review, an interview, and a demo, but the real question she is asking is whether you actually belong here and are part of the community yourself.
Her advice for anyone wanting to do the same? “You gotta fuck up.” The hard part is not the operational stuff, it is the emotional weight of it every single day. Reminding yourself why you are doing it, who needs you, who is relying on you. She is open about the people who try to tear down what she has built too, the ones who want to say the space is not real or not safe, before giving her a chance to fix a mistake. “You gotta allow me to fix it before you go ahead and run screaming from the mountains,” she laughed. The majority show up for her though. That is why she is there every day, even on her days off.
Credit: Haus of Femme
Right now she is loving cat eye chrome combinations, 3D chrome, sculpted flowers, and airbrushing. Pride nails too, naturally. Her most recent wild set was inspired by female alchemy ceramics, faces with spikes for hair, done for her best friend in two and a half hours flat. “I was panicking,” she laughed. They are on her Instagram and they are exactly as insane as that sounds.
What has stuck with her most is not the nail art, even though her sets are incredible. It is the community that has grown around the chair. When the winter snowstorms hit Bushwick, she put out a post and watched people show up to help shovel outside the salon. “I’m not used to having a big community around me,” she said. “First time I have that.” A small tight group of friends, yes. But not this. Not a safe community at this scale.
Vicky and I already shared our own POV looks from the chair on our TikTok, so go check those out if you want to see the full glow up.
Vicky’s POV
@thequeerdos There are nail salons and then there are places that already know who you are before you sit down. I've been doing my nails like this for years. Two short, three long. It's practical. A specific kind of practical. And for the first time in recent memory i walked into a place and didn't have to explain it. #happypridemonth #wlwcouple #brooklyn #queerart ♬ original sound - akshayiyerdrums
Kate’s POV
@thequeerdos Most nail salons aren't made with masc-presenting people in mind… but Haus of Femme gets it. 💅🏽✨ A reminder that queer community can be found in the little things. Like having a space where you can show up exactly as you are, feel welcomed, and leave feeling good. Happy Pride, friends. 🌈🏳️🌈 Mascs, where's your favorite queer-friendly spot in NYC? ⬇️ #QueersAndTheCity #HausOfFemme #HappyPride #QueerNYC #MascStyle ♬ original sound - Pibble Vault
Haus of Femme is located at 249 Wilson Ave, Bushwick, Brooklyn.
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