JAMIE LOPEZ: This is our new location, today is the opening. This is a plus size friendly salon.
All women deserve to be beautiful and pampered and they’re worth it.
So, I just want to get that message across to them.
COMM: Two years ago, Jamie Lopez owned a thriving salon for big, beautiful women.
JAMIE LOPEZ: As women, we should be able to get beautiful anywhere.
JAMIE LOPEZ: What makes my salon different is that this is a plus size friendly salon.
COMM: Today, Jamie is launching a fabulous new salon next to the Las Vegas Strip.
COMM: To celebrate the launch, Jamie is offering her clients glamorous makeovers ending with an
after party in a top Las Vegas club.
JAMIE LOPEZ: This is our new location, today is the opening. It's a few hours away, there’s still things that
need to be done.
JAMIE LOPEZ: I’m really excited about it and it's going to be an epic event.
COMM: First through the door looking for a makeover is Annalicia.
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: I met Jamie a couple of years ago and I saw this advertisement for the first plus size
salon and I was like, “No way!” But there’s actually a community out here that deals with just big women,
that wants big women. I’m 6’3’’ and I weigh about 420 lbs.
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: I was bullied mostly by one particular person, called me ‘Hippo’, ‘Chewbacca’.
He would say I didn’t deserve to live. I looked at myself like, the most disgusting and ugly person in the world.
Today I’m going to Babydoll to get my first ever full makeover and then I’m going to the club tonight
and hopefully I can party it up.
JAMIE LOPEZ: In these few years, since last time you guys have been here, it's been a struggle dealing with
hate and death threats and getting my business vandalised. And then comes the poop on the windows.
INTERVIEWER: What do you mean poop on the windows?
JAMIE LOPEZ: Someone literally put poop on our windows. People don’t like fat people, people treat fat
people horribly. So, if you have a place that praises fat people or you know just, kind of, gives people a safe\
place, they want to attack it. They want to like, make us feel like, we’re unwelcome, or we don’t belong here.
Oh my God, so much criticism, “Why would you open a salon for big girls?” “Why won't you just lose weight?”
And it makes me cry. So, does that mean I have to stop getting my nails done because I’m fat? No, I’m going to
create a safe place and I’m going to give people what they need.
LADY: What are you expecting from the vibes tonight at the club?
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: I’m just expecting to have fun like, fun, happiness, no drama.
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: I just want to say thank you.
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: I really do.
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: I actually look like a woman.
JAMIE LOPEZ: All women deserve to be beautiful and pampered and they’re worth it.
So, I just want to get that message across.
JAMIE LOPEZ: I’m so, excited that the launch was a success and the makeovers were fabulous
and I’m excited to go shake my ass at the club.
INTERVIEWER: Having a good night? KING MOULAH: Having a great night, it's Las Vegas you
know, and it's Friday night. It's not about the size, it's about the size of the heart so, you know, like,
bigger woman yeah, you can find some good woman that are big especially you know in Vegas.
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: So, my night has been fun, it’s hot of course my feet hurt but it's really energetic.
I feel more confident, I feel more like, I’m more beautiful and more glam and confident and my self-esteem is a little higher.
ANNALICIA PANACKIA: Jamie is amazing and the people in there are amazing. I need to get back in there
and hopefully a guy can buy me a drink and I can find some guys. Bye guys!
JAMIE LOPEZ: I feel like, it's go big or go home, that’s what we’re doing.