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Talking Shop: Glo brings out the art of nails

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Long before Glo Nail Bar became a reality, co-owners Tracy Tran and Tomson Nguyen were clear on what they did not want: a typical nail salon.

Why? They’re cookie-cutter, the founders believe — right down to the salon chairs and bland decor — and indistinguishable as they pop up on seemingly every street corner.

“Chop shops,” Nguyen labeled them.

The couple, both Garden Grove residents, are no strangers to the nail industry. It’s the path taken by several family members and friends. But their business vision was different.

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“We wanted to change the experience,” Nguyen, 37, said.

Seated nearby, Tran, 31, nodded in agreement, adding, “We wanted the environment to be chic and modern, where it’s for young professionals or people who like high-quality treatments and products.”

Outfitted with black, white and silver accents and an impressive array of nail colors, Glo Nail Bar was designed with simplicity in mind. Just shy of 1,000 square feet, it features sleek, custom-made furniture, including swivel-tops for manicures and pedicure stations with outlets for those looking to charge their phones. Also, customers are offered free beverages upon entering and provided with a heated or chilled herbal neck wrap. It helps soothe muscles and is often the first thing people ask for.

The Costa Mesa venue began welcoming clients April 11, followed by a grand opening on May 1. About 50 guests stopped by that night and every station was full, recalled Nguyen, a UC Irvine graduate.

Available services, which range from $16 to $63, include a “Peppermint Breeze Pedi,” “Bubbly Champagne and Rose,” and others with equally catchy names. All scented foot soaks and scrubs are made in-house, Tran remarked, and first-time visitors are automatically given a 20% discount.

Although Tran and Nguyen first began looking for spots in Newport Beach, they came away dissatisfied with the options and rental fees. They are now content to be situated on Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa, which, due to its proximity to the 55 Freeway, is easily accessed by residents of Irvine, Tustin and other Orange County cities.

After relocating from Houston to Southern California in August, Tran applied for jobs in the area. She only lasted a day or two at other salons because she discovered that her employers and colleagues were reusing nail files and buffers. All the corners were cut out of sight, though.

“I wanted to keep the space open so everybody that sits here can see what we are doing back there,” she said. “We are super clean and have nothing to hide.”

In Nguyen’s experience, most salons focus on numbers, such that one client can be rushed out to make room for another. It doesn’t matter if the service is subpar, he said.

By contrast, his staff promotes the durability of treatments, not only in terms of items and procedures used but also by blocking out an hour or more per person.

“It’s not like we are competing with anyone,” he said. “It’s all about the customer service. We’re always trying to up the game.”

Although word-of-mouth advertising is working wonders for now, Tran and Nguyen plan to roll out a monthly newsletter with information and updates about Glo Nail Bar. They are also active on Yelp, Facebook and Instagram — which is how many people hear about their business — where they post images of nail art. It’s a trend that encourages customers to be expressive and reflect their personalities and quirks.

“It’s really popular,” she said. “It’s super trendy, and more than half of the people come in for nail art.”

A point of pride for the partners is that almost everyone who has visited Glo Nail Bar in the first three weeks has already been back or made appointments to return. A contributing factor, they believe, is that their nail technicians are personable and skilled at their job. Staff members also know that they aren’t allowed to speak anything but English or answer cell phones when clients are present.

“These are such basic things, but they make a huge difference,” Nguyen said.

If You Go

What: Glo Nail Bar

Where: 2075 Newport Blvd., Suite 105, Costa Mesa

When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

Information: (949) 287-6790, goo.gl/Xeg2UC

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