Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Nguyen.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Marie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Growing up with seven siblings, my mom did the best that she could to provide for us. My parents were Vietnamese immigrants so we didn’t have many luxuries growing up. Naturally when it came time to get our haircuts my mother would have to cut it herself. Taking eight of us to the hair salon was not an option. After several attempts at cutting our hair she decided that she needed to take formal training to cut our hair. That’s when she earned her cosmology license.
When my clients ask me how long have I’ve been doing nails? My reply, “twenty years.” Many are shocked that I’ve been doing it for this long since I am still in my early thirties. You see I didn’t have a choice. We had to find a way to provide for the family. It was going to take a group effort. When my mom decided to open a nail salon twenty years ago my elder sisters and I were forced to learn the trade. It made my who I am today.
Has it been a smooth road?
I believe with any business you have bumps along the way. Every day you learn something new and you must adapt with the times.
I opened my first salon in Georgia ten years ago. It was my baby. I was there seven days a week from open til close. My biggest struggle was finding employees. You see the population there was small compared to other cities so anyone that was licensed to do nails were either working for family or owned their own salon. So after ten years, I decided that it was time to move to a bigger city.
When I first arrived to Houston my biggest challenge was to find a location to build a nail salon. Most shopping centers either had a nail salon in there already or they didn’t want one in there at all. Finally, my broker found me a location on Washington Ave but the shopping center was still under construction. I asked myself, “what am I going to do in the meantime?” So, I started browsing the classified looking for a nail technician job. One ad caught my attention because it was a great location by the Galleria Mall. When I came in for an interview it turned out that the owner was interested in selling the salon. I made her an offer and that’s how the brand Fizz all got started.
We took over the Galleria location and decided to build on the brand Fizz Nails. Like with many businesses, I think the biggest struggle is finding good help. As expected, most of the staff left when we took over the Galleria location so we had to build a whole new team. Luckily with family here in Houston. I was able to keep my head on my shoulders.
The Washington Ave location is now officially open as well but there were many bumps along the way. In our shopping center, it was the first time the landlord has done retail stores along with apartments so therefore we were both learning during construction. After countless delays, we managed to get Fizz on Washington open in March of 2017.
So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Fizz Nails & Waxing story. Tell us more about the business.
At Fizz Nails and Waxing we specialize in natural nail care, nails enhancements and waxing.
I think what sets us apart from other nail salons is our decor, for one. We wanted as much shimmery, sparkly, bling and shine as possible. We try to make our salons as fru fru as possible. We want our clients to feel beautiful as soon as they walk into our doors til the time when they walk out. You can enjoy complimentary mimosas or wine while getting pampered.
While we believe most people come to salons to relax, we also believe that most come to socialize as well. So we have very upbeat music playing at all times and our technicians will make an effort to talk your ear off. We are also here to listen as well.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The nail industry is consistently revolving. Everyday people are looking for ways and techniques to keep polish on their nails longer. With every person having a different preference there will always be plenty of options to satisfy everyone.
We are consistently training our employees since new products and techniques are being offered to nail industry regularly. Gel polish plays a big role right now. Compared to typical nail polish, gel polish can last up to three weeks. It has zero dry time and has a crystal shine once completed. The best part is that it has an amazing five-minute removal time with no nail damage.
Another big trend right now is dip gel. It is a long-lasting gel powder durable as acrylics but soaks off easily as gel polish. It leaves the nail healthy and beautiful after removal. This is a great option for our clients that are looking for something stronger than gel polish.
Pricing:
- Manicures start at $20
- Pedicures start at $32
- Full Sets start $40
- Waxing start at $10
Contact Info:
- Address: Galleria Location
4717 Westheimer Rd
Houston, TX 77027
Heights Location
6001 Washington Ave
Ste 300
Houston, TX 77007 - Website: www.fizznaillounge.com
- Phone: Galleria: 832-409-5606 Heights: 832-968-3946
- Email: fizznaillounge@yahoo.com
- Instagram: fizz_nail_lounge_westheimer & fizz_nail_lounge_washington
- Facebook: Fizz Nail Lounge
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