At a time when the mutterings around town concern the hollowing out of Iola’s commercial square, the young couple behind Ele’ Nails — the square’s newest business — see in their brightly lit Madison Avenue storefront the tokens of a prosperous future.
Tim Tran and Kathy Nguyen opened Ele’ Nails just over two months ago but are already seeing a reassuring uptick in return clientele.
Despite their youth — Tran is 33, Nguyen, 31 — the infectiously friendly husband and wife team have observed, whether mindfully or not, the three-legged formula that is the template for nearly every successful small-town business:
1) They identified an opening in the market. Tran spent a handful of years managing his older sister’s nail salons in Pittsburg, where he would frequently encounter clients who had made the hour-plus drive from Allen County. “We saw there wasn’t a big nail salon in Iola yet,” said Tran. “So we wanted to look into it.”
2) They avoided half-measures. Having decided to open up the shop in Iola, the couple might have tread cautiously, commuting from their previous home in Pittsburg until they felt the Iola shop was a going concern; maybe keeping the shop open only a few days a week, or else alternating the days that each owner appeared at the salon. But Tran didn’t want that. Instead, the couple poured their resources into making Ele’ Nails a successful part of Iola’s commercial landscape. And, after a short search, the couple — originally from Da Nang, Vietnam — found a home in Iola, where they now reside with their bouncing toddler daughter, Luuly. “We really wanted to be in a small town,” said Tran. “It’s good for our business and our family.”
3) They’ve committed themselves to providing the quality of service that promises longevity. Besides Tran and Nguyen, Ele’ Nails employs three additional licensed nail specialists. The salon offers a full menu of services: manicures, pedicures, acrylic nails, solar nails, gel manicure, gel polish (“We’re actually really really good on gels,” said Tran shyly), and all variety of nail arts.
“Nail art is very popular now,” said Nguyen, whose own 10 toes, on Monday, sported neat little lacquered jackets of pale pink. “Usually people will bring in their pictures, from Pinterest and different places, and then we draw it on their nails.”
“Or people bring in their smartphones and show us the picture from the internet, and then we copy it down,” said Tran. “Right now, the popular designs are snowmen, Santa, snowflakes. Everything Christmas.”
And Ele’ Nails has caught the Yuletide fever, too. The salon will be extending its hours Friday evening in honor of the chamber-sponsored Spirit of Christmas event, which runs from 4 p.m. to 7. The salon is also offering specially designed gift certificates, which, Tran will tell you, make ideal stocking stuffers for anyone in your life equipped with even a decent number of fingers and toes.
Having arrived in Iola, Tim and Kathy are thrilled to be raising Luuly in this quiet Kansas town. And though it is, in every way, a million miles from Da Nang, the pair is already calling Iola home. “Everyone here is just so nice,” said Nguyen. “Truly. They’ve been welcoming and have very, very kind hearts.”
Located at 1 E. Madison Ave., Ele’ Nails accepts walk-ins and scheduled appointments. Call 620-380-6666. The salon is open Mon. through Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Couple’s salon fits niche with Ele’ Nails
