By Georgea Kovanis
Detroit Free Press
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) Two female entrepreneurs plan to make a splash this week as they open a new trendy nail salon in downtown Detroit. The hope is to lure downtown’s residential and business traffic, but to also become a destination for people outside of the downtown area, especially millennials.
Detroit Free Press
The TEN Nail Bar, a sleek new salon in the Capitol Park area of downtown Detroit, is to celebrate its grand opening at 10 a.m. Friday.
Here’s why it’s important:
* It’s owned by two women in their 30s — roommates at Spelman College in Atlanta — who returned to metro Detroit after time away, representing a trend of millennials coming back to the city to tie their future to its future.
* It’s a female-centric business in a downtown that, for the most, part feels very male — think John Varvatos, Nike, Moosejaw, sports venues. “There are bars, restaurants, but not a lot of services,” says Anika Jackson, a 31-year-old Detroiter who owns the business with Kelli Coleman, who is 31 and lives in Birmingham. The TEN, Jackson says, “was needed.”
* It’s set up to provide a high-quality service as well as an experience, which is something that should appeal especially to millennials, who happen to populate the office buildings that make up downtown. The TEN — located at 1215 Griswold, inside the Malcomson Building — is decorated in shades of white and gray, features modern yet comfortable seating and has prints of work by the graffiti artist Banksy on the wall. It is scented with custom-made candles. Its owners plan to serve complimentary beverages, including white wine and champagne. It has an app — The TEN Nail Bar is downloadable on iTunes.
“We have so much demand for nail salons and for us, our strategy has always been, ‘How can we find the most unique concept to separate us from other similar uses,” says Dan Mullen, vice president for Bedrock, which owns the Malcomson.
* And most of all, while it may seem like a small thing — a 1,200-square-foot nail salon — it’s all those small things that add up to make a place truly livable and workable.
The plan, says Coleman, is to lure downtown’s residential and business traffic, but to also become a destination for people outside of the downtown area. “We want to give what we call the perfect 10 experience,” she says.
Prices start at $10 for a polish change. A half-hour manicure is $20, a 45-minute pedicure is $40 — combine them for $55.
Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun. To see the entire menu of TEN services or to book an appointment before the nail bar’s grand opening: thetendetroit.com
