Dewey Beach nail bar offers fresh polish and cocktails
Heather Nguyen reached for a bottle of ruby red nail polish.
She gave the bottle a quick, vigorous shake before unscrewing its top.
In two swift strokes, her client's petite fingernail was perfectly polished. Nguyen continued with the motions — using great care and precision — until each nail was gleaming bright red.
"Practice makes perfect," she said, smiling.
Nguyen has worked in the beauty industry nearly 10 years, and always dreamed of owning her own salon. Dreams became reality when she and her husband, Anthony, opened Breeze Nails Bar last month in Dewey Beach.
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"We are so very happy here," she said.
The newlyweds are from Vietnam, but met in Florida. Job opportunities led them to coastal Delaware, where they connected with the "warm, welcoming people," who also call the beaches home, she said.
When storefront space became available in the Izzy Plaza, next to The Starboard, the couple jumped at the opportunity.
"It is the perfect location, right in the middle of everything," she said. "And the beach is across the street. I can walk outside and smell the ocean. I love that."
In addition to manicure and pedicure packages with acrylic, UV gel and SNS (signature nail system) options, Breeze Nails Bar offers body waxing, hot stone treatments and scrubs made with fresh ingredients, like green tea, lavender and citrus.
The contemporary nail bar strongly emphasizes exceptional customer service, she said, by also offering guests a complimentary, hand-crafted cocktail.
"I want my guests to feel beautiful here," she said. "I want this to be their retreat."
Nguyen has decorated the space with fresh flowers and in soft shades of tan and teal. Organized shelves featuring a few dozen bottles of bright polish are situated next to a large, plush couch in the center of the salon. The space has an elegant, ocean feel, she said, with subtle hints of her Vietnamese heritage, like a window display of handmade origami cranes and paper flowers.
Breeze Nails Bar is open 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and closed Monday. To make an appointment, call 302-727-5597.
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302-537-1881, ext. 209
Breeze Nails Bar
Where: 2107A Coastal Hwy, Dewey Beach
When: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday
Call: 302-727-5597