polished nail salon bermuda
A year ago it opened a second outlet, The Waxing Room, in Washington Mall. Now, with the America’s Cup on the horizon and positive signs in the economy, manager Glen Wilks is feeling optimistic for the future.
Quality of service, competitive pricing, and being located in the heart of Hamilton have all been factors in the success of the business.
However, Mr Wilks sees scope for improvements. He also believes there is room for the Bermuda Government to offer more support for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Orange Creamsicle #48
The Polished story began in 2012 when the nail salon opened on Reid Street, across the road from Brown & Co department store. There was also an in-store nail bar at Gibbons Company, however it eventually closed, one of many casualties of the six-year recession that started in 2009.
But Polished survived and has flourished. Last year it expanded to a second location, The Waxing Room, on the upper floor of Washington Mall.
The business caters for women and men. Across the two locations it offers a range of treatments, from manicures and pedicures, facials, and waxing, to hair treatments, massage, and eyebrow and eyelash enhancements and maintenance.
Whats Up Nails
The city centre locations of Polished and The Waxing Room have been a factor in the success of the business, said Mr Wilks. But so too has the level of service and friendliness of staff, and the pleasant surroundings of the boutiques.
“We have a loyal and supportive client base, and we get pretty much everyone, from regular customers to corporate professionals, visitors, and new arrivals.
“We are building a strong relationship in terms of quality and efficiency. We have a very good team of technicians delivering to a certain standard, and we have a good, quality environment.”
Salon Perfect St. Patrick's Day Nail Polish Giveaway And Nail Art
“Our business has grown. This speaks to the optimism and encouragement that we have. Hopefully we can give the people more, ” he said.
The America’s Cup in May and June represents a potential injection of new business. Mr Wilks said the people attracted to the event from overseas will likely have lifestyle preferences that can be catered for by Polished and The Waxing Room.
However, he feels the boost the sporting event is expected to bring is only part of the improving picture for the business and the economy in general.
Future Looks Shiny For Polished
“We have the infrastructure and we have excellent, trained people to deal with that. It is about always meeting the needs of the people, at a level that they expect.”
He added: “The America’s Cup is a step in the right direction. All the things for 2017 and beyond are dependent on what we do. We are looking forward to a meaningful turnaround in the economic landscape.
He believes the government can do more to help small business and level the playing field in some areas. As an example, he points to the concessions given to hotels, even though they offer competing services to those offered by Polished and others who operate outside the hotel and resort sector.
Ohora Semi Cured Gel Nail Strips (n Bermuda)
He quickly added: “We are not afraid to compete. You need to be profitable in order to train people and keep going.
“Not everything is ideal. A lot of small businesses are disadvantaged when it comes to resources, but ultimately we have to be optimistic about the brand and the resilience of Bermuda’s people to move things forward.”
And referring to Polished, he said: “Four years in and we are looking to build on what we have, and play our part to make a difference.
Sister & Nails Salon
Mall Media, is a multi-platform advertising company offering prime advertising space as well as interactive advertising opportunities in the heart of Hamilton in Washington Mall. We offer a variety of advertising solutions suited for virtually every business and service category. These solutions will enhance the ways in which advertisers reach customers in Bermuda. Our advertising portfolio is efficient and affordable for advertisers.
We put your marketing message and events in front of our visitors. Banner Boards, Mall Kiosks and Product Displays, Digital Touch Screens, Window Displays, Vehicle Displays, Hanging Banners & Elevator Wraps are just a few different ways that we can get your company’s message out to the people.Enlarging business: Glen Wilks has moved Polished Nail Salon to the Reid Street side of the Washington Mall. As a result, the salon has doubled in size (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)
There’s a bit of a fishbowl effect going on at Polished Nail Salon’s new location on Reid Street. The walls are glass, so passers-by are constantly peering in. This was exactly what Glen Wilks had in mind when he moved the nail side of his beauty business from the inner Washington Mall to its entrance in mid-January. “Having it be visible draws people in, ” he said. “It is human nature to be either be pushed or pulled by things. So I think this is aiming for that pull, even if it is just curiosity.”The new space also has double the square footage of the last shop.He wanted the place to be multisensory. All the surfaces are shiny white; there’s local photography on the walls, and there’s a chic smell to everything, down to the books in the waiting area.“It’s a cleaner, more contemporary look, but comfortable, ” Mr Wilks said. “It has a warm, authentic and sensory feel. We want not only our clients to look beautiful, but also the service and the entire experience.” Mr Wilks calls the style of the shop “contemporary”, like most of their clients.“The typical customers we serve are a very cosmopolitan body of people, primarily working professionals but we get clients as young as tweens, ” he said. “It runs the gamut.”The nail salon offers manicures, pedicures, eyelash extensions and microblading — a technique where individual eyebrow hairs are meticulously tattooed on semi-permanently with a small hand-held tool. “The microblading is a new service, ” he said. “We have been doing eyelash extensions for some time. It is all individually applied so it looks quite natural.”The salon also hopes to offer make-up services in the coming weeks. When asked if the beauty business in Bermuda is cut-throat, Mr Wilks said: “I am an eternal optimist. I am a believer in that everything happens for a reason, and it is up to you how you want to navigate, and what sort of principles you want to live by, or do business by.”He is firm on what he thinks his business and his team stands for. “We give love, man, and hopefully we will get love in return, ” he said. “It’s about compassion and professionalism, it is as simple as that. We try to provide excellence on all levels.”As if on cue, a customer, Tanecia Barnett Burgess, appeared to buy a gift certificate. She said she’d driven all the way from St David’s to make the purchase. Unwittingly echoing Mr Wilks’s comments she said: “I find it very peaceful and the people are kind.”Mr Wilks has been in the beauty business for three decades.“I have seen numerous changes, ” he said. “I think we are on the cusp of another major change economically and lifestyle wise, with the way that technology has changed people’s lifestyle.”He said there has always been change, but now it seems to be happening more rapidly. “So whatever we do, we have to be reflective of that, and how you integrate technology and how you can make it as seamless as possible, which is crucial, ” he said. He has a selfie wall in one corner of Polished, so clients can post photos as soon as their nails are done or their eyelashes extended. “The way people live now, a day if there is no record of what you have done — it never occurred, ” he said. The wall helps the clients and Polished catch a little attention from the outside world.“Social media is an integral part of the business, ” Mr Wilks said. “If you have a beautiful experience at Polished, then you want to talk about the experience, and share what you have seen or discovered.”But he said Bermuda’s business infrastructure doesn’t encourage much risk taking. “There is talk of support, but there is no real tangible support, ” he said.In addition, he wanted to see all sectors of the community more dedicated towards service. “If everyone is committed to service, regardless of what sector you’re in, we raise the bar, and raise everyone as a consequence to that.”
Salon Perfect Swatches
Care and a relaxing atmosphere: a member of staff works on a client at Polished Nail Salon’s new location on Reid Street (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)Rise of the nail bar: Polished Nail Boutique’s senior technician Louise Richardson at work at the new Reid Street new nail salon ( Photo by Glenn Tucker )
Polished is the latest nail salon to open its doors in Bermuda, with two locations in the heart of Hamilton.The emphasis is on high quality express service and manicures at Polished Nail Bar inside the Gibbons Company department store on Reid and Church Streets.A more relaxing, spa-like service is offered at Polished Boutique on Reid Street, which has taken the
