“We want people to feel special and cared for, so they can relax,” says co-founder Mallory Mcllwain on the opening of CURED Nails.
Megan Cencula
Outfitted with only 24 seats, chic penny-tile and concrete floors, white walls, and antique furnishings, the salon is stylish in design and flawless in service. The long-awaited opening of the East Nashville boutique nail salon was met with early applause.
Encountering a need for a salon focused on cleanliness and service, two former fashion-industry experts, Mallory McIlwain and Melissa Bednarik, set out to fill a void. The duo spent 26 months renovating an old building on Gallatin Avenue and last August, they opened CURED to the delight of the neighborhood.
"We have people saying, 'We've been waiting for you,'" Mcllwain says.
Megan Cencula
“We did it the long, hard way and learned some good and difficult lessons,” she says of the opening process. The longer time frame allowed McIlwain and Bednarik to hone their focus and discover gaps in the market. After eight months of schooling, the pair emerged as licensed technicians and, with construction still underway, took jobs at nail salons in town.
"We learned a lot about what we wanted to do differently, and that was one of the most important parts of the process," Bednarik explains. “As a salon owner, it so important to immerse yourself in the culture to understand why there was a need for something different.”
“Our eyes were opened to what was the norm in the nail world, versus what we wanted the experience to be,” McIlwain says. “We saw a need for customer service, sanitation, and a beautiful environment.”
Within the relaxing space, visitors are greeted like old friends, and more noticeably, no harsh fumes. On the refined menu of services, you won’t find acrylic or dip manicures, but you will see a short list of manicures and pedicures, with add-ons including a lavender essential oil sugar scrub, charcoal mask, and nail art. The Quickie paired with the Cure All pedicure is the most regularly requested service combo.
Megan Cencula
Well-known OPI and Essie colors share the shelves with 5-Free, 7-Free, and 10-Free polishes, including AILA, a local brand. And select Chanel colors give nod to the gals’ fashion backgrounds. Choose your color, then, the pampering begins.
McIlwain and Bednarik credit their technicians for CURED’s so-far solid reputation. Friendly and talented, the staff contributes to the old-school beauty parlor feel the owners were after, and this keeps folks coming back.
"We see a lot of the same faces, so we are able to build relationships with people who live in the neighborhood,” Bednarick says. “It is important for us to be part of the community."
CURED, 813 Gallatin Ave., 615-953-6284: curednails.com