Couple Long Phung and Elena Ni are bringing their decades of experience and passion for doing nails to Williston Park.
“I really like doing nails and all the customers that come here, they see that,” said Phung, who opened the new Polish Vault Nail Salon and Spa directly across from village hall in late July.
“Customers always say that we do it differently from others, and they just say that we know how to take care of their nails,” he continued. “I just say, ‘This is what we do.’ I just think we just do it differently.”
Phung, now 40, has been doing manicures and pedicures at his family’s nail salon in Queens since he was 13 or 14 years old. He said part of the reason he decided to expand out from his family’s studio to his own place was to bring quality services and products to more clients.
“I started when I was really young. Basically, I’ve been doing nails my whole life,” Phung said. “I see a lot of other nail salons using a lot of cheap stuff, not high quality.”
Almost three decades into the trade, he said his passion for the work has grown as he’s spent more time in the industry, adding that he loves to see how techniques and products improve, then bring those developments to his clients.
“When I started, it was just a paycheck,” Phung said. “But, as I kept working, I found I liked the fashion of it. I like making customers look nice.”
“Every year, they’re coming out with different things. Before it was acrylic powder, now this year is more gel polish,” he continued. He said he works to stock cutting-edge, high-quality products as they’re made available.
His wife shares his enthusiasm for the craft.
“I just like doing nails,” said Ni, who’s been working in nail salons for 11 years. “When someone comes in and their nails aren’t as nice as they could be, I work on them, I make them pretty. It feels good.”
Both he and Ni said they love the creativity nail art allows and the care they can bring to their clients through it. Phung said he works with customers to determine their individual style and find the design that fits them, whether that’s a plain polish or an elaborate style.
At their shop, designs per finger cost from $5 to $10, French tips cost from $10 to $15, ombres cost $15 and nail shaping costs $10.
Polish Vault offers services ranging from a basic manicure at $13 to a gold and milk honey spa pedicure at $75. The pair provides regular polish sets, dipped powder sets (ranging from $45 to $55), color acrylic sets (ranging from $50 to $80 for an extension set), and UV gel sets (ranging from $75 to $90).
The spa pedicures, primarily done by Ni, are offered with lemon and cucumber, lavender, jasmine and mango, green tea, gold, and milk honey-scented products. They range from $35 to $75 and each includes a foot and lower leg massage, cleansing scrub, scented moisturising mask, lotion, and paraffin. Those on the more expensive side include hot stones and work removing calluses.
Each package offers different benefits. Jasmine and mango can help soothe dry skin and eczema and increase cell turnover to reduce scarring. Green tea acts as a natural sunscreen and can protect nails from damage and drying, and lavender serves as a stress reliever.
Ni and Phung met while working at a now-closed nail salon in neighboring New Hyde Park. They bonded over their work and said they supported each other in opening up their first joint venture.
The pair said they encourage people to stop in and try out their services, saying they believe they offer stellar services.
“I trust myself and I trust my husband,” Ni said. “We do nails very well.”
Polish Vault Nail Salon and Spa is open to take care of all nails, hands and feet from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day of the week except Sundays at 489B Willis Ave
Read more: ACASA replacing La Parma after 41 years in Williston Park
