A few months ago, Sarah Giraud traded her home nail salon for a storefront.
She’s been doing nails in Hampton since 2011 and working from her home for much of that time. But with a growing list of clients, she decided to open up shop at 230 West Main St. She does acrylic, gel, pedicures, and more.
“Pretty much anything with fingers and toes,” she said.
Besides nails, Sarah also does spray tans and house calls for housebound and elderly people. She partners with other beauty professionals, who rent out rooms in the spa to provide waxing, Botox injections, and other beauty services.
For Sarah, her business is not about nails – it’s about connecting with people.
“I think I more just like visiting with friends,” Sarah said.
On a recent day, she was doing the nails of Mikaela Robertson, one of her frequent customers.
“She’s my underpaid counselor,” Mikaela joked.
“A therapist,” Sarah added.
As Sarah worked, their conversation strayed to difffferent things, from Aldi’s to singer Zach Bryan to Mikaela’s upcoming move to Poland. Country music played softly in the background, adding to the comfortable atmosphere of the salon.
But Sarah’s nail business hasn’t always been so relaxing.
Like many people in Hampton, she was affffected by the big storm in January. Her salon was damaged just as she was preparing to open it, and she lost power at her home, too.
Despite the challenges, she still kept her appointments for the next day, using a backup generator for power.
“I hate canceling last minute. I called in one day in 2023,” Sarah said. “ThThat was December 28th because I had the flflu. That was the only day I didn’t come to work,” she said.
Sarah’s Nails is open by appointment only on Monday but welcomes both walk-ins and appointments Tuesday through Friday. To book an appointment, call (870) 820-7435.
