💕First Lady Nails | Where Our Story Began💕

Before BeautyBar SGV became the sanctuary it is today, it was known by another name: First Lady Nails. Founded in the 1980s by Ben's mother, First Lady Nails was one of the earliest Vietnamese-owned nail salons in San Gabriel. It stood proudly on Las Tunas Drive, welcoming generations of guests and creating opportunity for women seeking stability, dignity, and community in a new country.

BeautyBar SGV Salon

In a time when the nail industry was still in its infancy, there was no gel polish, no spa chairs, no LED lamps. Just hard, back-breaking work—manual acrylics, basic pedicures done with buckets of water, and long hours fueled by grit and a dream. These were the early days of Vietnamese nail artistry in America, and First Lady Nails was at the heart of it.

Our Nail Sanctuary

The salon quickly became a safe haven for newly immigrated refugees, many of whom were rebuilding their lives after the war. It was a place of hope and belonging, where the language barrier faded behind the sound of laughter, the hum of nail drills, and the warmth of community. Women learned not just a trade, but a way to build independence and purpose in a foreign land.

Among the many faces of First Lady Nails was Ben’s mom—a fierce, resilient woman whose spirit and hustle laid the foundation for everything BeautyBar would one day become. She didn’t just run a salon. She built a legacy. You can see her in the photos, radiant and determined, surrounded by her team and loyal guests. Ben’s father, though not in the spotlight, paid frequent visits to the salon because he worked just down the street at A+ Furniture. He was always quietly there—sweeping floors, fixing lights, doing whatever it took to support his wife’s dream.

When Ben and Kimi took over in 2015, First Lady Nails had aged and grown quiet. But its soul still pulsed with potential. They didn’t just buy a business; they inherited a legacy of courage and care. From those humble roots, BeautyBar SGV was born—not to replace the past, but to honor it.

We proudly carry the torch lit by First Lady Nails, now illuminating a new generation of guests and artists. The industry has changed. Our tools are more advanced, our chairs more comfortable, and our polishes more durable. But the heart of what we do remains the same: to serve with kindness, to create beauty, and to build a home for all who walk through our doors.

BeautyBar rose from the legacy of First Lady Nails, carrying forward its beautiful, beating heart. That spirit lives on in every guest, every artist, and every shared moment.

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