Today we’d like to introduce you to Quyên Tran.
Hi Quyên, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our story began in 2001, when my parents decided to open up a local salon here in Lowell, Michigan due to us really enjoying the school system. My mother and I immigrated here in 2000 from Vietnam, and it was a new experience for us both – especially her. She spoke very little english, and my parents being very hardworking individuals, wanted to create a space that was welcoming, with the main focus being on very high quality services.
When we first opened, we only had 2 spa chairs and 3 nail stations in a 2,800 square feet space, so if you can imagine that looked a little silly only using one quarter of the business. Nevertheless, ever since then, even through the ebbs and flows of the economy and everything that comes with being a minority, female-owned business – we have weathered it all. Fast forward to 2025, now our beautiful salon space has 7 spa chairs, 12 nail stations, 2 hair stations, 1 waxing suite, 1 aesthetician’s suite, 1 red light therapy suite, 1 massage therapy suite, and a fabulous boutique that houses many local vendors. Something that I am beyond proud of as we are approaching our 25 year anniversary is the community we have built and the friends we have made along this journey. We have always followed our mission, of curating an inclusive atmosphere, friendly environment, and warm space that prioritizes quality work with artistic flare. The QT Beauty experience is a must see along your Voyage, hidden-gem roadmap!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I do not believe that a smooth road is worthwhile or of any value in the pursuit for meaningful and long lasting growth, so we have most definitely had our fair share of obstacles to overcome. Of course we had the downfall in our economy back in 2008, which was quite a tough time for the salon and everyone involved. I remember as a child having to write a Christmas letter to the owner of our building, pleading for him not to kick us out after having not been able to make rent for two, almost three months. He was kind enough to write back, addressing it as Santa Claus, and forgiving all three months of rent we were not able to make, allowing us to stay in business and this dream to keep pushing forward.
And of course there was the “marvelous” Covid-19 time, where we had to shut down for 3 months. But I am extremely proud of our resourcefulness during that time; as we donated all of our masks, hand sanitizers, and gloves to local nursing homes and hospitals. We also made at-home removal kits for our clients to assist them with nail upkeep during the mandatory time off. My mother and I, along with many family members also came together to hand-sew almost 1,000 masks to donate to nearby medical facilities. Nothing brings us more joy than serving our community, especially during challenging times.
Between the economic ups and downs and the Covid time, it has been quite a spicy and adventurous road but we’ve honestly, learned and grown so much due to these moments. Our current hyper-focus is on growing our team while continuously fulfilling our mission. If you know anyone who’s interested in joining a hardworking, creative, growth-driven team – please contact us!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My title is Owner, Instructor, and Cosmetologist. We are most known for our stand-out nail artistry (as acknowledged in Nails Magazine’s – Nails Next Top Artist), as well as bring the PINKEST salon AKA Pink Paradise of our community. Within the last year, we have been working to expand into a full service salon, offering services such as haircare, skincare, and massage therapy.
Personally, I am very proud of how far I have been able to continue on this journey and build a team that is driven to reach for excellence. I am also extremely proud of the students I have been able to educate while adding value to their skillsets within the beauty industry. Being allowed to take up space and touch their lives as a mentor, educator, and colleague brings me the most satisfaction and joy out of my career. Professionally, I am most proud of our quarter of a century milestone coming up, as well as serving our community as a safe space for everyone while ensuring exceptional, quality work.
A typical nail salon model is an in and out experience where there is not a lot of one on one time and built rapport between the technician and the client. Here we treat everyone as they are part of our family and we bask in the opportunity of being able to assist them and take part in not just a day, but years together. We are here for the good and bad moments that may occur in life and want to help everyone feel fabulous within every milestone in their lives.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me, as well as my team, is providing a safe space for kind humans to walk into our doors and immediately feel a sense of belonging without being judged. Allowing our clientele family to express themselves freely, follows our motto of “Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful.”
We have a team as well as clientele family members, coming from many walks of life and many different demographics, such as; sensory challenges, neurodivergence, and minority backgrounds, we welcome it all. We want to make sure that in a world where things can be complicated, scary, and dark – a selfcare service is where you can feel at peace and express yourself freely. With all of the inconsistencies of life, we wish to remain your constant.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://capitalnailslowell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qtnailsandbeautybar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapitalNailsLowell/
