Sofia Phan, owner of Sofia’s Nails & Spa in Tulmur Walk, has been a familiar face in the Nicholas Street Precinct for just over a year now.
As the first business in the new internal mall that opened in January 2023 between Nicholas Street and the train station, Sofia’s Nails & Spa set the scene for the health and wellness hub taking shape in the area.
With Terry White Chemmart at the mall entrance and Austhetica Oasis a few doors down, hair, beauty, nails and more are all now available in Tulmur Walk.
“After a decade in nails, I knew it was time to open up my own salon and I loved this area so much,” Sofia said.
“It is growing over time and we’re loving getting to know new customers as more businesses open up and attract more people to the precinct.”
A mother of three children, including a newborn, Sofia runs the business with her niece Eira as the manager, close friend Bella as a fellow nail technician, and Hannah who specialises in pedicures.
“We are a big family here,” Sofia said.
“Everyone does fabulous work. Bella is so popular with customers, Hannah does amazing pedicures and Eira does both incredible nails while also managing the salon.
“We’re not like other places where there’s ‘staff’ only, we’re family.”
Sofia moved to Australia from Vietnam after meeting her now husband, Binh Nguyen when she was a make-up artist at a wedding he attended.
Binh lived in Australia but had travelled home to Vietnam for the wedding. They met and fell in love, and Sofia decided to move to Australia to be with him. The rest, as they say, is history.
“It can be scary to open your own business, but it is easier when you have family with you that you love and trust,” Sofia said.
“Eira manages the store day-to-day and I am here whenever I can be – which can be hard at the moment with a newborn!
“But I am loving every minute. If you are looking for nails services, please come and visit. You can escape the heat and no appointments needed.
3 questions for Sofia
- Why did you choose the precinct to open Sofia’s Nails & Spa?
When I decided I was ready to open my own salon, I knew I wanted it to be in a beautiful location. We saw the plans for the new Tulmur Walk and the Nicholas Street Precinct and fell in love with the area. - What does the emerging city heart mean for Sofia’s Nails & Spa?
As a new business, it is so important to build a customer base and bring in new customers. The Nicholas Street Precinct is growing and there’s more people visiting each week. - What’s the future looking like for Sofia’s Nails & Spa in the precinct?
We hope to be here for many years to come, and maybe even open more salons in the future. For now, we are very happy in the precinct and are focused on seeing it grow.
