By Katherine Upton | Contributor
Fourteen years ago, Polished owner Danny Dang wanted a change. So, he left a tire shop in California to begin a new chapter in the cornfields of southern Indiana. Soon, he came to appreciate the slower pace of life.
Dang moved to Indiana to work alongside his aunt in her nail salon while receiving formal training necessary to provide manicure and pedicure services. After working for his aunt for several years, Dang was ready to start his own business.
He moved to Anderson, Indiana, and soon learned of the nearby town of Upland from some friends. Dang also learned that many Upland residents were traveling as far as Marion, Anderson or Muncie, Indiana, to get manicures and pedicures. An idea sparked: Dang would open a nail salon in Upland.
When he found the historic 11 N Main Street building for sale, he jumped on the opportunity. Dang purchased the building in an estate sale, quit his job and made his business a full-time venture.
Interior renovations on the building began in November. Dang and his friends performed most of the remodeling on their own and were pleased to discover few problems with the historic building. They chose to preserve part of the building's original character through the ceiling - an ornate white tile pattern - and flooring - a distressed hardwood once covered by carpet.
They did, however, add a few new touches: fresh paint, air conditioning, new heating and a large fish tank. In addition to the aesthetic elements, Dang added several manicure and pedicure stations and a wall of nail colors.
The shop officially opened Jan. 31, after Dang passed an inspection required for running nail salons. The process to gain the permit was extensive, requiring a high degree of cleanliness. Dang passed with flying colors.
"I wanted to make a place where I wanted to come to work," Dang said. "Sanitation is our number one priority."
Dang chooses to use liners for pedicures - a sanitation measure that is not required - in order to further provide a sanitary atmosphere for clients. Additionally, each client receives a new pumice, file and buffer since all of the tools Dang uses are disposable.
In addition to cleanliness, Dang spent years at his aunt's nail salon trying out different products by trial in order to offer the best quality to his customers. The two primary nail polish lines that Dang uses are Kiara Sky and OPI, which he likes for their quality of product and quantity of color selection.
After three months, Dang is beginning to see the hard work he poured into Polished pay off as he starts to see regular customers and receive new customers who heard of Polished from Facebook or word of mouth. According to its Facebook page, out of 44 reviews, all customers have given Polished a five star rating. Dang has also seen strong support arise from the community in areas like the Upland Chamber of Commerce and the Grant County Economic Growth Council.
Dang plans to hold a grand opening open house Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. to encourage locals to check Polished out and discover a variety of services, including manicures, pedicures, gel, acrylic and gel powdered dips. Additionally, Dang pointed out, Polished is the only seller of Lipsense in the area.
The shop is located at 11 N Main Street in Upland between the Depot Park and the former Star Bank building. According to its Facebook page, Polished is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. To set up an appointment, customers can call (765)-660-2286.
