Ocean Drive Magazine named Miami Lakes’ The Nail Garden as one of Miami’s Top Nail Salons and even without stepping inside, it’s obvious why. Tucked away in a corner in the Lake Patricia Shopping Center at 13969 N.W. 67 Avenue, one wouldn’t imagine that the intimate salon is frequently entertaining a revolving door of clients, some of whom travel from Pembroke Pines and Coral Gables to get pampered by the staff at The Nail Garden.
Owner Olga Alvarez, and her daughter Caroline Alvarez, opened the doors to The Nail Garden in early 2016 and have barely seen a lull in traffic.
Having lived in Miami Lakes for over 20 years, the Alvarez women are well-acquainted with the community and residents but that alone can’t account for the busy nature of the store. The secret, they suggest, is in their sanitary practices, services and the atmosphere. Olga designed and decorated the salon herself and combined the elegance of silver industrial decor with the softness of femininity in greys and pinks.
Upon walking in, there is a large chalkboard to the right that reads “Every woman is a flower, and all together make a beautiful garden.” The aesthetic of feminine charm is apparent in the hanging terrariums filled with sand and succulents that float over the salon’s “scrub of the week,” which is used in manicures and pedicures to soften and massage the skin. Gone are the days of begrudgingly visiting a salon with the strong smell of acetone and fluorescent lighting. The Nail Garden has tapped into a market of women eager to enjoy their visit to the salon and liken it more to a spa experience, and it delivers.
In addition to various combinations of manicure and pedicure services, which are done in grey tufted Victorian chairs and elegant silver basins, the salon also offers waxing and facials. Guests are often offered coffee, wine or on Saturdays, Mimosas, as they relax and the environment is made complete with the soft chatter of women and low hum of music.
“There’s nothing like this concept in Miami Lakes,” said Olga. “We wanted to design it in a way that women can look forward to getting their nails done.”
The large selection of colors, including Sprout colors for little girls who want to join in on their mom’s manicure, features notable brands like OPI and Essie.
Walk-ins are not always available so the salon encourages clients to make an appointment ahead of time by calling 786-536-2829 or booking online at www.secure-book.com/NailGarden/Home.aspx. For more information or to see colors and nail art done for clients visit the salon’s Instagram account @thenailgardenspa.