Foxy Nails has been part of the Sterling Heights community for more than a decade, originally opening under a previous owner. Truc Nguyen purchased the salon in September 2021 and immediately recognized that some updates were needed.
Enter her daughters: Duyen Le, 25, and Thanh “Belle” Le, 21. Both were excited to help their mom represent and run the family business.
“We’ve always been in the nail industry—we grew up with it,” Thanh said. “We always knew this was the path we were going to take.”
The sisters both attended the Michigan College of Beauty in Troy, gaining experience at other salons and practicing their craft on family members before Truc acquired Foxy Nails.
“I’ve always had a passion for nails, especially because they’re so innovative,” Duyen said. “Artistically, it’s always evolving. We keep up with a lot of the trends.”
With appointments sometimes lasting up to 90 minutes, the Le sisters have developed close, personal relationships with their clients—often swapping stories both lighthearted and deeply personal.
“Nothing is more valuable than a relationship. It makes life better,” Duyen said. “We should just change this into a therapy office, and then a nail service on the side,” she joked.
From being invited to a client’s wedding reception to surprising another with donuts on their birthday, the sisters say they’ve found a true sense of community in their work.
“Because we’ve had the business for three or four years now, people go through major changes in their lives,” Thanh said. “We always try to make it a special moment here.”
While much of their clientele comes through word-of-mouth, Foxy Nails also connects with the community through social media. Thanh manages the salon’s social channels, combining her background in content creation with her role at the salon.
“I’m constantly on social media, making sure I respond to messages and keep up with trends,” she said. “People know we’re here and that we’re a small business, so we’re just hoping to continue growing our community.”
In addition to offering standard services like manicures and pedicures, Foxy Nails specializes in using organic and non-toxic ingredients whenever possible.
“We’re very accommodating to our clients if they have specific requests,” Duyen said. “If we don’t offer a certain service or ingredient, we ask them to message us on Instagram and send inspiration ahead of their appointment.”
No matter the request, the Le sisters aim to make Foxy Nails a welcoming, inclusive space for everyone.
“Sterling Heights is a very diverse and growing community. We want this to be a place where people feel comfortable sharing their achievements, their hardships—whatever the scenario,” Duyen said. “Our clients are like our friends. It just feels like family.”
Foxy Nails is located at 13741 19 Mile Road, near Schoenherr Road. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.