Highly Anticipated Nail Salon Opens in Dunnstown; Velour Nail Salon LLC Brings Passion, Professionalism, and High-Quality Services to the Area

By Emily Wright

DUNNSTOWN – After 18 years of working in the beauty industry, Lilianna (Lily) Ball has fulfilled her entrepreneurial dreams by launching her own business, Velour Nail Salon LLC, located at 220 Woodward Avenue in Suite 7. On March 4, 2024, she hosted an intimate grand opening surrounded by friends and family to celebrate the opening of her nail salon, where she now has the freedom to provide professional services that she’s passionate about on her own terms.

It didn’t take long for Lily to hit the ground running with her new business venture; in the two days leading up to her grand opening, clients booked her schedule solid for the entire first week, and her schedule is already filling up for the weeks to come.

The Record had the opportunity to sit down with Lily to gain insight into the work that her clients rave about on social media and get some details about her salon. When asked about the inspiration behind opening her own shop, she said it all comes down to the time she’s spent working in the beauty industry. “You just get to a point when you’re in the industry for so long that you don’t want to work for somebody else,” she said.

As she approaches 19 years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist, she’s built a substantial clientele base that continues to grow, and her level of expertise in the nail industry is evident. Lily credits her former employer, Bonnie Haines, for helping her develop her skills and talents as a nail technician early in her career.

Velour Nail Salon offers a wide variety of nail services, a few of which include acrylic nails, dip powder nails, gel manicures, pedicures, and nail art. Lily also offers waxing services at the salon in addition to nails.

When asked if she specializes in any specific nail service, Lily mentioned that many of her clients request nail artwork and designs. A quick scroll through the Velour Nail Salon Facebook page will show a portfolio of the intricate detail she puts into the nail art she creates, and her talent has built a substantial following. “I get a lot of requests for nail art, and while I don’t claim to be a master, I’m willing to give any design a shot,” she said. A recent nail art request she got from a client was for a nail painted with a well-known 90’s childhood favorite, Polly Pocket. She successfully painted the iconic doll and went the extra mile by adding purple French tips to the client’s nails.

When it comes to nail trends for spring 2024, Lily says that one of her favorites is a trend most commonly referred to as “glazed donut nails”. The look can be created with either a pastel or neon nail color that’s topped off with a holographic chrome polish or gel. The finished look can be subtle and classy or bold and eye-catching, and the end result has a glazed finish similar to a frosted donut, hence the name “glazed donut nails”.

For clients who want a clean, polished look without adding length to their nails, Lily recommends dip powder or basic gel manicures. “The dip powder is great! It gives a nice reinforcement over the natural nails and is also great for shorter nails,” she said. “A gel manicure is great too, and they typically last two to three weeks,” she added.

One aspect of Velour Nail Salon that sets it apart from other nail salons is Lily’s emphasis on providing her clients with high-quality services in a relaxed atmosphere. She believes in quality over quantity when providing nail services, and she takes her time with her clients so that she can achieve their desired results. “I refuse to cut down on time with clients,” she said, “because I don’t want to jeopardize the quality of the service that I’m providing them,” and it’s the top-notch quality that keeps her clients coming back.

Despite Lily’s commitment to providing exceptional nail services and taking the necessary time to do so, she still manages to finish services in a reasonable amount of time. A full set of acrylic nails takes Lily 45 minutes to an hour from start to finish. “Dip powder services take me about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes,” she added. “I could work faster, but then my quality would suffer, and I don’t want that.” She mentioned that she makes every effort to preserve her client’s natural nails during any type of nail service. “I make sure that I don’t buff too deeply into the natural nail before applying acrylics or any other nail product,” she said. “It’s all about slowing down a little bit; I prefer to take my time so that I can take good care of my client’s nails.”

Lily accepts walk-in clients before 6 p.m. but prioritizes clients who’ve booked an appointment so they don’t have to wait. “I stick to my appointments here, so there’s minimal wait time when you come in for a service,” she said. “If you have an appointment, you’ll be serviced pretty directly,” she added. “I don’t want my clients to have to wait more than five minutes or so.”

Sanitation and safety are also top priorities at Velour Nail Salon. Lily explained that she uses sanitized tools and implements on each client and also makes sure to sanitize her nail station after finishing a nail service so that it’s clean when the next client sits down. “I use a high-heat sterilizer for all of my tools and implements, and I also soak my tools in a hospital-grade disinfectant,” she explained. She also stores her nail tools and implements in individually sealed packets, preventing bacterial growth and contamination.

In addition to nail services, Lily also offers waxing services in the salon. “I wax brows, lips, cheeks, chin, toes, and the tops of the feet,” she said. The price can’t be beaten at $10 per area waxed, and the results are sure to make every client look and feel fresh and renewed.

Looking towards the future, Lily hopes to expand her business and possibly hire employees who can eventually take over while she focuses on the salon’s overall success. “As of right now, I thoroughly enjoy servicing my friends and clients, but eventually, I’d love to see the nail salon successfully run itself,” she said.

To book an appointment, clients can call or text the salon. Appointments can also be scheduled by sending Lily a message through the Velour Nail Salon Facebook page. Anyone requesting an appointment via Facebook can expect a response within 24 hours. Walk-ins are accepted before 6 p.m. every day; after 6 p.m., Lily only takes clients with a confirmed appointment. She asks that all clients read the salon policies on the Facebook page before booking an appointment.

Hours of operation:
Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. (On Wednesdays, the salon is closed between 12 and 3 p.m.)
Saturday: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
Hours may vary on major holidays

Velour Nail Salon can accept payment by card or cash. For the time being, only cash tips can be accepted, although Lily humbly notes that tips are never expected, but always appreciated.

Visit Velour Nail Salon LLC:
-220 Woodward Avenue, Suite 7, Lock Haven (Located at the back of the building)
-To book an appointment, call or text 570-801-8621
-Velour Nail Salon Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/velournailsalon
Free parking is available just outside the salon’s entrance, and it is handicap accessible.