By Mattie Hanson
Finding a place to unwind in downtown Fargo is easy. Finding a place to have your nails done and enjoy a mimosa isn’t. The Nail Bar at 505 Broadway is the champagne and orange juice of nail salons.
The Nail Bar is unique to downtown Fargo because it offers a selection of wines, beers or mimosas while a customer gets a manicure or pedicure. Mimosas are the most popular drink on the menu.
The address 505 Broadway is none other than the historic Ford Building — now handsomely renovated and repurposed and home to several businesses and condos. Built in 1914, the Ford Building was originally a Ford automobile assembly plant. After cars were assembled, they were shipped out on the adjacent Great Northern railroad tracks.
Today, much different endeavors unfold in the Ford Building.
The Nail Bar, owned by Mutchler Bartram Architects, is a small salon that books appointments ahead of time but walk-in customers are also welcome.
The Nail Bar isn’t a mega-salon. Rather, it’s intimate with four manicure stations. Between appointments and walk-in traffic, staff say business is never slow.
People can reserve the Nail Bar for special events like girls night out, birthday parties or bachelorette parties.
The Nail Bar is the only place in the Fargo-Moorhead area to offer drinks while you get your nails done.
New to the Downtown Fargo Scene
Opening in 2010, the idea of a nail salon that included a bar in downtown Fargo was fresh.
The salon placed advertisements in local publications like Area Woman magazine and that drew in business, but happy customers spreading the word about services has been the main source of advertising ever since.
Twenty-seven-year-old Karissa Geiger was with the Nail Bar the day it opened and she’s still on staff there today. She’s happy the Nail Bar offers a unique mani-pedi experience where people can also enjoy a drink.
“We always say, ‘We’re not a bar that does nails. We’re a nail salon that serves wine and beer,’” Geiger said.
Geiger works with three other nail artists: Angela Pitts, Brandi Jorgenson and Autumn Eystad. All four have worked long enough to build an established list of clientele. These loyal customers like to come in on the weekends and take advantage of the bar.
“We know what they want the second they walk in,” Geiger said.
Some people have come in to simply order a drink, but she encourages customers to get a nail service as well as a drink.
Other beverages like soft drinks are available for $2; coffee or tea for $2.50. The bar selection includes beers like Bud Light, Amber Rock or Michelob Ultra at $4 or wines like Cavit Pinot Grigio, Chateau St. Michelle Riesling or Kendall Jackson Chardonnay at $7 to $8 a glass.
“One non-alcoholic beverage comes free with each service, a second one may be purchased if the customer wants,” Geiger said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Rkys8Al9kc/?taken-at=5629507
Not all customers want a drink with their manicure, like 62-year-old Val Halverson, Fargo. She only cares about the nail service. Halvorson comes to the Nail Bar almost every other week, Halverson said the drink menu isn’t a main factor for her. After a friend recommended Geiger to her, Halverson has been a faithful customer ever since.
The Nail Bar Offers a Posh Place to Get Nails Done
The cost of a manicure starts at $30 and ranges up to $34. Pedicures start at $48 and range up to $58.
Staff has creatively combined its nail services and bar menu to come up with names for its services and drinks. The “Straight Shooter Express” consists of a cuticle detailing, nail shaping and polishing. “Don’t Wine” is an anti-stress service that has a white tea essence with an aromatherapy neck wrap.
And the nail salon clientele is not limited to women. The Nail Bar’s website says “The MAN-hattan” is a manicure and pedicure for men. The service exfoliates and hydrates skin without using “”girly-smelling”” lotions.
Men and women sit at one of four manicure booths or the three pedicure seats provided by Northern Home Furniture, which is their neighbor in the Ford Building and also owned by MBA Development. Northern Home Furniture takes up the majority of retail space on the ground floor of the Ford Building. Northern Home also provides the decor that brings a comfortable atmosphere to the Nail Bar experience.
Geiger said the Nail Bar is a unique and personal nail experience where you won’t feel rushed to leave.
Doing it Downtown 