As Proprietors of Popular Nail Salon in Kennett Square, Cambodian Sisters Shine in Pursuit of the American Dream

Cambodian sisters Nita Say and Kimly Chum are living the American Dream in Kennett Square, as their nail salon is thriving, writes Jen Samuel for the Daily Local News.

The siblings opened Nailish, a contemporary and chemical-free salon for natural nails in September 2019.

But they hit a wall early on when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the economy to a standstill. The business completely closed for four months.

But thanks to the Kennett Square community, it managed to survive.

To help the sisters, customers continued buying gift cards throughout the shutdown. The business also received funding from the Paycheck Protection Program.

Once the salon reopened, the business was very busy — even as the sisters navigated the mandated capacity restrictions.

Now, things are slowly returning to normal. Business is so brisk that, although customers can still walk in, appointments are advised to ensure an available spot.

The sisters are both proud of what they achieved since immigrating to America. They love that their journey led them to Kennett Square.

“This town is small, but people are helping each other,” said Say. “That’s what we love.”

Read more about Nailish in the Daily Local News.