Story and photo by Doug Petrowski

What started out as a discussion between two friends as to where to get manicures has turned into a unique business enterprise now open in Mountlake Terrace.

Friends Misha Perritt and Molly Burdeen have put their well-groomed hands together and created Splash Nail Bar, a one-of-a-kind nails and waxing salon at 4311-212th St. S.W., Suite 110.

“Back in July we had an event to go to and couldn’t agree on a nail salon to go to,” explained Perritt. “‘Should we go here? Well, no. Here? No,’ was the conversation,” added Burdeen.

The two decided to work together and create a salon that eliminated all the negatives that they associated with places that they had been to in the past, such as a lack of cleanliness and the smell of acrylic nail products, and instead featured elements of cleanliness, style, pampering and fun.

Splash Nail Bar, the result of their partnership, offers manicure, pedicures and waxing, but with a few spins not seen elsewhere in the area.

“Our most unique feature is our nail bar,” Burdeen points out. The bar enables friends or family members to have manicures done together, on a common work space, as opposed to different stations throughout the room. While not only offering a fun conversational setting for two to five people to get their nails done at, the bar allows space for beverages to be consumed; Perritt and Burdeen have applied for a liquor license and hope to be serving beer and wine in the business soon.

Splash Nail Bar also features custom lounge chairs for customers to relax in while getting a manicure or pedicure. The chairs were designed by Perritt, who also came up with the salon’s logo and interior layout. The soft colors, relaxing music and crystal chandelier prominently hanging in the center of the business gives the space more the feel of a spa than a nail salon.

It was Perritt’s own interior design company, which she operates out of her Edmonds home, which brought the two business partners together in the first place. “We met eight years ago; Molly was my first client,” said Perritt. The two have been friends since.

While Perritt has a history as an entrepreneur, this is Burdeen’s first venture into owning a business. After earning a law degree, Burdeen worked as a lawyer for one year; “I’ll never go back,” she said of practicing law.

The two say they are in this partnership for the long haul, and with the support of their individual families they plan on making the business work. “It takes about a year to build up a clientele and establish yourselves,” Burdeen said. While neither of them actually do nail work on customers (they employ five nail technicians), one of the two are always on site to serve as receptionist/host.
Having the two of them collaborating together on the business frees them up some for their home responsibilities also. “We have seven children between the two of us,” Burdeen explains, whose three are ages five and younger, while Perritt’s four children range in age from one to 10.

As moms themselves, Perritt and Burdeen feel they know what other women in their place want in a nail salon. “We’re designed for the woman on the go, the mom, the working woman,” Burdeen said. Although Splash has the feel of a more expensive spa, Perritt and Burdeen say they have purposely created services affordable (manicures and pedicures run $10 to $74, waxings $8 to $84) and are not too time consuming (10-95 minutes for manicures and pedicures).

And what about the name itself: Splash? Perrit and Burdeen say it doesn’t have any significant meaning; it just felt right. “For me, it just resonated,” said Perritt, while Burdeen hinted that it brought to mind “a splash of color” for her. For the two friends/moms/business owners, they hope the name resonates with customers too.

Splash Nail Bar is open seven days a week: Sundays and Mondays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 425-771-NAIL (6245) or click www.splashnailbar.com.