Polished Nail Salon by Kim creates impressive nail designs that make a statement.

Manicured nails have long been a symbol of beauty and self-expression, evolving significantly over the decades. What began as a simple polish application has transformed into an art form with intricate designs, long-lasting gels, acrylics, and innovative applications. Nail designs have also evolved beyond just colors, with clients embracing intricate, custom artwork that showcases their unique personalities and styles. One of the most popular shops in Jefferson City that delivers these finger-sized art pieces is Polished Nail Salon by Kim.

Kim Khue and Kris Z. Nocula married on September20, 2008, in Saigon, Vietnam, Kim’s home country. Kris, originally from Krakow, Poland, immigrated to Jefferson City in the summer of 1982 at only 23 years old. He left his country while the Iron Curtain, both a symbolic and a physical barrier that divided Europe after World War II, was on the verge of a turbulent collapse. He had just graduated from college and was due for the mandatory military draft. This was something Kris was staunchly against, so he felt his only reasonable option would be to leave. After spending a year in an Austrian refugee camp, Kris was sponsored by the Jefferson City Catholic Diocese, which helped him get started in Jefferson City.

“During my immigration interview in Austria, the officials asked me if I had friends or family in the U.S.,” Kris says. “I did not know anyone here, but I remembered that I corresponded with people all over the world since I am a fan of geography and world cultures. I told them I had a pen pal in Boonville, Missouri, and the rest is history.”

A few years later, Kris visited China to see a girl that he was dating. They ended up breaking up on his visit, but before returning home, he met Kim. He ran into her on the street and asked her for directions since she looked local. She was visiting China for a work trip, and they hit it off. They exchanged numbers and email addresses before Kris returned to the U.S., and they stayed in communication for about a year while Kim was dating another man. However, Kris beat his competition, and they started talking romantically.

“It wasn’t all that simple though as Vietnam still strongly believes in tradition,” Kris says. “First I had to write a letter to her father to ask for acceptance and permission to marry her. Luckily, I had a friend who was dating a Vietnamese guy who helped me translate my letter and make it sound traditionally correct. Then, I traveled to Vietnam to meet the family. The first day I arrived, I cooked dinner for the family. I have culinary training, so I made my signature dish— a salmon in roasted red pepper cream sauce. Her father is a fan of French cuisine. He enjoyed it and said, ‘Oh, he knows how to cook, so he will be okay.’ The most important part was to be accepted by the matriarch of the family — Kim’s grandmother. Without her approval, it was a definite no go. So I had to go through an interview with her. Apparently, it went well. We had a traditional wedding ceremony in Saigon. Then I had to return home and start the immigration process for her that took a year, so it was back to the online meetings. Finally, she arrived on September 9,2009. We have been inseparable ever since.”

With Kim and Kris being from larger cities, the transition of moving to Jefferson City was initially a shock.

“The pace of life was slower, the community was more close-knit, even the landscape was vastly different from Saigon,” Kim says. “However, what I initially perceived as differences soon revealed themselves as unexpected blessings.”

Initially, Kim worked as a nail tech for a couple that operated their own nail salon. When her employers decided to move to Kansas City, they encouraged Kim to open her own salon in town.

“They believed I was ready,” she says. “It took me a few months to decide. I had been in the U.S. for less than three years at the time, and I wasn’t sure I knew enough about Jefferson City or America to start a business. I eventually decided to take a chance and put everything in God’s hands.”

Polished Nail Salon opened on February 13th, 2013, on Missouri Boulevard under the name Kim’s Nail Salon before moving to Bolivar Street as Polished Nail Salon. When Kim and Kris first opened the salon, they quickly realized that they were very different, which initially seemed like a challenge.

“However, that is also why we work so well together,” Kim says. “I’ve learned that his strengths perfectly complement my weaknesses and vice versa. We balance each other out, and we have a deep trust that allows us to step in and take over for each other when needed without taking offense. We’re both quite hardheaded.”

Kris also appreciates this dynamic.

“Whenever we are apart for one reason or another, something doesn’t feel right,” he says. “On one occasion, Kim flew to the East Coast to see her family for a couple of days, and something really felt missing for me. We are just one unit.”

Before opening the salon with Kim, Kris spent 30 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry. For their joint venture, Kris applied for permits and licenses and did the footwork while Kim focused on the actual operation. Today, the salon offers a complete line of nail services following the latest and most up-to-date trends and techniques, things that constantly change as the industry itself changes. Manicures, pedicures, and leg and foot massages are also offered for some extra relaxation.

While there is no specific service that Kim doesn’t love to do or a challenge she won’t take on, her favorite aspect of owning a shop is catching up with their clients, many of whom have been coming to her for several years.

“Our conversations are often fun, but sometimes we share sad moments, too,” Kim says. “I deeply appreciate their trust in sharing their stories with me; I’ve learned so much from each of them.”

Kim is committed to continuously improving her craft. Whenever a client requests a design she can’t yet do, it motivates her to research it and learn new techniques to perfect it — painting by hand without stencils or guides.

Kim and Kris are aided by talented staff and agree that they would be nowhere without them.

“If we take care of them, they will take care of us,” Kris says.

And it seems to be working for them. With no turnover whatsoever over the years, Kim and Kris know they couldn’t ask for better people to work with in such a welcoming community.

“We are happy to be a part of the Jefferson City community,” Kris says. “We are both big city kids, and arriving in this town was quite an adjustment. But after a while, we got to like the slower pace, the people, and the relationships we found here.”

“The pros of living here have far outweighed any initial challenges,” Kim adds. “The warmth and welcoming spirit of the people here have made me feel truly at home. That slower pace, which at first felt foreign, now allows me to savor life’s simple pleasures and find a sense of calm I hadn’t experienced before.”

While Kim and Kris agree that people who love getting their nails done can’t go wrong with any of the salons intown, they are proud of the truly personalized experience offered by Polished Nail Salon. They consistently deliver stunning, one-of-a-kind designs that leave clients in awe. With their exceptional attention to detail and creativity, they truly stand out as masters of the nail art world.