It was never just about nails. It was about creating the experience we couldn’t find.

Our story begins with our founder, Meghan, a lifelong nail enthusiast who has been in the salon chair since the age of 13. Growing up on the West Side of Chicago, her go-to spot was a Black-owned nail salon, The Bottom. It was always booked, always busy, and always worth the wait. Hours would pass before her name was called, but she stayed, watching, learning, and falling in love with the culture, the creativity, and the energy of the space.

As Meghan evolved, so did her lifestyle. After graduating from an HBCU on the East Coast and building a career in property management, her expectations began to shift. Convenience became necessary, leading her to fast-casual walk-in salons. When she wanted more detailed designs, she turned to private nail techs.

But neither option fully delivered.

Fast-casual salons often lacked consistency and quality. Private nail techs offered artistry, but booking was unapproachable and the experience was not scalable. Meghan realized something important.

There was no space that offered quality, creativity, accessibility, and culture all in one.

So, she decided to build it.

In 2019, Meghan enrolled in nail school to understand the industry from the inside out as she prepared to launch our Chicago flagship location - Tips 312. What she discovered there shaped the foundation of the brand in an even deeper way. Nail school provided the basics, but real mastery came from salon experience. And for Black and Brown nail techs, access to those opportunities was often limited.

That insight sparked a bigger mission.

A space where elevated beauty meets real opportunity.
A place where overlooked talent is developed, supported, and positioned for long-term success.

In 2023, Tips 312 officially opened its doors and quickly became a standout in Chicago’s beauty scene. Since then, the brand has been recognized as a Chicago Bulls Spotlight Business in 2025, selected for the Chicago Sky Cohort in 2025, and featured in The Tribe, Windy City Weekend, and NBC 5 Chicago.

Tips 202 is set to open in Washington, D.C. in October 2026.

And this is only the beginning.

Choosing the Tips brand means more than booking a service. It means stepping into a community that values innovation, creativity, and excellence in nail care. It means supporting a vision that is redefining what a nail salon can be for both clients and the next generation of nail artists.

I NEED MY NAILS DONE REAL BAD!