Inspire Nail Bar coming soon to downtown Bethesda

We knew a nail salon was coming to 7718 Woodmont Avenue, in the ground floor of the Lionsgate condominiums, and now we know which one. Inspire Nail Bar is "coming soon," according to signage posted in its future storefront. This is a local nail salon chain that has grown from five locations in the region to nearly forty. Inspire is also opening a location at the Residences at Mazza in Friendship Heights, and has an existing location at 10309 Westlake Drive by Montgomery Mall.

Volume Hair Salon opening in Bethesda

Volume Hair Salon will soon join the many hairstyling options in downtown Bethesda. The salon will be located at 7030 Wisconsin Avenue, next to Town Jewelers. Services offered will include haircuts and styling, shampoo and blowout, base bump/root shadow, toner & gloss, highlights, custom color, and balayage. Operating hours will be 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday. According to a sign in the window, they are currently hiring staff.

LaserAway opening at Bethesda Row

LaserAway is opening soon at 4930 Elm Street at Bethesda Row. The company says it expects to open on July 22, 2026. It's taking over the recently-vacated Ideal Image space. You may recall that Ideal Image has essentially been liquidated as a company, but was trying to sell its clinics around the country to other similar businesses where possible. The quick turnaround suggests they may have been successful here.

There is an existing LaserAway location at Pike & Rose, which - like Bethesda Row - is also owned by Federal Realty. LaserAway offers a wide variety of skincare treatments and services. These include laser hair removal, tattoo removal, microneedling, CoolSculpting (freezing of "fat cells" that are then naturally discarded by the body, a non-surgical fat removal alternative), laser facials, thermage, and dermal fillers.

Hammer and Nails opening August 1 in Bethesda

Hammer and Nails has set the opening date for its new downtown Bethesda location at 7712 Woodmont Avenue at the Lionsgate condominiums. The "Grooming Shop for Guys" will open on August 1, 2026. As you can see, the sign is up over the storefront, and is already lit up at night. Founding Memberships are still available. The company is referring to this as the "Woodmont" location, which makes me wonder if there might be additional Bethesda locations in the works. Stay tuned!

V Nails closes in Bethesda

V Nails has closed at 4903 Auburn Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Their space has been cleared out. V Nails began operating in an expanded location here in 2016, and is well-rated in online reviews. So I don't know if this is merely a 10-year lease ending, or the end for V Nails. Only that 7-Eleven coffee cup knows for sure, as there is no website or official social media account for the salon.

Hammer and Nails Grooming Lounge for men opening in Bethesda

Hammer & Nails Grooming Lounge is coming soon to downtown Bethesda. The luxury grooming shop for men offers barbering services, skincare, waxing, and hand and foot care. It will be located at 7712 Woodmont Avenue in the ground floor of the Lionsgate condominiums. Premium memberships will be available, and Founding Memberships are available now.

Haute Nail Bar opening soon in Bethesda

Haute Nail Bar is coming soon to downtown Bethesda. It has leased a storefront at 8301 Wisconsin Avenue, in the ground floor of the Rosedale Park apartments. The nail salon is expected to open by the end of spring. Services will include nail art, gel nails, manicures, and pedicures. Operating hours will be 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturdays, and 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sundays. Haute Nail Bar is "where every day is a good nail day."

Sugared + Bronzed opening in Bethesda

Sugared + Bronzed is coming soon to 4939 Elm Street, in the Shoppes of Bethesda. The hair removal and spray tan salon will fill the space vacated by Chip City. What started in a Santa Monica apartment in 2010 has grown into a nationwide chain with celebrity endorsers and over 40 locations. 

"S+B is a one-stop shop to prepare for any vacation, wedding, red carpet event — or to simply feel like your best self," the company says on its website. "We’re extremely passionate about providing exceptional services in beautiful, upbeat, and welcoming spaces that make your appointment something to look forward to. No matter the occasion, S+B promises that you’ll leave with immaculately smooth skin and a natural faux glow."

Nail salon to fill vacant storefront at Lionsgate in Bethesda

The Lionsgate condominium building is swapping a salon for another salon on its ground floor. A nail salon has leased the space just vacated by Blue Bell Hair Salon & Spa at 7718 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Construction on the interior fit-out appears to be just getting underway. 

Meanwhile, an update on Blue Bell Hair Salon & Spa: While their new space is under construction nearby, the stylists are now working out of two temporary locations. Clients of Niana should go to 4964 Fairmont Avenue (Cheval Bethesda condominium tower), and clients of Fred, Maria, and Natalie can find them at Studio 47 at 4710 Bethesda Avenue (The Seasons apartments). The latter location has been added since my last report.

Blue Bell Salon & Spa moving in Bethesda

Blue Bell Salon & Spa has moved out of its space at 7718 Woodmont Avenue in the Lionsgate condominiums. It is currently operating out of a temporary space at 4964 Fairmont Avenue, in the Amor Studios in the ground floor of the Cheval condo tower, until a new location is ready. Services offered by Blue Bell include designer haircuts and styling, hair highlights, balayage, color, color correction, facial treatments, acne treatments, anti-aging, body waxing, facial waxing & threading, eyelash extension, microblading and "celebrity makeup artistry." The new permanent location has not been announced yet, but is going to be one block away.

Celia's Salon, Chloe's Nails & Co. opening at Westbard Square in Bethesda

Two services lost when the Westwood Shopping Center was demolished will soon be restored by two new businesses at the development that replaced it in Bethesda. Celia's Salon and Chloe's Nails & Co. have signed leases at Westbard Square at 5400 Westbard Avenue. Celia's Salon has had a Palisades location since 2019, and won a Best of Bethesda award from Bethesda Magazine in 2022. Both salons will be located on Level 2 of the Giant building.

Glosslab closes at Bethesda Row

Glosslab has closed at 4926 Elm Street at Bethesda Row. This location has been removed from the Glosslab website. Their space is being advertised as available for lease by property owner Federal Realty, on signage posted in the window. Glosslab opened here exactly two years ago.

The Shop Salon relocates in Bethesda

The Shop Salon has opened in its new location at 7700-G Wisconsin Avenue, at Bethesda Place, in downtown Bethesda. Its former home, 8231 Woodmont Avenue, is now available for lease. As the sign in the photo below indicates, the hair salon has been operating since 2006, an impressive record for any business in downtown Bethesda.

 

Signage installed at new location for The Shop Salon in Bethesda

The Shop Salon is getting ready to move to its new home at Bethesda Place. Signage was just installed above the salon's new storefront. Their current space at 8227 Woodmont Avenue is now being marketed for lease.

The Shop Salon to open at Bethesda Place

The Shop Salon will be opening a new location at the Bethesda Place apartments. It will join new anchor tenant Lidl as fresh additions to the extensively-renovated development. The Shop Salon has an existing Bethesda location at 8231 Woodmont Avenue. This will be a super-convenient hair salon option for residents of the building.

First look: Paint Nail Bar in Bethesda (Photos)

The sign is up at Paint Nail Bar at 7928 Wisconsin Avenue, in the ground floor of the 8001 Woodmont development in downtown Bethesda. Last night, it was lit. Window coverings were also removed, giving us a sneak peek at the interior of the nail salon. Paint Nail Bar will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, August 18, 2023.

First salons open at Cheval Bethesda condos (Photos)

The first tenants have opened their salons at the new Amor Studio Salons in the ground floor of the Cheval Bethesda condo tower at 4960 Fairmont Avenue. Beauty by Jenna and Be Well Beauty Studio are now accepting clients. Be Well Beauty Studio offers nail, eyelash extension, waxing, facial, eyebrow tinting, and permanent makeup services. Beauty by Jenna does not yet have a website or social media presence that I can find.

BioTec USA to reopen August 1 in Bethesda

BioTec USA Skin Care's Westfield Montgomery Mall location in Bethesda is temporarily closed. The clinic is scheduled to reopen next Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Look for BioTec next week on Level 2 of the mall, next to Avalon in the Nordstrom wing.

Sinatra's Gentlemen's Barbershop opens in Bethesda

Sinatra's Gentlemen's Barbershop is now open at 7026 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Licensed master barber Frank Ortiz worked in local barbershops for more than a decade, before leasing a salon space at the Collection at Chevy Chase in Friendship Heights. Now he has upgraded to his own storefront on downtown Bethesda's main street. Look for Sinatra's next to Town Jewelers.

Paint Nail Bar Bethesda update

Paint Nail Bar, the new nail salon in the 8001 Woodmont apartment building in Bethesda, now anticipates opening before the end of summer. In addition to standard nail services, the salon will offer nail art and accessories such as jewelry. Pain Nail Bar will also be able to serve 5 oz. of beer or wine to customers of legal drinking age, using the special liquor license designated for salons that was introduced in 2015. Operating hours will be 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Thursdays, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Friday and Saturday, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sundays, and closed on Mondays. Paint Nail Bar's website can be found here.

What will set Paint Nail Bar apart from most nail salons is the fume and odor-free environment, nail care products chosen to avoid toxic ingredients, and a heightened focus on cleanliness. All implements will be sterilized in a hospital-grade autoclave after use, and remain in a sealed envelope until your appointment begins. Files and buffers will only be used once and discarded, and LED lamps will be used for gel manicures instead of UV. Instead of whirlpool pedicure thrones that harbor bacteria in their systems, ceramic pedicure basins will be employed, and cleaned after each use.