New nail salon opens in Macon. But sorry, Mom – this one’s for the kids

La’Jasmine Davis wanted to do something special for her daughter for her seventh birthday when she ran across a Facebook post about the grand opening of a nail salon and spa just for kids in Macon.

Davis said she liked what she saw about Royal Riches Kids Nail Salon & Spa and took her daughter Zhloe Jones there the very next day.

The salon, which caters to children age 3 to 13, opened Jan. 3 at 4221 Mercer University Drive, Suite 2.

“Oh, it was wonderful,” said Davis, who purchased a birthday package that included a spa manicure and pedicure as well as royal treatment. “She loved everything.

“They have a little kiddie bar where they serve mermaid (juice) drinks. They also have a little tutu that they put on. They have like a little photo setup for them to take pictures and they get to pick out the type of pedicure bubbles they want and they have a pedicure chair ... They make them feel like it’s a special day for them.”

Owner Brittany Richardson said she’s always loved working with children.

She’s been a nutrition manager for Bibb County schools, she’s done birthday parties for children as an event planner and she’s also a certified nail technician.

The Royal Treatment

“It’s just something I thought about,” Richardson said. “I just realized that it was something I wanted to do to make sure that the kids could go and get pampered because I have daughter, and you know, she wants to go with me and get her nails and stuff done but it’s just for adults

“This nail salon is especially for kids. The spa chairs are for kids. Everything we do in here is for kids so it makes them feel special.”

Services include spa manicures, spa pedicures, royal birthday packages, mini spa packages, fashion accessories and hair braiding.

Prices range from $10 for a basic manicure to $70 for the royal birthday package for a single child to $200 to $500 for mini spa packages depending on the number of guests and services included.

Hours are 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 am to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. The number is 478-254-2728. Appointments are preferred.

“We don’t cater to adults,” Richardson said. “ It’s completely for children. I do plan on having mommy and me days or daddy and me days coming up soon.

“I just have to plan which dates I want to have them. But it would be just every once in awhile. It won’t be every day where you can come in with mommy and me.”

Brandy Walker took her 3-year-old daughter, Cailey Veal, after hearing about the salon on Facebook. Walker and Richardson also have mutual friends.

“Cailey loved it,” Walker said. “Her dad had started taking her to the nail salon when she was 2 when he’d get her on the weekends and that kinda just made me want to take her to the kiddie nail salon.

“That way, it’ll fit her more, and she will be getting pampered like I would be getting pampered when I go to the nail salon.”

Chardae Danielly treated her 6-year-old daughter Cali Robinson to a manicure and pedicure.

“Brittany is actually a friend of mine,” Robinson said of the salon owner. “I went to high school with her. When she was doing the promotions for it and told me the idea about it, I actually just thought it was a pretty cool idea ... I just thought it was kind of age appropriate and liked the idea of (Cali) to kind of go in there and get the experience.”

Cali has had her nails painted at a salon before, but this was her first spa pedicure.

“She was very excited. She loved putting her feet in the water. She felt she was a little grown-up,” Danielly said.

Honoring family

Royal Riches Kids Nail Salon & Spa is the second business venture for Richardson.

She, her sister, Chasity Richardson, and her late mother Evelyn Richardson Johnson, started an event planning business nearly a decade ago. Her sister continues to own and operate that business, Anna Bella Riches Balloons & Event Decor.

The names of both business have their roots in family ties. Anna Bell Wright was their grandmother and their mom’s mother. Riches honors their late father, Stan Richardson, and his father and their late grandfather, Don Richardson.

Brittany Richardson said she thinks she and her sister inherited their creativity from their mother.

Davis was asked if she’d recommend the salon to a friend.

“Everybody who has a daughter should take their baby there to get this experience,” Davis said. “It’s catered specifically for kids, for little girls. It’s just something new to the Macon area.

“They basically just make them feel like a princess. Everything was catered to them.”

This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 12:52 PM.