Nail Art Thrives in Sioux Falls as Local Artist Builds Following

Flex Nails & Spa owner Nhan Tu brings high-end nail designs to South Dakota's largest city.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 11:18pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic nail polish bottle repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the growing popularity of nail art in Sioux Falls.Nail art's rise in Sioux Falls reflects how specialized beauty services are becoming more accessible in smaller communities.Sioux Falls Today

Nhan Tu, a former South Dakota National Guard member and correctional officer, has built a successful nail art business in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His Flex Nails & Spa studio has attracted a growing client base seeking intricate, custom nail designs, reflecting a shift in how high-end beauty services are becoming more accessible in smaller communities. Tu's journey from Vietnam to Sioux Falls, and his focus on building a supportive community of artists, highlights the opportunities for specialized talent to thrive outside of major metro areas.

Why it matters

The rise of nail art in Sioux Falls showcases how smaller cities can foster specialized creative industries and high-end beauty services, challenging perceptions about the accessibility of such offerings outside of major metropolitan areas. Tu's story also highlights the potential for immigrants and underrepresented groups to build successful businesses and careers in the beauty industry.

The details

Nhan Tu, a 30-year-old Vietnamese immigrant, opened Flex Nails & Spa in Sioux Falls just over four years ago after serving in the South Dakota National Guard and working as a correctional officer. Despite starting with just 100 followers on social media, Tu has grown his business to over 24,000 followers and a steady stream of clients seeking his intricate nail art designs. Working out of a salon suite, Tu says he can only accommodate about 8 clients per day, highlighting the high demand for his services in a city of over 200,000 people with fewer than 50 nail salons.

  • Tu opened Flex Nails & Spa just over four years ago.
  • Tu's social media following has grown from 100 to 24,000 followers.

The players

Nhan Tu

The 30-year-old owner of Flex Nails & Spa in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Tu is a former member of the South Dakota National Guard and worked as a correctional officer before transitioning to a career in nail artistry.

Ava Gilberts

A client of Flex Nails & Spa who was referred to Tu's studio by a friend, highlighting the power of word-of-mouth in Sioux Falls' growing beauty industry.

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What they’re saying

“I remember the first day that I opened my page and I had my first 100 followers, and I was so excited and now, I'm at 24,000 followers, which for me is big comparing to a big city influencer, but that's big deal for me because I started from the ground up, and my video go from 100 views to 3.3 million views.”

— Nhan Tu, Owner, Flex Nails & Spa

“There are over 200,000 people in Sioux Falls, and there are less than 50 nail salons, and you can only take so many clients in a day. So there's plenty to go around.”

— Nhan Tu, Owner, Flex Nails & Spa

“There's plenty of talented artists here, it's just the fact that I had a hard time finding like accessibility for where I could get in, or like who I need to contact to get a nail set like he offers.”

— Ava Gilberts, Client, Flex Nails & Spa

What’s next

Tu plans to continue growing his client base and supporting other local nail artists through initiatives like his Flex Local board, aiming to build a collaborative community in Sioux Falls' beauty industry.

The takeaway

Nhan Tu's success in bringing high-end nail art to Sioux Falls demonstrates the potential for specialized creative industries to thrive in smaller cities, challenging perceptions about the accessibility of such services outside of major metro areas. His story also highlights the opportunities for immigrants and underrepresented groups to build successful businesses in the beauty industry.