No Mo Vo

This morning I went to Robertson Nails to have Vo transform my hands. My nails are unusually strong, so I've never had fakes, but I do go in every few weeks to have them trimmed and filed. Vo wasn't there, his sister Wendy was gone, and all the other faces were new. I asked where they were, and a nice man told me they had moved away weeks ago. Totally surprised, I couldn't do anything but leave (sometimes I don't react well to change.) Later this afternoon, knowing the deed had to be done and not being able to bring myself to go back to Robertson Nails, I parked a block down and walked in to Paint Shop. They were booked for the rest of the day, so the kids and I walked two doors south to Contempo Nails (the street really is nail row.) T0 my surprise, there was Vo! He was busy working on a lady, so I took their card and left. Once outside, I phoned Robertson Nails, asking why the man had told me that Vo had moved away.

I thought he was going to cry. It turns out, he had bought the salon from Vo and Wendy a month before, with the promise that they would work for six months as a transition for the customers. After the escrow had closed, Vo, Wendy, and the rest of the family took their money and left, leaving this new owner with no crew. They had told him they were moving away, but had really moved a block down (taking their clients with them!) I felt terrible for him, knowing full well how it is to sell a business and have to work the transition. Years ago my husband and I had sold our restaurant, Charleville Cafe, and worked for the new owner for months as promised, allowing for that smooth transition.

I went right back to Robertson Nails, and plan to keep going back. No more Vo for me!