A polished gem recently began shining in the Maplewood Squareshopping center in northwest Rochester.
Linda Thai, a long-time figure on the local beauty scene, opened up Diamond Nailson Monday in a 2,000-square-foot space at 3428 U.S. 52 North.
Her new shop offers a full range of beauty services, such as manicures, pedicures, artificial nails as well as waxing.
"I've been in the business a long time," Thai says. "I really enjoy it. I'm expanding, because of the following I have from my loyal customers."
She has worked at her husband's Rochester salon, Lucky Nails, for many years. That business is on South Broadway, where it re-located after being displaced by a fire in the Crossroads Plazacommercial center a few years ago.
ADVERTISEMENT
At her new salon, Thai has three on staff.
Biz buzz
• Boot Camp-style fitness programs exploded in popularity a couple years ago and they continue to gain traction in the Med City.
The word among the cardio crowd is that one Rochester club will soon be on the move to a higher-profile home, while another fitness chain is looking to muscle its way into town once it finds a space where it can stretch out.
If I can track any details, I'll trot them out in my column.
• While I have written many, many things during my years at the Post-Bulletin, they have never been my stories.
The columns, stories and even blog postings have always come from the people of Rochester and the surrounding areas.
Now I'm considering trying to tell a story that can only happen with your help.
ADVERTISEMENT
IBMhas long been a major part of Rochester. During its years here, Big Blue has gone through many changes, corporatewide as well as locally.
I'd like to map out the evolution of IBM during its almost 60 years in Rochester, mainly from the employee's perspective. And taking it a step beyond, I'm interested in local impressions of what IBM's future in Rochester might look like.
I'd really like to speak to any past or current employees and contractors willing to share their memories and thoughts on local IBM culture changes from the Fortress Rochester days of the AS/400 to the dark days of the 1980s to the resurgence when the "elephant was taught to dance" on to the time of Blue Gene, Watson and the PureSystems.
To form to complete picture, the hope is to have a full discussion with many people with different experiences about IBM's successes and innovations as well as about the tough times and the layoffs.
As a massive company that is an international technology leader, its evolution is a complex story.
I'd like to try tell as much of that story as possible through the words of the southeastern Minnesota people that have and are living it.
If you'd like to participate or to know more, contact me at 285-7798 or at jkiger@postbulletin.com.
