From Social Worker to Salon Owner, Ky’ondra Tate Brings Luxury and Community to Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion

Social worker to nail bar owner is not a typical career trajectory. However, that is exactly the path Ky’ondra Tate finds herself on since her nail bar, Queendom, has opened.

“For years, I worked alongside women navigating some of life’s most difficult circumstances,” said Tate. “That experience shaped how I believe people should be cared for and respected.”

Where Luxury Meets Community

Queendom Nail Bar is located at 6345 W. Seven Mile Rd., just off of the Avenue of Fashion; and also across the street from where Tate grew up and not far from Mumford High School, where she graduated. “That’s a big part of why the location means so much to me. Queendom is situated on 7 Mile and Livernois, in an area that has so much history and potential,” said Tate. “I wanted to contribute to that.” Now a resident of Royal Oak, her heart is still in the neighborhood where she grew up. “Queendom is my way of pouring something back into a place that poured into me,” said Tate. “I want it to be a business that people in the neighborhood can be proud of – a destination that attracts people from outside of the neighborhood, and ultimately a reminder that beautiful, innovative, luxury experiences can be created right here in Detroit.”

The Avenue of Fashion has seen an increase in businesses over the past few years. Tate sees the nail bar location as a homecoming, and a way to give people what she saw them need; and Queendom is not just a spot on the corner. It is a luxury destination with high-end services, such as a drink while you wait and a list of royalty-themed names you can choose to be called, such as “Queen,” “Your Highness,” and “King.” This personal touch and need to create a comfortable atmosphere, Tate says, comes from her time as a social worker. It also gave her determination to pay people a livable wage, but it also has a more direct origin. “I’ve intentionally built a culture that prioritizes respect, professionalism, and support,” said Tate.

Shanel Adams, one of Queendom’s first customers, feels like Tate was reading her mind. The nail salon she previously patronized was impersonal and “drab,” said Adams. She says she would have been happy with half of the attention Queendom gave her when she walked in the door. For all the joy of the luxury spa experience, it was the personal connection that meant the most to her feeling valued as a customer. “I think this is very exciting for the West Side and the neighborhoods of Detroit to have this experience,” said Adams. That sentiment is shared by members of the Avenue of Fashion’s notoriously tight-knit community.
Chris Summyall, co-owner of the Parrot Bar, first met Tate when he and his business partner helped her find her keys while construction was still going on. When Summyall stopped in to get a manicure and pedicure, he was as impressed as Adams, but took it step further. He bought gift certificates for Queenom so he could share them with others. “I am particularly interested in creating an ecosystem,” he said.

Building a Beauty Ecosystem

Before opening Queendom, Tate moonlit at a shop in Birmingham, where she was paid $12 an hour. While she still had a career to fall back on, it would be a challenge to get by for anyone who relied on being a nail tech for primary income. That is why Tate signs her workers up as freelancers and instead of hourly wage, has instituted a 55/45 policy. For every treatment done in the shop, the business gets 55 percent, and the worker receives 45 percent. Tate encourages cash tips because electronic payments take money off the top, which builds up. This priority in tips is another lesson left over from the shop in Birmingham, where she had to split tips with the store, unless clients tipped in cash.
While the location had strong sentimental ties and a good location it required a complete remodel for a nail bar. New walls had to be put up, and plumbing had to be installed. That meant contractors, timetables and capital to get it done. Tate’s initial investment came from Motor City Match, a local grant program that helps fund businesses in Detroit. Initially, she won the Architect/Design round, where she received the $25,000 needed to get the design and blueprints created. She wanted to apply for another round to get the needed working capital only to be told the opening was too close to the next round to qualify. Tate says if she had gotten a more accurate timeline from the contractors, she would have been eligible to apply. Fortunately, she was able to get a $200,000 loan from Huntington Bank to make her blueprint become a reality. Her strongest advice to those trying to start a business: have good credit.

Strangely enough, this dream started as a girl who could not stop sucking her thumb. To help stop the habit, Tate started polishing her nails because she knew the taste of the polish would keep her from doing so.
“Looking back, it’s funny to realize that something as simple as painting my nails became part of the beginning of my relationship with the beauty industry,” said Tate. “What started as a way to help me stop sucking my thumb eventually became an interest in nail care, creativity, and eventually a career and business.”
Her journey to her new business may have had a strange start with some bumps along the way, but Tate has an optimistic eye on the future. “My hope is that Queendom becomes more than a nail salon,” she said. “It becomes a place where people feel proud to gather, relax, and celebrate themselves.”