Grit + Polish nail salon to close doors for good at the end of the month

Grit + Polish, a nail salon on Witherspoon Street that opened four years ago with a philosophy of paying its workers a living wage, is one of the latest local businesses to close for good due to the pandemic.

Jacqueline Fay told her customers in an email last week that Grit + Polish will be closing at the end of October.

“I am saddened to announce that we are closing our doors forever at the end of this month, ultimately forced out of business by the pandemic that has dramatically reduced demand for our services,” Fay wrote. “We don’t see that turning around until there is a widely available and trusted vaccine for COVID-19.”

Fay said that over the past three months, the nail salon has been able to operate thanks to federal, state, and local aid programs. “Those programs have run out, and there is no reason to believe they will be replenished anytime soon,” she wrote.

“So, we have reached the end of an adventure that has led to numerous friendships, and positive experiences that many of you have shared with me over the years,” she wrote. “I am extremely grateful to everyone who has supported the business as a client, as an advocate, and as a friend.”

Appointments at Grit + Polish are available through the end of the month by calling (609) 924-1549 or booking an appointment online. Club memberships and gift cards also will be honored through the end of the month. All skincare products will be available for purchase at 50% off until the store closes.

Fay said she is currently talking with other salon owners in the hope of finding positions for Grit + Polish staff members and is optimistic that some staff members will remain in the Princeton area.