About Us
Believe it or not, the owners of Urban Venus Nail Bar weren’t always serving up spa treats in their trendy martini-bar style nail bar or including their products in gift bags for celebrities such as Celine, Alanis and Avril. Before they had a production warehouse and international clients, Rachel and Mark were just your average couple with a little bit of a dream.
The company actually has its roots in a very humble, teeny-tiny Calgary kitchen. Rachel, an entrepreneur by nature, had a vision of launching an exciting line of bath products. Recruiting the help of her husband, the two began experimenting with their now signature first product – the Bath Bomb. The tiny kitchen became the laboratory and the bathtub was the testing facility. Determined to create the best bath bomb on the market, the pair eventually perfected the tiny ball of salts and oils that would catapult them to success.
Perhaps inspired by the perfect sphere “planet” shaped balls, they introduced their company as Venus Giftware Inc., and quickly created a strong presence at local tradeshows and festivals. Rachel’s relentless drive eventually secured their first retail client, none other than the US-based retail giant, Nordstrom’s. After expanding their product line, moving from the kitchen to the garage and then to a full sized warehouse, the company reached an exciting new heights, with exposure in Mademoiselle, Chatelaine, Wedding Bells and Bon Appetite magazines.
“I was thrilled with our product line and with the success of Venus Giftware,” says Rachel. “But it occurred to me that a lot of people were enjoying the products at home and I wanted to create a bigger experience for our clients. And since our products weren’t like anything else on the market, I knew we needed a PLACE that was unlike anywhere else - a place where you could come and indulge in fantastic spa services, but with a little less “herbal tea” and a lot more “martini.”
And so, Urban Venus Nail Bar was born. In the summer of 2003, the doors opened on Calgary’s hippest nail salon. It is the place to go to be seen and get pampered. You can drop in your yoga gear or make a party booking for a posh private get together. Whatever the case, Urban Venus has the most fantastic spa experience and the most out-of-this world treatments.
Philosophy
We create an extraordinary spa experience for all our guests – one that is incredibly comfortable, surprisingly memorable and exceeds the expectations of today’s cosmopolitan woman.
Community
Currently Urban Venus supports one of our favorite charities, TELUS Spark, The New Sciene Centre. Urban Venus organizes a yearly run called The Urban Venus Deliciously Sweet Run where all of the donations raised at the event will go toward TELUS Spark’s Community Connections Program. Through this program, TELUS Spark gives Lending Membership to vital non-profit, charitable organizations and agencies in Calgary, who most need a subsidized access option. Your support of the Deliciously Sweet Run will go to families who may not normally have the chance to experience TELUS Spark, the opportunity to visit numerous times throughout the year, to explore science, technology, engineering, art and math.
“The Lending Pass allowed me and my four children and my husband to go to TELUS Spark for the first time. The girls begged me to go back the following day, which we gladly did.”
- Community Connections Program Participant
For more information on the run, please go to www.urbanvenusrun.ca