Women of Main Street: Ellen Cooper

Posted
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ellen Cooper, owner of Ellen's Nails, is one of nearly 100 local businesswomen who will be recognized Sept. 23 during Main Street Manning’s annual meeting. The Manning Times will be featuring a few of these women each week throughout September in The Manning Times, and posting stories daily on manninglive.com. Ellen Cooper started her nail business back in 1997 with her mother, after the pair worked at other salons for about two years prior. “We discovered that Manning did not have one, so our concept was, ‘If we build one, they will come,’” Cooper said. “And that they did. For three years, ours was the only nail salon in town.” With other salons in the area now, Cooper says she relies on her loyal clients to keep things moving. “We have won several Readers’ Choice awards for Best Nail Salon in Clarendon County (including one from The Manning Times in 2014),” Cooper said. “That is voted (on) by you, the community.” In 2012, Cooper repainted, remodeled and got new business cards, brochures and uniforms for employees. Cooper, 37, said she is a proud single mom of a 1-year-old boy. “Ellen’s Nails is still going strong after 17 years of business, and with the passing of my mother 10 months ago,” she said. “I am very thankful to all of those clients who have stayed loyal, who have returned after I had the baby and those new clients that wanted to experience something different.”