By Robbi Longbrake
BELLE FOURCHE—After being a nurse for 23 years, an injury changed the trajectory of Marybeth Runnels’s life. “I had a back injury that prevented me from working full time as a nurse anymore, I can’t be on my feet all day, I can’t lift patients and I can’t do that stuff anymore,” she explained.
This gave her the opportunity to follow a life-long dream. “I’ve always kind of had an entrepreneurial spirit and I’ve always wanted to own my own business.” One day, while getting her own nails done, the idea came to her. “It was my nail tech who said, have you thought about doing nails? And I’m like, well, no, I haven’t!”
After taking time to think about if she would really like that big of a life change, she decided to go for it! Runnels explained, “It took me about a year of thinking to decide if I really needed to back off of nursing that much, I just kind of let it marinate, and then I decided, yeah, why not?”
Runnels spent 7 months learning the ins and outs of nail art and design at the Salon Professional Academy in Rapid City. Shortly thereafter, her business Digits Nail Spa PLLC was born.
Being an RN along with a Nail Tech, she is able to bring special skills to her profession. Runnels combines both of her careers to offer unique services to the Belle Fourche area. “When I started nail school, I realized there are services that nail technicians cannot provide that I can as a nurse,” said Runnels. “I have opened my business using my nursing license and I am able to provide services—the beauty part of it with the manicures, pedicures, nail extensions, what you get at most other nail places—but I can also use my RN license to provide services for people with chronic conditions.”
Providing services to people with medical needs allows customers to get help without having to pay for a doctors office visit. “People with diabetes, they’re not supposed to get their nails clipped at a nail salon. Well, I can do that here! I can also debulk thick toenails. I can debulk calluses and things that a lot of people need, but you can’t get in a salon, you have to go to a doctor’s office,” Runnels explained. “But if you come here, you’re gonna get a spa treatment with it. So you’re not just gonna get your toes taken care of, I’m also gonna give you a leg massage and I’m gonna give you a bit of a spa treatment!”
Another thing that makes her business stand out from others is her ability to see possible medical problems and refer clients to medical professionals. “I can collaborate with the podiatrists. Just this morning I was working on a client and I’m like, okay, wait a minute, I’m seeing some things here that make me think there’s something more going on under the surface that we can’t see,” said Runnels. “If they, for instance, were getting that somewhere else, they may not have the training to know that this could be something (needing medical attention). I just stopped the service, and I just said, okay, I’d like you to see a podiatrist. Once the podiatrist says you’re good to come back to me, I’m happy to resume.”
Digits Nail Spa PLLC offers all of the traditional manicure and pedicure services including acrylic nail extensions and fills, poly gel, hard gel and dip. Runnels has a special that could be called 90 minutes of bliss, but she refers to it as Get Out of Your Hed-y Pedi. The theme changes each month.
“Next month, we’re calling it Pot of Gold, all of the products go along with the theme—all the products I use have gold glimmer in it,” said Runnels. “You come in, you get noise canceling headphones, an eye mask, you get to recline in the chair, and you get a complimentary drink that goes along with the theme as well. You can sit back, kick your feet up, put a mask on and get an extended massage to really help you relax and get out of your hed-y!”
Digits Nail Spa PLLC opened its doors December 2, 2024. You can find the Nail Spa at 520 5th Avenue inside the Belle Boutique and Salon. Follow the business on Facebook to see the current specials. “I have hours set Tuesday through Saturday. Tuesday nights, I’m open later so people can come in after work and then I’m just closed on Sundays and Mondays,” explained Runnels. Mobile nail trims are also offered to seniors who can’t make it in to the salon.
