Nhien Head Spa & Wellness, which bills itself as Houston's first authentic Vietnamese head spa experience, is opening a second location in Upper Kirby at Plaza in the Park on Buffalo Speedway. The new spot at 5158 Buffalo Speedway, Suite 160, will bring the brand's scalp detoxes, hydrotherapy and aromatherapy treatments from its lone Katy outpost into the inner loop, with renovations expected to run about $265,000, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
As reported by Community Impact, the buildout is being described as a full interior renovation of a salon spa, with work expected to start September 1 and wrap by November 2027. State construction records tell a more precise story about the project's actual footprint, though. TDLR filings under project TABS2026027298 put the interior buildout at 1,800 square feet, correcting earlier reporting — including the seed figure of 18,000 square feet — that overstated the space by a full order of magnitude.
What the Katy Flagship Already Offers
Nhien's existing location sits at 29807 Jordan Crossing Boulevard, Suite 500/600, in Katy, where the business markets itself around scalp health, deep relaxation and holistic wellness. According to the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, the flagship pairs head spa sessions with facials and nail care, and the broader menu includes waxing, scalp detox treatments and massage techniques aimed at relieving tension. The Upper Kirby location is expected to mirror that combination of head spa, facial and nail services once it opens.
Landing in Texas's Richest ZIP Code
Plaza in the Park, the 143,000-square-foot shopping center where Nhien is setting up shop, is owned and managed by national developer EDENS and anchored by a Kroger grocery store. The property sits in ZIP code 77005 near West University Place, an area EDENS itself identifies as Texas's highest-income ZIP code, with easy access to the Texas Medical Center and downtown Houston. The center already houses a cluster of wellness and fitness tenants including Massage Envy, YogaSix, BodyRok and Envision Nails, meaning Nhien will be competing directly with established personal-care brands under the same roof.
The center underwent a major renovation completed in 2021 that added outdoor green space and improved walkways, according to the Houston Chronicle. That update appears to have positioned the property to attract the kind of boutique wellness concepts now filling its storefronts.
A Booming, Regulated Industry
Nhien's expansion tracks a broader surge in scalp-care spending. The global head spa market was valued at roughly $1.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $2.8 billion by 2033, growing at an estimated 8.5% annually as consumers lean into scalp health and stress relief, per data from Goldie. Typical Houston head spa sessions run between $45 and $110, the same report notes. That demand has been visible closer to home, too: Hoodline recently reported that Premiere San Antonio added a specialized Dry Head Spa Certification track to its August trade show lineup, citing head spas as one of the industry's fastest-growing service categories.
Any Texas salon offering these services has to clear a regulatory bar first. Facilities providing cosmetology or esthetic treatments must hold a Cosmetology Establishment License, which carries a $78 fee, and every individual performing scalp or facial work must maintain an active state license, according to guidance from Texas Cosmetology Renewal. TDLR also conducts unannounced inspections of new salons within three months of opening, per the same guidance.
Following a Suburb-to-Inner-Loop Pattern
Nhien isn't the first Katy-born scalp concept to push toward central Houston. CultureMap Houston has reported that Modern Halo, also founded in Katy, expanded into Memorial in January 2025, part of a pattern of suburban head spas moving into close-in urban neighborhoods as demand grows. Nhien's Upper Kirby move fits that same trajectory, trading a suburban flagship for a foothold in one of the city's wealthiest corridors.
Booking at Nhien comes with firm rules: the business requires client deposits and charges a 50% service fee for cancellations made with less than 48 hours' notice, a policy intended to protect its commission-based therapists. Clients can manage appointments through a dedicated mobile app. An exact opening date for the Upper Kirby location has not been announced, and with TDLR's construction estimate stretching to November 2027, it remains to be seen how soon Houston head spa fans in Upper Kirby will get their scalp detox.
