Feel The Heat

Feel The Heat

by Scott Hoover

LOOKING FIT is proud to continue its coverage of the Tanning Tour '99 to promote responsible tanning. Once again, I would like to extend a special thank you to our Tour sponsors, John Abat International^™ and Vitasun USA, for all the incredible products and promotional items that were used during this portion of the Tour. Make sure to check back next month for the final segment of our tour throughout the Southeast. Then, check back beginning in February for the second portion of our Tanning Tour '99 as we revisit salons in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.

All That & More Salon
Bev Taylor--Owner
Louisville, Ky.

Work Of The Masters
Bev Taylor, owner of All That & More Salon in Louisville, Ky., has been in the tanning business for only three years; however, what she has accomplished exceeds all expectations. She has merged her five tanning beds into a hair and nail salon to offer her clientele just the right mixture of tanning and add-on services. According to Taylor, it is because of the services that the salon offers that it has been so popular with younger customers.

"We see a lot of young men and women in the salon from ages 18-24," she says. "Many of them are college students and are not only looking for a place to tan, but somewhere to get their hair and nails done as well. However, recently I have seen an upswing in the number of married couples that are coming in to tan."

With the increase in business, Taylor's worst nightmare concerning her salon has begun to come true--parking. "During the busy season, I have customers parking across the street, in the alley, as well as in our own parking lot," she notes. "However, I am really hesitant to move the salon because business has been so brisk. Maybe in a year or two when I am a little more established I will look at expanding and moving to another location."

VITALS SIGNS:

Paradise Island Tan
Patty Christman--owner
Louisville, Ky.

Big Expectations
For many smaller salon owners, the idea of owning and operating a mega-salon is a thought that tends to turn their stomachs. They like the quaintness of owning a smaller salon where they tend to know everybody by name. However, for Patty Christman, owner of Paradise Island Tan in Louisville, Ky., the thought of expanding keeps her driving to be the best 13-bed salon around.

"I would love to own a 30-bed salon," she says. "I have been in the tanning industry for approximately five years and my goal is open a bigger salon in the near future."

Paradise Island Tan caters to a wide range of clientele ranging from young women in their early 20s to older men in their late 30s. "Over the past year we have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of men we are seeing in the salon," she notes. "I would say that our clientele is now approximately 50 percent men and 50 percent women."

Christman also rents two rooms to nail technicians and believes that her larger salon also will incorporate both tanning and nail technicians. "The two businesses work very well together," she notes. "As I slowly expand my salon, I also will have to look at expanding my nail technicians. I just hope that I can continue to grow and reach the goals that I have set for myself and the salon."

VITALS SIGNS:

Color Me Tan
Karen Nally--owner
Louisville, Ky.

Industry Veteran
After 15 years, Karen Nally, owner of Color Me Tan in Louisville, Ky., has learned what she likes and dislikes about the indoor tanning industry. "I like the fact that I have a smaller salon, where people can come in, relax and feel comfortable talking to me or one of the employees," she notes. "In comparison, dealing with all the negative stereotypes that people relate to indoor tanning is very hard to deal with."

Thus, one of Nally's greatest accomplishments is the continuing education that she provides to her customers. "We work real hard to skin type our clients and provide them with the best possible information about indoor tanning," she says. "Also, because our demographics are approximately 50 percent male and 50 percent female, we tend to sell a lot of lotions, as men are known to purchase higher-priced products."

In addition, Nally also has added a nail technician and make-up person to her salon to offer a service that others around don't. "We have a lot of competition in our area," she says. "By adding these services, many of our clients feel like we are offering them more than other salons in the vicinity."

VITALS SIGNS:

BBA Tanning
Mike Swaney and Mike Ozment--owners
Louisville, Ky.

Serving The Customer
For more than 9 years, Mike Swaney and Mike Ozment, owners of BBA Tanning in Louisville, Ky., have been searching for ways to better serve their clients. Over the years, these veterans of the indoor tanning industry have learned one very important lesson--offering good customer service means more clients. With five salons throughout Indiana and Kentucky, one of the hardest aspects of running a salon with good customer service is finding employees who believe the same concept.

"Finding good employees that will offer our customers the type of service that they deserve and expect can be very difficult," says Swaney. "Keeping good employees with the unemployment level the way it is can be even more difficult."

VITALS SIGNS:

Sunsessions Tanning Salon
Jan Currens--owner
Tonnie Tolson-- assistant manager
Lexington, Ky.

A Chip Off The Neighborhood Block
Jan Currens, owner of Sunsessions Tanning Salon in Lexington, Ky., has been in the indoor tanning industry for more than five years. During this time she has built a client base of more than 6,000 people, many who frequent her 20-bed salon in Lexington's Stonewall Shopping Center district. One of the more interesting advertising avenues that Currens uses to find new clients is local high school, college and subdivision newsletters.

"We started out by advertising in college newsletters that went to different sororities and fraternities," she says. "This worked so well that we have expanded to advertising in local subdivision newsletters and high school newspapers. Thus, we garner a lot of clients from the University of Kentucky and high schools in our area."

Currens adds that one of the hardest parts of running a tanning salon is how business can change with the weather. "It seems if the weather is too extreme, either too cold or too hot, people just don't want to go out tan. It is very difficult to deal with."

VITALS SIGNS:

Golden Tan
Mike Yant and Para Weaver--owners
Richard Weaver--manager
Lexington, Ky.

Busy As A Bee
One of the most important aspects of running a good business is finding a good location. For Mike Yant and Para Weaver, owners of Golden Tan in Lexington, Ky., the prime location of their salon has made them one of the busiest salons in the city.

"We are located on a main thoroughfare right next to a Circuit City," says Yant. "In addition, some of the best restaurants in the city are located in the surrounding area. Therefore, we get a lot of traffic that will see our salon while they are out and stop in to tan."

With 40 beds and more than 450 clients a day during the salon's busy season, you can see why Yant and Weaver are so excited about their salon.

"March through June is our busiest season; however, our business stays very consistent throughout the entire year," says Weaver. "Our tanning season really is a year round business.

VITALS SIGNS:

Endless Summer Tanning Salon
Bill Torsell--owner
Lexington, Ky.

Personalized Service
Bill Torsell has owned Endless Summer Tanning Salon in Lexington, Ky., for more than eight years. Although his five-bed salon might seem a little on the small side, Torsell says he is very content.

"I know all of my customers by name," he says. "Because I run such a small salon I can offer the people that tan with me a very homey atmosphere. Everything is very personalized."

Another factor that Torsell believes keeps his clients coming back over and over again is that he is always at the salon. "I am the only person who works at the salon," he notes. "I have had others, such as high school students, but they never work out. I just have a certain way I like to have things done and since I have the time, I feel it is better for my customers to deal only with me."

One of the only negatives to being the only employee is finding time for himself. "I really would like to go to LOOKING FIT's Annual Tanning Trade Expo it puts on every year; however, I don't have anyone to work the salon," he says. "However, my customers have been very understanding and when I need to get away for a day or two I never get any complaints for closing the salon."

VITALS SIGNS:

Summer Bronz Tan & Travel (2 locations)
Kay and Mike Fenstermaker--owner
Michele Baxter--manager
Lexington, Ky.

Under High-pressure
In an industry where most tanning establishment are offering tans for as little as $2, getting $18-20 for a tan can be difficult; however, Summer Bronz Tan & Travel in Lexington, Ky., is doing just that. With two locations and eight high-pressure tanning beds, the salon has tapped into a different type of tanning market and is making it work for them.

"We get a lot of professional type people into our salons that have money to spend," says Michele Baxter, manager of the Lowry Lane location. "Our clients have no problem paying the higher prices for high-pressure tanning and higher priced lotion offerings."

In addition to offering high-pressure tanning, the salon also recently incorporated travel services into its daily offerings. Baxter says this addition has reaped immediate benefits. "We have only offered travel services for approximately six months; however, we have added almost 10 percent to our gross over that time."

VITALS SIGNS:

Southern Rays Tanning Centers (3 locations)
John Ledford and Mark Wells--owners
Lexington, Ky.

Busy As A Beaver
With three of the busiest salons in the Lexington, Ky., area, John Ledford and Mark Wells have not encountered many business obstacles. However, because of the low unemployment throughout the state of Kentucky, finding and keeping good employees has become more difficult.

"We try to offer competitive wages; however, when restaurants are paying $8 and $9 an hour, it makes it very hard to keep good employees," says Ledford. "Right now that is our biggest concerns."

One of the ways Southern Rays Tanning Centers tries to make up for higher wages, is by lowering some of its advertising costs. The salon does cross marketing with other stores in the area as well as with local gyms.

VITALS SIGNS:

Tan Shack East (2 locations)
Dick Hacker--owner
Lexington, Ky.

The Veteran
For more than 12 years, Dick Hacker has been an establishment in Lexington, Ky. With 18 beds and a clientele of more than 3,000, Hacker feels his experience is his biggest drawing point.

"We have been in the indoor tanning industry for more than 12 years," he notes. "We have seen what works and what does not. I think people continue coming to the salon because they feel confident we will not steer them the wrong direction."

With two locations, Hacker feels that one of the biggest obstacles he has to overcome is finding good help in a city where unemployment is at a record low.

"Even when we find good help, it is hard to keep them," he says. "With the economy the way it is, it makes it very difficult for a small business owner to compete with larger establishment's wages. We will continue to search for good employees and try to stay competitive."

VITALS SIGNS:

Electric Sun Tanning & Cuts Unlimited
Tina Lyons--owner
Lexington, Ky.

A Cut Above
Running a tanning salon as well as a beauty shop can be a good combination. For many years, indoor tanning salon owners have searched for the right combination of tanning and ancillary services to help them get through the slower times. At Electric Sun Tanning & Cuts Unlimited, Tina Lyons has found just that.

Both businesses play very well off each other," says Linda Clemons, assistant manager of the salon. "When customers come in to tan, very often they also get their hair done at the salon as well and vice versa."

Another concept the salon has used to keep customers throughout the year is to offer lotion specials when a client buys a tanning package.

"Overall, I think we are doing alright," Clemons notes. "We get a lot of local traffic because of our location and once we get them in salon, most will keep coming back because of the superior customer service that we offer. That definitely is one of our selling points."

VITALS SIGNS:

Perfect Tan
Art and Kathie Cumby--owners
Lexington, Ky.

A Perfect Tan
For Art and Kathie Cumby, owners of the 9-bed Perfect Tan in Lexington, Ky., in the indoor tanning industry you get out exactly what you put in. "If you are going to run a small salon with inexpensive beds and change your lamps every 1,000 hour or more, no it is not going to be a very good business," says Bill Cluxtom, employee. "However, if you run a good salon, treat your customers right and keep the place clean and attractive, then they are going to return."

Although Cluxtom admits the salon's location is not always easy to find (it is tucked inside a small mall with approximately six other stores), he says once customers find the salon, they have no problem coming back over and over again.

"Our repeat customers is what makes us money," he notes. "We provide good customer service and know just about everybody by name. That is what keeps our clients coming back over and over again."

VITALS SIGNS: