eileen

LA Sunset Tan is bringing Hollywood-style tanning to Jacksonville, Miami and Orlando.
The luxury-tanning salon made famous last year by its own realty TV show about the tanning salon business on E! Entertainment Network is making Florida the first phase of a 500-unit national expansion plan that will be caught on tape during the second and third seasons of the show.
"Florida's looking to be a huge market for us," said company co-founder and CEO Devin Haman.
Founded in Hollywood in 2003, LA Sunset Tan quickly earned notoriety for a celebrity clientele list that includes pop star Britney Spears, actress Lindsay Lohan and hotel heiresses Paris and Nicky Hilton. In 2006 the company agreed to a three-year agreement to film "Sunset Tan" documenting the company's expansion.
The success of the show sparked a national expansion plan to grow from five locations in Southern California and one in Las Vegas to more than 500 locations around the nation and internationally over the next five years, Haman said.
The average cost to open a LA Sunset Tan is $250,000 and $650,000, with a franchise fee of $40,000.
The company has already signed up an area representative that will be responsible for the hiring of franchisees to open 30 salons in the Miami area. Haman said the plan is to move up the east coast by finding area reps in Orlando, Daytona Beach and Jacksonville this year in order to have several stores open in time for filming of the second and third seasons. Haman said filming may take place in other Florida markets, including Jacksonville.
Dennis Fuller, the director of franchising for Texas and the east, said he expects to sign a franchisee in Jacksonville in the next 60 days and that the first location in Jacksonville, which will also be the second or third location in the state, could be open in 4 or 5 months. Fuller expects to develop 6 or 7 locations in Jacksonville over the next five years.
"Jacksonville is one of those markets that's got everything going for it for our industry," Fuller said, noting the population averages 36 years of age and has a mean household income of $59,827.
LA Sunset Tan services tanning bed sessions, sunless auto-bronzer, custom air-brushing and inhome services. Single tanning sessions range from $20 to $150 depending on the service and last about up to nine days. The company just launched an indoor tanning salon product line, a clothing and swimwear line and is preparing to launch an outdoor tanning products line.
Haman declined to release revenue details.

SOURCE LINK: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...5/daily29.html

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

PatParadise

I think these guys would find Minnesota a tough tough market. We hold on to a dollar bill until the eagle grins, good luck, ya sure you betcha, PatParadise

2tan

Did these guys buy a banner Matt?

TropIllusions

Tanning salons don't last long in the Jacksonville area. Hope they know what they are in for. Our clients are like family and stick with us even though there are several other places within 5 minutes of us they can tan at. Those places are also cheaper.

I don't see them comming near Middleburg but I can easily see them opening up in Fleming Island which is not that far from us.