SomeLkeItHot

My fiance and I are going to open a shop to sell items along offering tanning. We will have Vera Bradley merchandise, and seasonal nick nacks. The town our shop is located in has 3500 people, and have 2 other smaller towns that is close by. We want to have a lay down, a stand up, and I feel a spray. My questions are what brand, and models should we look at that will perform good, but not be the highest price machine. We have had a tanning bed at our house for years, so we know it depends alot on the up keep and the bulbs. We will be right beside a all lady gym that has no tanning....

Basically if you all were looking to start a shop, and you want 2-3 beds what would you go with?

SomeLkeItHot

Not even suggestions on what brands are good, or maybe what lotions do well.....

eileen

It's just a quiet sunday night :) You'll get responses soon.

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under-exposure to uv rays is as dangerous as over-exposure...This is "D" life! (eileen)

julian32

Do you have any competition in your area? Another salon? If so (and you can), go check them out and do better than what they offer. I'm not saying if they have base beds that you have to get 52 lamp beds or anything like that....just 'one up them'. Provide a better experience in a better bed and people will come.
As far as beds go, if you are only looking for two beds, I'd go with a couple 36 lamp beds with facials that can be turned on or off at the customers will. A 48 lamp stand up will likely be sufficient for your needs as well.

Brands I prefer for base beds are SunStar 332 (3 facials, 32 lamps)

Good Luck!!

nlabtec

My question to you would be are you opening a full pledge tanning salon, or are you using tanning just as an up sell for other things? If you are making a full pledge tanning salon then you should look on the used market for them. You can get great beds for pretty cheap now days. Dr Muller (AUVL), UWE, KBL, Ergoline are all good buys. The first 3 tan better but ergoline has the better looks of them all.

If this business is just using tanning to lure people in for your other products then get some base beds. 3 beds should do you just fine. While I am not a fan of people using tanning as a way to bring people in for the store main product, atleast I would want you to do it right.

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2tan

Youre market is small at 3500 and matching other competitors in your area is advised. But overspending to out "equipment" the competition is a more advised in urban markets where big bucks spent will hopefully return your investment. Your small and a good smile, clean salon and good tan will keep them coming back for you.

eileen

Somelikehot, do you have a budget for the beds?

__________________
under-exposure to uv rays is as dangerous as over-exposure...This is "D" life! (eileen)

SomeLkeItHot

After talking around to some different folks, and gathering what all it would take just to have the shop we think it is best to hold off for a while. I know season is about to come in, but it is a lot of work to have done before then. Me and my fiance have a wedding to plan, and being a general contractor's son I know that it is not good to build a house, and plan a wedding. I can tell around here the economy is beyond slow. After the wedding, and once things look good then I think we will pursue it again. I just do not know if it is a good idea right. I just hate it for my fiance, she was getting really excited so maybe later on we can do something.