- Locations: 2
- Years in Business: 3
- Tanning Units: 14 (ProSun)
- Tanning Levels: 5
- Staff: 5
- Lotions: Australian Gold, California Tan, Designer Skin, Devoted Creations & Supre Tan
- Software: TanTrack
- Other Services: Custom Spray-Tanning & Sunless Tanning (Norvell Skin Solutions)
- Distribution Partner: Heartland Tan, Inc.
With two successful salons serving Houma, LA, GLOW Tanning Salon spreads radiance… to its clients’ bodies and its owner’s smile.
GLOW Tanning Salon is owned and operated by Ashley Rhodes, a mother of four who decided she wanted to operate a business. “I stepped away from an administrative assistant position at a successful chain restaurant to start my family,” said Ashley, “and my fiancé Steven Boudreaux started a lawn care business in addition to his management position with the restaurant. He eventually sold that and opened a limousine service, which he ran for a while before selling that to focus on his full-time job with the restaurant. After our third child was born, I decided it was my turn to run a business!” A friend of Ashley’s recommended she open a tanning salon in a 1,000-square-foot space on the west side of Houma. “The location was perfect because it’s a very upscale neighborhood and it’s the only salon within 20 minutes,” she added.
After assembling a business plan, Ashley went to her local bank and obtained a loan to open GLOW Tanning Salon. Remodeling began right away, and after a few hiccups, she opened for business on July 31, 2010. “Our first year was fabulous!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t really notice the seasonal aspect of salon ownership because we were able to attract so many clients and get them to become members. I think so many people were just thrilled to have a salon close to their homes or workplaces, and they wanted to come in a give us a try.” Ashley credits her attention to customer service, which she’d perfected in the restaurant industry, as the reason why so many of GLOW Tanning’s clients are so loyal. The salon offers six ProSun tanning units and a custom spray-tanning system by Norvell Skin Solutions.
Immediately after opening GLOW Tanning, Ashley was already looking for the perfect location for a second facility. She looked in Thibodaux, Slidell and Mandeville, but couldn’t find a location that she felt would suit her salon’s upscale image. “One day, Steven said ‘Why don’t you open up on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard?’” Ashley recalled. “It made perfect sense because MLK is the busiest street in Houma, and it’s where all of the major businesses are located. It was the perfect place for our second salon.” The build-out on the second GLOW Tanning began September 1 and Ashley opened doors on the 1,100-square-foot, upscale facility on November 1. The equipment includes eight Pro Sun tanning units and an Auto Revolution sunless booth by Norvell.
As Ashley continues to operate her two GLOW Tanning salons, she’s scoping out possible locations for a third. “I’ve found three locations that would be perfect, but Steven said I should slow down and open them one at a time,” she laughed. “Now that all of our kids are in school, I’ll have more time to devote to everything I’m doing with the business, which is good because I enjoy it so much. There’s just something about getting out there and talking to everyone that makes me feel so connected to my community. I love it!”
