ist Magazine March 2022

Salon of Distinction

Indulgence Tanning & Massage Therapy READY TO GROW By Joe Schuster

T his month’s Salon of Distinc- tion comes fromMissouri. I took some time to interview Kathy Oberbeck, Owner of Indulgence Tanning & Massage as she was shaking off the late winter chill. As a bucolic virtual visual, picture us sitting by a fireplace sipping a hot cup of coffee. IST: Always the ice-breaker: how did you get your start in the tan biz? KO: We were looking for a way to grow a small inheritance and the salon was for sale. I had not been a tanner prior to buying it – a complete newbie! We took ownership September 1, 2019.

IST: Interesting! Typical new salon owners have experience as indoor tanners. Dealing with the pandemic has certainly impacted many small businesses. How did you fare over the last year? How does your busi- ness compare with this time in 2021? KO: Our salon is one of two in our town of about 15,000 people. The other has about half the number of beds and is open fewer hours. We see our salon as an indulgence to our guests, and strive to make them feel pampered and appreciated. The prior owner seemed to really only be concerned about short-term profit, not long-term relationships. She owned the

salon for two years and the second year, her sales decreased by half. She would “save money” by turning off lights during the day, which made the salon look dark and unwelcoming. Her decor was stark black and white with only some tanning posters on the walls. We painted and redecorated with a beach theme, and we ask our guests who are going on vacation to bring us back a postcard to hang up.

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istmagazine.com

March 2022