GALION—A tanning salon and boutique in Galion is expanding its services this month to include skincare and other beauty treatments for women.
Caribbean Tan & Boutique, 833 Harding Way West, now has an esthetician on staff to do facials, eyelashes, waxing, and other cosmetic procedures for women. Kylee Cass is the new owner of “True Beauty Esthetics by Kylee.”
“I’ve always been super passionate about skincare and make-up,” said Cass, who recently graduated from Elite School of Cosmetology in Ashland. “I want to continue my education because skincare and what people want is always changing.”
Cass, who has set up an esthetics room in the back, is offering classic lashes, lifts, and tints along with a variety of facials with add-ons like chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Waxing runs the gamut from upper lips and eyebrows to arms and legs.
Cass is no stranger to Caribbean Tan & Boutique. She’s actually been working there since her sister, Shelby Willacker, opened it three years ago. Willacker purchased the property in 2017 but spent the first year tackling a major remodeling project.
She and her husband, Brad, tore out the overgrown shrubs and spruced up the exterior first, then gutted the 2,200-square-foot space, which used to house a bicycle shop. They knocked down walls, framed out the building, and put on a new roof and siding.
“It was an eyesore in here. It was a shell when we bought it, pretty much. It was overwhelming,” she said. “But we just thought for the location, we couldn’t beat it.”
Fresh paint, trim, and doors were added, along with new ceiling tile and up-to-date lighting throughout. More recently, the flooring was also upgraded to gray vinyl that resembles wood planks, and the parking lot was resurfaced and striped.
The tanning salon, which opened with only three beds, now boasts seven, Willacker said, accounting for about half of their business. Clothing sales make up the rest – an array of casual wear featuring popular tees and denim jeans by Kancan.
Willacker said spring is definitely the busiest time of year for indoor tanning, with up to 100 clients a day coming through the doors. Ages, however, range from prom-going teens all the way up to women in their 50’s and 60’s, she said. “It’s a good mix.”
While she admitted that the concept of a tanning-clothing venture is a bit novel, she said business has been steady, and she recently hired three more employees. “It’s gone a lot better than expected. We keep our beds hot. We have new lamps and comparable prices.”
