A tanning salon chain with locations across the north of Scotland aims to add ten stores a year as demand from sunbed seekers grows.
Indigo Sun, which has a number of shops in Aberdeen, Dundee, Elgin and Inverness, said business returned even more strongly last year after having faced shutdowns during the Covid pandemic.
As well as opening new salons, the group has also embarked on a refitting and refurbishment programme with an Aberdeen outlet at Danestone near Bridge of Don earmarked for an upmarket beach club-style makeover.
The family-owned firm said demand from customers seeking a sun-kissed look before their post-Covid holiday meant the chain was serving 140,000 people a week during peak periods in 2022.
Frank Taylor, 72, the founder and chief executive of Indigo Sun, said its most recent financial year delivered its “best ever results” as the entrepreneur set out an ambition to grow the near 100-strong chain by ten a year.
Mr Taylor set up the business in Stirling in 1993. He had previously run video rental stores. But when he saw the rise of DVDs and online streaming, he transformed the shops into tanning salons instead.
From DVDs to Vitamin D
“In 2022 we saw full freedom from Covid closures. As the economy reopened, our customers were determined to get back to normal and to go on holiday with great enthusiasm,” he said.
“That was a clear signal for our customers to return to our salons. They did so in such numbers that during peak periods in 2022 we were serving 140,000 people a week.
“While those lockdown months were extremely tough, we used that time to look ahead. We set out plans to expand by 10 salons a year once business resumed.”
Between February 2020 and September 2022, Indigo Sun opened 14 new salons and refurbished another 10, with each refit costing an average £350,000. Of those 24 salons, 15 are in England and nine in Scotland.
It means the firm is now the biggest tanning chain in the UK, operating almost 100 tanning venues across the UK, and employing 817 people. Most of the venues are 1000-2000 sq ft and on average offer 12 tanning booths.
Mr Taylor, who runs the business with his wife Sadie and their son Ewan, says a critical element of the ongoing success is the ability to identify the best locations.
He sees an opportunity to expand the business particularly in retail outlets on major arterial routes inside towns and cities, but outside of traditional town centres.
These units are typically anchored by smaller supermarkets operated by the likes of Aldi, Tesco, Asda or M&S, with other outlets on the site including popular coffee shops such as Costa, pharmacies like Boots and popular fast-food outlets, such as KFC or Greggs.
Filling gaps
The expansion could offer another option for commercial landlords and property managers faced with gaps left by collapsing retailers.
Indigo Sun estimate its customers like to splash their cash, spending an average of £500 on tanning per year.
He said: “We have found the perfect niche for our salons. These locations are very much about convenience. Customers drive in and can see the full retail offering in front of them, be it a supermarket, a coffee shop or a pharmacy.
“They may spend as little as 30 minutes in these retail centres – including a sunbed session – and then head on their way. That is perfect for what they need and want.”
Indigo Sun recorded a turnover of more than £26m and almost £5.6m profit in the year to end of September 2022.
Both turnover and profits doubled on the previous financial period, when performance was hampered by months of Covid lockdowns.
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