The cold and dark days of winter have descended upon us, but the tanning salon business is getting ready to roll into high gear.

Electric Beach in Albert Lea’s Northbridge Mall has been serving customers in it’s multi-bed tanning facility for 20 years, and last year new ownership took over.

Janelle Oothoudt and her husband purchased the business in October 2007. Electric Beach has always been locally owned and operated, and Janelle Oothoudt wants to keep that hometown feel. She stresses the benefits that regular visits to the tanning parlor can offer customers.

“It helps people feel good about themselves, and it supplies the Vitamin D that they need,” she says.

An average of 400 people tan at Electric Beach weekly, and daily business seems to peak between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. The business is also open on weekends.

While most of the trade consists of appointments and walk-ins, roughly 100 people have annual memberships at Electric Beach. Members are offered discounts on tanning and the lotions that are an essential part of the tanning experience.

Certain precautions must be taken by tanners, including lotion application before and after tanning. Eye protection must also be worn to protect patrons from harmful ultraviolet rays that are a part of the tanning process. Eye protection is provided without charge to customers, though some bring their own protective eyewear.

Nine tanning beds are part of the equipment at Electric Beach, including Albert Lea’s only standup tanning bed. Oothoudt says the standup bed offers some advantages for customers.

“A standup offers a more even, overall tan, especially under the arms. It helps avoid visible lines on the skin.”

Winter tanning has an appeal to those who want to maintain a year around tan, and also those heading to sunnier climates for vacation, Oothoudt said.

“Tanning now gives you a good start for the tanning you will do on vacation,” Oothoudt said.

A day after Thanksgiving special was added this year as a way to attract new customers and provide a bonus for longtime patrons. Tanning specials on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are long-standing traditions at Electric Beach.

Five part-time employees make up the staff of Electric Beach, cleaning the tanning beds and making appointments, along with other general duties.

An Ultrabronz tanning bed is another special feature available to customers of Electric Beach. Ultrabronz offers a 30-minute tanning treatment with lower UV rays and lower heat. Ultrabronz helps prevent skin burning for people with sensitive skin, including the elderly.

Lotions are purchased through Four Seasons, a Paris, Tenn.-based distributor, though local patrons can bring their own lotions for tanning treatments, as long as the lotions meet standards for protection against UV rays.

Oothoudt and the other staff members learned the ins and outs of the tanning business from the previous owner and Oothoudt says she keeps up with current developments in the tanning business by reading trade magazines. She says she loves being involved in her tanning business at the Northbridge Mall.

“It’s fun talking to our customers,” Oothoudt said. “I hope they leave our business feeling good about themselves.”