MEMBER OF THE MONTH
COMING
FULL
CIRCLE
Ashley Laabs, Editor,
In her teenage years, Shell Kalka
lounged at her local indoor tanning
salon, dreaming about what she would
do if she had one of her own and
enjoying a rare moment of independence. For her, it was a relaxing place
away from home.
Smart Tan Magazine
As an adult, she did ended up being
quite the entrepreneur. Shell owned a laundry mat and dry
cleaning business, an Italian charm shop and even had a
stint as a Power Seller on eBay. She had always wanted to
own a tanning salon, but her actual foray into the industry
happened on a whim.
In 2010, a rare moment of downtime allowed Shell to tan
at a local salon. After burning for the first time, she was so
upset she resolved to buy the business – which wasn't even
for sale. Not long after, the location reopened as Coconut
Tan. With new equipment, pricing structure, a complete
remodel and a hard-working staff, Shell hoped to help the
indoor tanning industry be taken more seriously, especially
in her community.
Since opening, Shell has opened a total of four locations.
On top of a very full business schedule, she juggles a home
39 ❘ SMART TAN MAGAZINE ❘ SmartTan.com
BUSINESS INFO
Name: Coconut Tan
Location: Elkhart, IN (2);
South Bend, IN;
Edwardsburg, MI
Owners:
Shell Kalka and Jim Kalka Jr.
Website:
www.coconuttanspa.com
Equipment: Ergoline, Ultrasun,
Dr. Kern, Ultrabronz
Lotions: Australian Gold,
Designer Skin, Synergy Tan,
Supre, Swedish Beauty
Most Used Bed: Ultrabronz
818
Best Selling Lotion:
Kardashian Glow Iced Bronzer