After nearly three decades of providing tanning services to the local community, the salon that originally opened as Mary’s Tanning Isle before becoming Mary’s Tanning and Fashion, has undergone not only another name change, but also several renovations.
Sheryl Cain, a life-long Urbana resident and 1986 graduate of Urbana High School, purchased the salon at 1637 E. U.S. Route 36, Suite 2, in January and changed the name to Sunny Daze Tanning Salon.
“I feel very blessed to have been able to take over this salon, which has been part of the Urbana and Champaign County community for about 30 years,” she said.
Cain, who spent five years as manager of the salon under the previous owner, decided she wanted to make the place hers, so when she bought it earlier this year, she immediately began renovation work.
“It needed some serious updating in décor, so with the help of some very good friends of ours, we took out the front desk and replaced it with a more space-saving desk,” Cain said. “This created a space for a waiting area, which is more relaxing and what I wanted to try and accomplish.
“The major job was the floor. We ripped up the carpet throughout the salon, with exceptions of the rooms, and put down ceramic tile,” she added, noting the salon also received a paint job which includes a beach mural that greets customers when they walk in.
As far as tanning services go, the salon still offers its staples, but Cain said she has installed new bulbs in more than half of the tanning beds and is now offering one of the newest and most popular tanning methods in the country – air brush spray tanning.
“I have always wanted to have it here, so my husband and I went to Toledo and took the training course. Now we are certified to air brush,” she said. “Air brushing is by appointment only, and so far has been very well-received by our customers.”
Sunny Daze is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The salon features daily specials on Tuesday and Sunday.
