Olympic Runner Jumps Into Local Business Scene Bringing Energy, Smiles, And Year-round Sunshine

April 15, 2010 - PRLog -- 18 months ago, US Olympic 800 meter runner Nick Symmonds was given the key to the City of Springfield for his accomplishments both on the track at the 2008 Olympics as well as for his work in the Springfield community’s Big Brother program.

Now, Nick holds the key to Springfield’s newest business, a Tan Republic tanning salon franchise, and has his sights set on as many as 10 more in the Eugene / Springfield area over the next several years.

“I love to see how happy people are after tanning in one of our stores.” says Nick enthusiastically. “To provide a service that people here really appreciate feels phenomenal.”

His foray into the tanning world, a $5 billion industry, began with his own search for natural ways to keep his immune system going strong while living and training in the rainy Pacific Northwest.

After reading an article about the health benefits of Vitamin D, which the body produces via sunlight absorption and is a nutrient which strengthens bones, fights disease, and assists with endurance performance, Nick began tanning and monitoring his Vitamin D levels.

He noticed an immediate impact, and found that his tanning sessions left him feeling energized, allowing him to continue focusing on training hard to represent the USA in the 2012 Olympic Games.

Since Nick and developer Sam Lapray (his coach and business partner), were looking for a business venture to invest in which would be compatible with Nick’s training, starting a tanning salon of his own seemed like a perfect fit.

“Tan Republic is a network of independently owned and operated tanning franchises that provide a great service to the people of Oregon and Washington.” Nick explains. “For much of the year there is a lack of natural sunshine in this lovely area, and with Tan Republic we’re able to hit the ground running with an established business model that offers a variety of ways to get enough sun, every day of the year.”

The duo bought the franchise rights for the whole Eugene / Springfield area, and plan to open as many as 10 stores over the next 4 years.  Nick says he enjoys the challenge of learning the different demographic areas and then finding the ideal mix of tanning services to meet their needs.

With a burgeoning Olympic running career his primary focus, opening the first Tan Republic in the region has given Symmonds more than just a business venture to supplement his income – it’s a means of providing a service for the community which Nick promises will benefit people the way it does him: a healthy dose of Vitamin D, a boost of energy, and tons of smiles from the year-round sunshine.

Springfield Tan Republic is located, appropriately enough, at 2323 Olympic Street, near Walmart and Jerry’s. The tanning salon is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 10pm, Saturday from 10am to 7pm, and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Tanning beds include high-pressure beds, high-pressure stand-ups, and the world famous Mystic Tan, a UV-free spray tan booth made famous by many Hollywood stars.

Contact Info
Nick Symmonds or Sam Lapray
541-746-TANS
nick@tanrepublic.com
2323 Olympic Street, Springfield, OR 97477

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Tan Republic is Oregon’s largest tanning salon franchise company, with over 30 stores open in Oregon and Southwest Washington offering high-pressure European sunbeds, stand-up tanning booths, UV-free spray tanning, Lumiere skin rejuvenation, and more.