Forbidden Tan goal is to have a thousand swimsuits

MOSES LAKE - McKel Mathews just landed her dream job.

Mathews' new place of employment, The Forbidden Tan, opened June 2 at its location at 1217 Pioneer Way in Moses Lake.

It's also her first job.

"I love tanning. I'm like addicted to it," she enthused. "I think it's the most awesome job for a teenage girl. It's really fun."

"Just came up with it, it was just something that came out," owner Tony McCarty said of the new business' name. "No particular reason."

McCarty believed Moses Lake needed a "high-end" facility with new tanning beds.

"Just new technology that's out there," he explained.

A resident of Moses Lake for about five years, McCarty said the business offers several levels of tanning beds and a spray booth.

"It's a UV-free spray tan," he explained. "They've really increased the technology (these days). It's better than most guns that are out there, where people actually spray you. That's a little more intrusive on people; people like the privacy of having a whole room with their own booth where somebody's not standing over the top of you just spraying you."

The booth is computerized, McCarty added.

Before the business could open "people have just been flocking in like crazy," McCarty said. "Really, really good response."

McCarty maintains his position as a Moses Lake real estate agent.

"The employees will basically be here, and I just hang out here all day long when I'm not doing real estate," he said with a grin.

The Forbidden Tan employs five people.

The salon's offerings include a swimsuit line. McCarty said the salon will do "quite a bit of" retail.

"Our goal is to have a thousand swimsuits in here," he said. "So we want to be known for the place to come get swimsuits also. We've got to build up to that, but that's our goal."

McCarty hopes the salon's personal touches - towels, breath mints, bottle of water - provide customers with the best service.

"I think by doing that, that will obviously create more business," he said. "If people want to be babied and serviced, this is where we want them to come."

The Forbidden Tan is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information, call 509-766-8267.