Lynn Graham, Megan Gill and Nikkie Forni

It was always a dream to own a tanning salon for owners Lynn Graham, Megan Gill and Nikkie Forni. With positive thinking and a passion for tanning, they made their dream become a reality four years ago. Since then, they have a following unique to most, where some patrons come in simply for a hug or a chat. They’ve created a home away from home. In this Smart Tan exclusive interview, Megan Gill discusses how tanning has changed their lives:

Max Tan started as a mere thought, a wish, a “someday,” until one day, the cards laid just right and the opportunity to purchase Max Tan was there. May 1 marks our fourth year in business. Since the beginning, Max Tan has had some pretty amazing moments. From the crazy little “everyday” moments that only salon employees understand, to the big things like my sister Nikkie winning the cover model opportunity for Supre Tan.

In 2012, Nikkie learned about a contest to become a Supre Tan model through one of our distributors at Sun Tan Supply. It was a long couple of months gaining public votes and getting our customers in on the excitement to spread the word and vote for Nikkie. Everyone in the Max Tan family was rooting for her and the end result? She won! We couldn’t believe it, and we were so proud of her.

Nikkie becoming the Supre Tan model has been such a fun experience for all of us. We not only were super proud of Nikkie, but we were honored that she was picked. We have met so many people along the way. From the moment Nikkie became their spokes model, Supre Tan has treated all of us like family. Knowing how close my mom, Nikkie and I are, they sent us with her to Smart Tan Nashville two years ago. They paid for all of our expenses and treated us like royalty. Let me tell you it was an experience of a lifetime. For example, we got to have dinner with Bruce, the owner of Supre Tan – what an honor.

They really showed how much they appreciate us as well, and because of this, we are one of the biggest Sun Evolution carriers in the area. They aren’t just any business – they care. When Nikkie won, Supre Tan flew her out to Dallas for a four-day photo shoot and sent our tanning salon over $4,000 in free products! It was a huge win, not only for Nikkie and Max Tan, but for our whole community.

Since then, we have been able to expand our exposure, meet great people in the tanning industry, and increase the interest in Max Tan. Can I just tell you how insanely amazing and breathtaking it is to see your sister’s picture in elevators, on posters, notepads, magazines and walking into a convention where multiple pictures of her hang hundreds of feet high! It’s insane. It’s not everyday you can tell people that your sister shared a dressing room with Snooki, took pictures with her and signed autographs together.

Throughout our whole life, my mom would look at us and say, “Girls someday we will own a tanning salon.” Through a quote we live by, “Ask, believe and receive,” my mom made this a reality for all of us. Without her and God, none of this would have ever happened. We believe in spreading love and positive energy in everything that we do, and our customers say it’s the reason they keep coming back to us – and for the great tans of course!  

To learn more about Max Tan, visit their website at www.maxtanlakewood.com