In 2006, James Harton was getting a haircut when he started thinking about the open space next door. He imagined that it would be the perfect spot to open up a tanning salon, but didn’t pursue the idea much further. When someone else leased the space and created a profitable tanning salon, he was full of regret.

“I was kicking myself like crazy,” says James.

He loved his job as a police officer, but the influence of his entrepreneurial grandfather instilled the desire to give business ownership a shot. So, instead of giving up, James became a client. He carefully scoped out the business and tried to glean some inspiration for what he would do when the time was right. Just one year later, the business unexpectedly closed, and James got his chance. He opened Sunset Tanz in 2007 and found a new way way of serving the community he loved. Three years later, he brought on a new partner in business and in life: his wide, Deborah Harton.

“We enjoy a lot of travel, and I have always viewed vacation time as a time to travel to relaxing places. I think that’s why I opened a tanning salon: I wanted to create that relaxing environment for my customers,” says James.

With eight years in business and six locations in northern Alabama, the couple is making the most of this second chance.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.