When Image Sun in Fredericksburg, Virginia, reopened last November, it wasn’t just a comeback—it was a reinvention. For owner Charlotte Sealy, a yearlong shutdown caused by an electrical fire became the catalyst to rethink not only her space, but the future of her business. Rebuilding took longer than expected, giving Charlotte time to step back and reassess where the industry is headed and how Image Sun could evolve with it.
“I have a new, revived outlook on the industry and being in business,” Charlotte says.
“I wanted a fresh start with a fresh look and new beds. I wanted to be more upscale, not just a country tanning salon where people can come get a tan. I wanted to turn it into a sanctuary—a place you can get away to take care of yourself. Come in to spend 30 minutes or an hour focusing on your well-being. I’m passionate about wellness and biohacking, and I want to feel good, and I know everybody my age does, too.”
That reflection led Charlotte to wellness—and specifically to red light therapy—as the foundation of Image Sun’s next chapter. After researching the category and studying what was emerging across the industry, she chose to add the SmartSun Therapy SST28 as a centerpiece service, alongside POLY LED light therapy and an infrared sauna with salt therapy.
“All I had was tanning, and after researching the industry and SmartSun Therapy, I thought it was the best product. I trusted that SmartSun Therapy was offering an amazing product,” she says.
Since reopening, the SST28 has quickly become the most popular service in the salon and has also played a central role in reshaping Image Sun’s business model. Red light therapy is included in the salon’s all-inclusive membership, which now bundles tanning, spray tanning, and wellness services. After just four months back in business, Image Sun was already generating the same EFT revenue it did before the fire.
“After being open for four months, I’m making the same EFT revenue I was before with half the clientele. Once we hit the busy season, I expect to triple that membership. The people who were just tanning are now spending $90 per month because they see it as more valuable,” Charlotte says. “The all-inclusive membership definitely works. You give them a tour, and people are all about coming in and having a spa day and taking care of themselves.”
Unlike tanning, red light therapy doesn’t offer an immediate visual change—something Charlotte initially recognized as a potential challenge. Instead, clients notice how they feel.
“People are amazed that it really does work. It might seem hard to sell something that doesn’t provide an immediate, visible result. But what I’ve experienced and heard is how good you feel after the session is over. Something about it makes you feel good. You feel uplifted. It does something to your mood. I have a lot of older people who have back issues, hip problems, or autoimmune diseases, and every single person reports feeling better,” she says.