Jeff Manes: Tan shop owner likes wide open spaces of Lake Village

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Ashley Muller

Updated: February 8, 2012 2:28PM

“It’s hard to play a gig in this town

And keep a straight face

Seems like everyone here’s got a plan

It’s kinda like Nashville with a tan ... .”

— Shawn Mullins

When my twin daughters were in high school, I refused to sign for them when they wanted to go to a tanning salon.

So, I felt like a hypocrite when I forked out $9 for 13 minutes the other day at Fake Bake Tanning Salon in Lowell. But, I was interviewing Fake Bake’s owner, Ashley Muller.

I deemed it research.

Muller, 27, grew up in Richton Park, Ill., and lives in Lake Village with her husband, Jason. They’ve been married eight years and have two sons, Landon, 5, and Nathan, 3.

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Childhood memories of Richton Park?

“Me and my friends riding our low-rider bikes around the neighborhood,” she said. “I have two brothers; we did everything together. We’re a real close family.

“We were really into cars and racing — enduro and demolition cars. We used to go to Raceway Park in Blue Island (Ill.) all the time. After Raceway Park closed, my brothers built a race car for Illiana (Motor Speedway in Schererville). My brother, Lawrence, was Rookie of the Year.”

High school?

“Rich South.”

Did your husband grow up in Richton Park?

“No, Jason lived in Park Forest and Matteson (Ill.). I met him at Nino’s Pizza in Matteson. I was working in the kitchen and he delivered pizzas.”

What does Jason do for a living?

“He works for BMW in Schererville.”

How long have you lived in Lake Village?

“About four years.”

How did you discover Lake Village?

“We were looking for something cheaper and wanted more land. Newton County has cheaper taxes. We’re west of U.S. 41, toward the (Illinois) state line.”

Do you like Lake Village?

“It’s an adjustment. It’s a lot different than city life. My family is about an hour away; I’m used to being five minutes from them. I used to talk to my mother every day; now, it’s a lot of text messaging.

“My boys love living in Lake Village. I don’t know what they’d do if we lived on a quarter-acre lot. They run around the backyard with our two dogs; they just wander that five acres. Rarely do my sons watch TV or play video games; they’d rather play outside.”

My brother and I grew up much the same.

“Driving from Lake Village to Lowell is nothing. My husband talks about opening a Wendy’s at the intersection of Indiana 10 and U.S. 41 in Lake Village.”

Fake Bake Tanning Salon?

“It was all Jason’s idea; he originally wanted to open up a pizza place in Momence (Ill.), but figured it would be too much while working in Schererville.”

Lake Village is 14 miles from Lowell and Momence.

“The tanning salon came about almost overnight. We signed a paper and that was it; there was no turning back.

“We purchased a package deal online that came with a computer, the software system, the solution to clean the goggles, the welcome sign and the tanning beds for $35,000.”

Ashley, I’ve read conflicting reports on tanning salons vs. the sun regarding the dangers of skin cancer.

“I believe it’s how often you tan and how you use the bed, goggles and lotion. The article we have tacked to the wall says the sun’s rays are worse than the beds. Some people tan too much, obviously.”

Explain, please.

“If you tan too much, your skin looks like leather and you age a lot faster. Some people tan every once in a while, just to relax. Some dermatologists recommend tanning; tanning beds can help with eczema, dry skin and acne.”

***

Ashley Muller is friendly and easy to talk to. She did yell at me once, though.

It was after our interview, when she noticed all the fluorescent bulbs from the stand-up bed illuminating her entire salon. I couldn’t hear her because of the noise of the bed while in operation.

You see, I didn’t realize the tanning bed had a door that was supposed to be closed. So, I walked out of the place brown on the backside and pink on the front — a clear-cut case of half-baked research.