Now open at 300 W. Pine St., Suite 2
When a customer appears at your door every day, you must be doing something right.
Dianna Fyke and William Sparks Jr., owners of Whispering Palms Tanning Salon in Chillicothe, have a customer like that.
The woman, age 77, is heading to Florida soon and wants to get a head start on her tan.
“She absolutely loves it,” Fyke said about her oldest customer.
Whispering Palms aims at family friendly, affordable rates, even scheduling specials hours if need be for customers.
“We’ll be glad to stay open late, open early and open special hours for our customers,” said Fyke.
The business, located at 300 W. Pine St., Suite 2, is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The past five years, Fyke owned a tanning salon in Washburn, where she kept her salon open for the girls’ softball team to tan after games.
Now in Chillicothe and open for three weeks, Fyke said she wanted to return to the area where she has family.
She graduated from Illinois Valley Central High School in 1982 and Sparks in 1984.
“This is a family oriented business,” said Fyke. “We want to make it affordable for everybody and want everybody to be comfortable and healthy.”
While Fyke and Sparks generally man the store, family members lend a hand when needed.
The salon offers a lay-down tanning bed, one lay-down with face and a standup booth.
Not everyone, however, comes to Whispering Palms for a skin glow.
“We also have people come in because of seasonal disorders, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, arthritis and to relieve stress,” said Fyke.
Senior citizens age 55 and older receive a 15 percent discount, and currently, the business has a prom special, with 10 tans for $30.
For people who find it hard to tan, Fyke allows shorter sessions, gradually building to longer times in the tanning beds.
Whispering Palms also offers a wide variety of affordable moisturizers and lotions for its clients.
Sparks is a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 649, so Fyke tends to the business mostly during the day.
While many businesses have closed their doors, Fyke said her business has picked up nicely, largely by word of mouth.
Much of that may be due to her business philosophy.
“We always cater to our public,” said Fyke. “We will do what we can to accommodate everyone.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 274-5158.
Chillicothe, Ill. —
