Biz Buzz: 8 new tenants in Rexburg commercial strip want you to look your best
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Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
BIZ BRIEF
REXBURG
Rexburg commercial development now home to hair salon, spray tan and esthetics shops
REXBURG – People wanting a new look in 2022 can get it all done at a new commercial strip in Rexburg.
Eight tenants set up shop in the West View Suites development at 1183 Summers Drive behind Mike Merrell Dentistry at the first of the year. Among the tenants is a hair salon, a business offering botox and other cosmetic injections, a spray-tan shop, a lash extension clinic, and other shops offering esthetics.
The tenants include Beach Bum Spray Tans, Studio Bliss, Lux Lab-Lashed by Tyler May, Lash Out Esthetics, MD Esthetics, Injector Jess Cosmetic Injections, Fresh Face Esthetics and Hanson Hair Co.
Christina Stoddard, the strip’s business manager and owner of Beach Bum Spray Tans, tells EastIdahoNews.com there’s been a steady stream of clients walking through the doors since it opened Jan. 1.
“Everybody stays busy, and their clientele has followed them over,” Stoddard says of tenants who were previously operating in a different location. “Some of them aren’t completely done with school, so they’re doing what they’re licensed to do for now until they’re done. Others have been doing it for a year or two.”
Stoddard focuses on spray tans exclusively but will be adding lash extensions in about a month.
Stoddard’s experience with spray tans began years ago as a participant in fitness competitions. When her daughter became a cheerleader in high school, she helped her and her squad with spray tanning.
“I thought this would be a really great side business. I started it in June, and it’s just grown from there,” says Stoddard. “I like the interaction. I meet so many new people. It’s been great.”
Stoddard also works at Mike Merrell Dentistry next door.
Merrell, who owns the strip, says Miracle-Ear once occupied the entire space. It moved about five months ago to a larger neighboring building.
Merrell had been looking for a new tenant when Stoddard and women with similar businesses approached him.
“These gals … had all been looking for somewhere to go that they could afford. They only needed a bit of space, but they couldn’t afford much of anywhere else. So we remodeled that side so they had an affordable place to conduct their business,” Merrell says.
So far, Merrell says it’s proven to be a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Stoddard says there aren’t a lot of brick and mortar spray-tan shops in eastern Idaho, and she’s glad to have a space to serve customers. She’s hoping it will continue to grow.
Beach Bum Spray Tans is open Monday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and by appointment. It’s also open Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit the website or Facebook page for more information.
BIZ BITS
New coffee shop opens in Shelley
SHELLEY – Longtime Shelley resident Jessica Southworth celebrated the grand opening of her new coffee shop over the weekend.
The Corner Cup opened in October at 169 West Pine Street. The grand opening was held on Saturday and Southworth tells EastIdahoNews.com she was pleased with the turnout.
The shop serves coffee, pastries, hot chocolate and Italian soda. One of the more unique items is the mushroom coffee, which she describes as a “functional energy” drink that is “very good.” The most popular menu item is the latte.
In the future, Southworth would like to showcase local artwork and bands in her shop. EastIdahoNews.com will post a more in-depth story soon.
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
AMMON
Local chiropractor on a quest to make care more convenient and accessible to patients
AMMON – When Luke Watson moved to eastern Idaho with his family in 2020 to open a chiropractic clinic, he wanted to try something that set him apart from other clinics in the area.
His only tie to the area was a friend who had gotten wind that Bob Heaton, a chiropractor in Ammon who had been practicing for 42 years, was retiring. Watson’s friend suggested he look into taking over the building at 1320 South Ammon Road where Heaton had been serving patients for many years.
The Washington native opened East Ridge Chiropractic at that location in September 2020 after getting settled in Rigby. As Watson looks back on the last 16 months of business, he tells EastIdahoNews.com “so far, so good.”
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