Haley Holle thinks it’s hot outside.

And the 26-year-old Troy University graduate decided there had to be some way to enjoy the benefits of the sun and stay cool at the same time.

“I love lying out in the sun and getting a tan, but it is so hot,” Holle said, sitting beneath the sign in her store, “Sunkissed.”

So instead of being outside, customers can get a tan in the coolness of her business on Ware’s Cross Road at New Franklin Road.

Following in the footsteps of family members, Holle opened the business three months ago.

“Everyone in my family is in retail. My dad is going to be opening a karaoke bar next door,” she said.

Holle, who will be married in July, spends time outdoors with her dog.

“We take walks and play Frisbee,” she said.

Even then, Holle makes sure that her time in the sun is limited and she is protected with sunscreen.

But the idea of being about to get “sunkissed” without sweating and facing the dangers of dehydration or sun poisoning just turns Holle off.

“I like being outside and enjoy the sun, but right now it is so hot and there are so many dangers in being outside,” she said.

So Holle turned to tanning beds.

“Lying out in tanning beds is not the answer, but it offers a way to stay cool. With anything that you do, if you abuse it, it can cause problems, like the tanning beds or the sun. You don’t want to lie too much in the beds,” she said.

Holle herself might spend 10 to 15 minutes a day in a tanning bed.

“I consider it my relaxation time. The air conditioner is on and the fans are on, and I get the effect of the sun,” she said.

She started her business after seeing the success of a similar one in Alabama.

“There was tanning bed in Auburn that I liked, and I remember thinking how busy the place was and how that this might be a good business to have,” Holle said.

“Summertime is the slower time for business, but as the temperature increases, people are looking for ways to enjoy the sun and stay cool.”

She encourages people to be careful out in the sun and in the tanning beds.

“Make sure you watch your time and always wear lotions. If you are lying in a tanning bed or out in the sun, just be careful and stay cool,” Holle said.

Becky Holland may be reached at bholland@ lagrangenews.com and (706) 884-7311, Ext. 229.

— “Neighbors” is a feature of LaGrange Daily News which spotlights people who are in the news, have unusual hobbies or are otherwise interesting. To suggest a person who could be profiled, contact Becky Holland at bholland@ lagrangenews or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 229.