Then-East Chicago Fire Department Paramedic Randy Anderson opened Safari Beach on 45th Avenue in Munster in the early 1980s and it quickly became a destination for those seeking a more bronze hue.
The tanning salon took off so much he was able to quit his job and work full-time as a business owner. It started as a side project and blew up from there, Anderson said.
His tanning business expanded to also include salons in Merrillville and Chicago. But in 2003, he sold them all to L.A. Tan, a chain that quickly spread around the Region.
Anderson opened a new Safari Beach Tan in Valparaiso in 2004 with standup booths he developed.