Sundrops spreads its sunshine to Hollywood
I have to admit that when I was introduced to Laura Downing and, in response to my question, she told me her business was sun tanning, I showed a somewhat ho-hum response initially.
However, upon further inquiry, I learned she has been in business for 10 years, has never used a tanning bed and only applies a healthy tan with her own products, which have caught the attention of Hollywood.
In 2004, Downing opened the doors of Sundrops Studios, now located on 12th Street N.W., just around the corner from Kensington Wine Market.
She first heard about spray tanning from another volunteer at the Distress Centre and discussed the possibility of opening a salon here with a silent partner who is a chemical engineer. After much experimenting he was able to come up with a formula that has been used in more than 10,000 applications for happy clients.
Sundrops mixes the formula on premises and is continually developing new products to fit clients’ skin types and needs, while maintaining its commitment to using only high-quality, all-natural ingredients.
Its proprietary tanning application techniques and products have frequently taken Downing to Los Angeles, where her son, Johnny Hawkes, is an actor, popular DJ and voice-over actor.
Through Johnny she was introduced to Dawn Shand Johnson, a professional makeup artist and fashion editor who was impressed with Downing’s expertise and products and helped her to meet other industry people who work with a number of major television studios.
As a result, and thanks to the quality of her products, Downing has trained makeup artists at CBS and Sony who work on hit shows that include Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, The Young and the Restless, 60 Minutes and The Bold and the Beautiful.
Downing said Paddy Bunch of Mike and Mindy and Two Broke Girls has been very helpful in promoting her spraying and Sundrops brands, while the department head for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy uses the formula on Vanna White.
Sundrops has also developed a cream that has sparkle in it. It’s currently being promoted to a major U.S.-based worldwide beauty store chain and a luxury hotel on Maui.
The Calgary salon is very busy with the majority of its by-appointment-only clients who are mostly aged 25 to 60 and include a growing number of men.
Sundrops operates out of only the one salon in Kensington but Downing said she is looking for more locations within the city and has launched a marketing plan to attract franchisees here and across Western Canada.
Calgary-based ClearMotive Marketing Group has opened an office in Liberty Village on Dufferin Street in Toronto. CEO Tyler Chisholm said an office in Ontario will be helpful in servicing its client Honda for which it supports 700 dealers across Canada with their motorcycles, ATVs and power equipment.
It will also focus on growing business for the integrated agency in the Greater Toronto Area.
The 100-year-old Hillhurst United Church is busy seven days a week and has outgrown its annex building. Ten years ago, when Rev. John Pentland took over the ministry it had a small, shrinking congregation and very few children. Today, there are 260 kids registered and around 450 worshippers at its two Sunday services.
The decision has been made to renovate into a new space and the world’s brightest young architectural minds have been invited to compete as to how they see it could be best designed.
“We don’t need just a typical church hall,” says Pentland. “We envision a community-inclusive space where individuals of all beliefs, who share our values, can collaborate and innovate to achieve our full potential as a supportive community.”
Two young, apprenticing architects, Holly Simon and Kevin Lo, volunteered to set up a design competition that has just been launched online and have recruited an international adjudication panel.