Island Heat Tanning Centres, a company that started with one salon in Fort Erie, has now branched out into Port Colborne, opening in the plaza at the corner of Main Street West and King Street. Altogether, Island Heat Tanning Centres now has eight salons throughout the region.

It took a while for the salon to make its Port Colborne debut, but company co-owner Anthony Infurna said business is already heating up. Officially opened in February, the salon's seven tanning beds are "booked solid," said Infurna.

"I want to say thank-you to all the people in Port for our successful grand opening," said Infurna, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 18 that featured Mayor Vance Badawey, Coun. Frank DiBartolomeo and Gateway Improvement chair Gino Spada.

"It's been less than two months and we have a very good thing here."

Island Heat Tanning Centres have operated for 25 years, said Infurna, but just became a franchise in 2002.

"Six years later we have eight locations," he said. "One in Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Welland, two in Niagara Falls and three in St. Catharines."

Infurna says customer service and low prices are what he thinks has made his company successful. Island Heat Tanning Centres has the "best possible plan for people," with packages that include unlimited tans starting for as low as $30 a month, and said that using his beds is "safer than the sun," because of the time control.

The salon employs three people and will be hiring another person soon, said Infurna. There are plans for two additional salons in Niagara in the near future, he added.