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• New federal map may spare some Lodians hundreds or thousands in flood insurance

• Foreclosure frustration

• Regional Roundup

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (45)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

ADVERTISEMENT

Out of this world spa

Lodi's Planet Beach offers latest in hydro-massage, skin care and tanning

As summer approaches, sun seekers will inevitably head for sandy beaches to play and get a tan. But those looking for golden skin don't need to drive all the way to the ocean. There's a beach right here in Lodi.

Planet Beach, a vibrant and colorful spa offering massage therapy, hydrotherapy and tanning, opened just two weeks ago at 363 S. Lower Sacramento Road in the Raley's Shopping Center.

Philip and Kirsten Loechler were looking to make a change and discovered the Planet Beach franchise (dubbed a "contempo spa") through a friend.

"I was interested in opening my own business, and I had a friend who had a Planet Beach franchise," Kirsten Loechler said. "She said it was a lot of fun."

Kirsten Loechler presented the information to her husband, and they researched it. Philip Loechler had been looking for a change of career.

"She brought this up, and I said, 'Sure,'" Philip Loechler said. "Everything just fell into place." One of the main draws to Philip Loechler was the young open-minded attitude of Planet Beach. They began the footwork to open the spa, and exactly one year later, on May 7, they opened their doors for business.

Among the services offered by Planet Beach are an oxygen bar with several "flavors," a hydro-massage bed, a Cyber-Relax massage chair, facials, guided meditation, UV therapy and Mystic tanning.

Kirsten Loechler explains different treatments offered at the business in the Raley's shopping center. Here she shows the hydration station, a pod-like device designed to moisturize a client's skin before the tanning process takes place. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

The main focus, according to the Loechlers, is healthy skin. To that end, they carry a full line of skin care products, and soon they will stock a line of nutritional products as well.

Philip and Kirsten Loechler and their five employees have all been trained through Planet Beach University and have 1,150 units. Each is a certified skin consultant from the National Tanning Training Institute, and they've all had 40 hours of marketing and equipment training.

"We know almost everything about skin," said Rhonda Dias, the assistant consultant at Planet Beach.

A hydration station, a pod-like device that looks as if it would transport people into space, is designed to moisturize a client's skin before the tanning process takes place.

"Moisturized skin tans better," Kirsten Loechler said.

After the hydration, clients looking to tan have the option of various UV tanning beds or the UV-free Mystic tan. The Mystic tan uses Magnatec technology. Unlike traditional sprayed on tans, the Mystic tan draws the color to the body like a magnet in just moments. In four to six hours, clients will have an even tan that lasts up to seven days.

When the Loechlers began promoting their business, they offered memberships through Twin Arbors Athletic Club. Since they opened, they have joined the Lodi Chamber of Commerce and are continually involving themselves in community events such as the Street Faire.

Memberships are still encouraged by the staff, mainly because they give unlimited access to all the services offered by Planet Beach, with the exception of the UV tanning booths. For a limited time they will sell memberships for $59 a month, though individual sessions can be purchased.

"In an hour, people (that come in) will be fully rejuvenated," Philip Loechler said.

For more information on Planet Beach, call 369-4SPA.

Contact Business Editor Marc Lutz at marcl@lodinews.com.