When did the Chief Executive Officer open the first Itan Salon?
Itan Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Our Chief Executive Officer opened the first Salon in San Diego, California in 2001. Our company has offered franchises for Salons since 2008. We also offered area representative franchises from August 2012 to December 2014, although we never sold any area representative franchises. In addition to owning and operating at least 1 Salon, area representatives would assist us in selling franchises, and training and supporting franchisees, within a designated development territory. We no longer offer area representative franchises. We have never offered franchises in any other line of business. We have never directly owned and operated a Salon.
Source: Item 1 — FRANCHISOR AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 7–9)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Itan's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Chief Executive Officer opened the first Itan salon in 2001. The location of this initial salon was in San Diego, California. This pre-dates the incorporation of iTAN Franchising, Inc., which occurred on April 9, 2008.
For a prospective franchisee, this indicates that Itan has corporate experience dating back to 2008, but the brand's operational history extends further, to the opening of the first salon in 2001. This suggests a longer period of refinement and understanding of the tanning salon business model before franchising began.
It is important to note that the FDD states that iTAN Franchising, Inc. has never directly owned and operated a Salon. However, another section indicates that Kharsa Holdings, Inc. operated company-owned salons from April 2001 until December 2023, when they were sold to a franchisee. Kharsa Holdings, Inc. is an affiliate of iTAN Franchising, Inc. and shared the same principal business address. This distinction may be relevant to a franchisee assessing the operational experience behind the Itan brand.