By Terra Avilla
You know that feeling when you just meet someone, and you can tell that they are good-hearted people and it feels like you have known them a lot longer than you have? It’s like your intuition is telling you to gravitate toward them. That is the exact feeling I felt when I met Rachelle and Jon Barker.
I first met the couple when they graciously let Frankie and I rent one of their houses. Allowing a family with a rambunctious toddler and two large dogs to move into their property is a pretty bold move for a landlord, Jon and Shelley however immediately made it feel like our home.
I will always love them more than I can tell them for giving my family and I a home. A home in this beautiful community.
The rest of you may, and if you do not you should, know them as the owners of Sierra Tan.
I have been to my fair share of tanning salons in my life. I am blessed with many things, but naturally tan skin is not one of them. As such, I was a very frequent flier of the tanning salons in Reno.
When I first visited Sierra Tan I was blown away at not only the beautiful salon, but by the wonderful staff. Staff that knows your name and will do about anything to cater to you.
Most tanning salon employees used to drive me nuts – always trying to up-sell me $50 tanning lotions or recommending shorter tanning periods to get you in and out as quickly as possible.
The first time I went in to Sierra Tan Jon gave me a huge helping of lotion to use free. Why? Because he really liked the lotion and wanted to share.
Every single time I have ever gone there, Shelley, Jon and their staff are so incredibly friendly, they never try to push any products or up-sell any charges. You want a ten-minute tan? No problem. A spray tan? Other beautiful, unique gifts? They are your one-stop shop.
The reason I love small businesses like Jon and Rachelle’s is they run it like their customers are their business partners. Listening to their needs, and responding to them. You think a huge tanning chain would special order anything for one of their customers? Probably not.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out how much they give back to this community. Both of them are retired from the prisons, a pretty honorable feat. However, they continue to serve our community.
Anytime I have ever gone to them asking for them to donate anything, they always do. They don’t just give to the things I am doing or organizing, they are two of the most generous, big hearted people I know.
Seriously y’all do yourself a favor and go visit them. Just meet them. I promise you will leave there wanting to go back just for their company. They are silly and sweet and caring and honest and just so incredibly good. They are part of my Susanville family forever and always. They are a million times over, two of the reasons I love the place I live.
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