From a Mobile Truck to 51 Locations and Counting: The Unstoppable Rise of goGLOW

How a former Probation Officer turned a side hustle into one of the fastest-growing beauty franchises in the country with 26 locations open an additional 25 stores in the process of opening and a pipeline that shows no signs of slowing down.

In the crowded landscape of beauty and wellness franchises, few stories are as compelling, or as unlikely as the ascent of goGLOW. What started as a single mobile spray tanning truck in Minneapolis in 2010 has evolved into a nationwide franchise powerhouse with several locations now open across the country. The momentum is undeniable, and the brand is only accelerating.

The brand’s trajectory reads less like a conventional business plan and more like the opening chapter of an entrepreneurial fairy tale. Melanie Richards, goGLOW’s founder and CEO, spent more than a decade working as a probation officer in Minnesota, dedicating her career to law enforcement and advocating for victims of domestic violence. The beauty industry was nowhere on her radar. But a creative itch and a passion for skincare led her to launch a mobile spray tanning service on the side. One truck became four. A small but fiercely loyal clientele grew into a movement.

Richards opened her first brick-and-mortar location at 50th & France in Edina, Minnesota, in 2015. The concept was different from anything else in the tanning market: bright, white-walled studios that rejected the dark, chemical-heavy aesthetic of traditional tanning salons. Everything about the experience was designed to feel clean, modern, and luxurious. A second corporate-owned location was a bold leap to Chicago in 2017 proved the concept could travel. goGLOW Maple Grove, MN opened January of 2020.

Armed with proprietary sunless tanning solutions, vegan, paraben-free, sulfate-free, and made in the U.S. along with patented air-filtration equipment that set a new standard for client safety and comfort, Richards began building the infrastructure for something bigger. By 2023, goGLOW officially launched its franchise program. The results have been nothing short of explosive.

The numbers tell a remarkable story of rapid but disciplined growth. As of early 2026, goGLOW has reached 26 open locations, a mix of salons already welcoming clients and more than a dozen in the final stages of opening, with still more in various phases of development and construction behind them.

For context, goGLOW entered 2025 with roughly 7 operating locations. Reaching 26 in a single year is the kind of trajectory that puts a brand on the radar of every serious franchise investor in the country.

The expansion is unfolding across high-demand markets from coast to coast, with new locations signed or opened in Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Kansas City, Kansas; Long Beach and San Diego , California; as well as Delray Beach, Florida, among many others. Fresh locations in Mentor, Ohio; Woodbury, Minnesota; and Omaha, Nebraska shattered service records during their opening months, a powerful signal that consumer appetite for the goGLOW experience is real and growing.

The 2025 calendar was a whirlwind of ribbon cuttings. New goGLOW salons opened in Austin, Texas; Alpharetta, Georgia; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania; Westfield, New Jersey; Phoenix’s Dana Park in the Southwest; and Sherman Oaks in the heart of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. The Ohio debut in Mentor marked the brand’s first foray into the Buckeye State with four additional locations opening in Ohio this year.

In Denver, the brand made a strong push into the Colorado market, securing a spot at The Orchard Town Center in Westminster and another location opening in Boulder, Colorado this summer. Perhaps the most glamorous opening came in December 2025, when goGLOW celebrated its Sherman Oaks grand opening with a red carpet event featuring celebrity guests, a ribbon cutting with the local Chamber of Commerce, and a meet-and-greet with reality television personality Brandi Glanville. It was a moment that signaled goGLOW’s arrival not just as a franchise, but as a lifestyle brand with genuine cultural currency.

Industry observers point to several factors driving goGLOW’s rapid ascent. The brand occupies a unique niche: it is positioned not as a traditional tanning salon, but as a skincare-forward beauty destination. Every spray tan is custom-blended based on the client’s skin tone and preferences, and the proprietary product line featuring plant-based, hydrating cleansers and moisturizers extends the relationship beyond a single appointment. The company’s patented air-filtration system, developed by Richards herself, addresses longstanding health concerns in the spray tanning industry and gives the brand a technological moat that competitors cannot easily replicate.

From a franchisee perspective, the model is built for accessibility. Locations typically occupy just 1,200 to 1,500 square feet, keeping real estate costs low. The brand requires no prior skincare experience from its franchise partners, offering comprehensive certification training instead. Startup costs are positioned below many traditional beauty franchise concepts, and the small footprint allows franchisees to be operational in as little as three to four months. Multi-unit ownership is encouraged, and several early franchisees have already begun developing second locations.

The diversity of goGLOW’s franchise partners tells its own story. The ownership roster includes former corporate tech professionals, healthcare workers, real estate investors, and seasoned multi-brand franchise operators. What unites them is a belief in the brand’s differentiation and the strength of its support system.

With 26 locations open or on the verge of opening and a healthy pipeline of additional territories in development, goGLOW is entering its next chapter with serious scale on the horizon. The brand has assembled a leadership team with deep franchise industry experience. Strategic partnerships with franchise development firms have helped goGLOW attract high-caliber operators and accelerate its expansion timeline.

The broader market tailwinds are favorable, too. Growing consumer awareness of the health risks associated with UV tanning, combined with sustained demand for clean beauty and wellness experiences, has created a rising tide that goGLOW is uniquely positioned to ride. The brand’s Allure Best of Beauty Award recognition and its more than 5,000 five-star reviews provide the kind of social proof that resonates with both consumers and prospective franchise partners.

Richards has spoken openly about building goGLOW to scale, and the numbers suggest the vision is becoming reality. From a solo mobile operation to 26 locations in just two years of franchising, the journey is a testament to what happens when product innovation meets operational discipline and genuine passion for the customer experience.

For the beauty and wellness franchise industry, goGLOW’s rise is more than a success story. It is a signal that the next great franchise brands may come not from Silicon Valley boardrooms or legacy beauty conglomerates, but from entrepreneurs who see a gap in the market and have the tenacity to fill it, one flawless, sun-kissed glow at a time.