She’s Glowing Places
Soleil Bronze Bar recently opened a brick and mortar at 570A S. Ashe St. in Southern Pines. Alessandra Gironda began her spray tanning business in 2023 as a fully mobile operation, traveling through Moore County and beyond. “I’m passionate about a good spray tan,” says Alessandra.
Alessandra grew up in pageantry and dance, and even went on to be a cheerleader for the Carolina Panthers. Tanning is obviously a big part of that lifestyle but once she was in college and saw the dangers of tanning beds firsthand, she decided to quit. “I wasn’t ready to sacrifice my health for a tan,” says Alessandra. That’s when she turned to spray tanning. After hanging up her TopCats boots, she moved back to Moore County and noticed a lack of exclusive spray tan artists in the area, so she took up the trade herself. “I wanted to study the art and the chemistry behind it.”
Now, she specializes in mixology and fully customizes all of her spray tans to match each client’s undertones. “I can do the lightest glow to dark, whatever they want,” she says, but orange isn’t in her repertoire. Alessandra also prides herself on being extremely flexible, although she does require appointments because proper preparation is super important for the outcome of your spray tan. For those looking for extra flexibility, she does still offer mobile services for groups and events.
Since physical health is always on her mind, Alessandra also invested in a “SprayGon,” a state-of-the-art extraction unit which filters and sucks out chemicals in the air so neither her, nor her clients, are breathing it in during a tanning session. “This is the Ferrari of spray tanning,” she says, “It’s small but mighty.”
Alessandra’s entrepreneurial roots go deep as her dad is the owner and namesake of Vito’s Ristorante and Pizzeria in Southern Pines. “My dad instilled everything into me, everyone jokes that I am mini Vito,” she says. Alessandra grew up working at the restaurant, learning all aspects of hospitality. Soleil Bronze Bar is now conveniently located right behind the restaurant, if you look at it from an aerial view. The opening date of Soleil’s brick and mortar just happened to be the same opening date as Vito’s, decades apart. “It was so full circle. It just feels like it was all meant to be,” says Alessandra…