07 | Salty Sun & Sauna in Huron, SD: Tabitha Carr on Building a Wellness Business That Helps People Feel Better

Mar 8

If you’ve ever thought, “Why doesn’t Huron have more options for health and wellness that actually help people feel better?” this episode is going to hit home. In this conversation on the Huron Spotlight Podcast, we sit down with Tabitha Carr, owner of Salty Sun & Sauna in Huron, South Dakota, to talk about what inspired her to open a business centered on infrared saunas, tanning, wellness services, cryotherapy, and natural health support right here in our community. And honestly, this episode is about so much more than just sauna sessions or wellness trends. It’s about what happens when someone sees a real gap in a small town, decides to bet on themselves, and builds something that helps other people breathe a little deeper, recover a little better, and feel a little more cared for.

Tabitha shares the deeply personal story behind why she started Salty Sun & Sauna, including her own experience with severe anxiety and PTSD after returning home from deployment, as well as the toll of helping care for her mom during her battle with stage four cancer. Through both of those seasons, one thing became clear: Huron needed more wellness options beyond pills, diet talk, and the usual surface-level advice. She wanted to bring something here that could help with stress relief, nervous system regulation, pain management, muscle recovery, better sleep, inflammation, and overall well-being. So even though opening this kind of business came with financial risk, construction headaches, and plenty of unknowns, she did it anyway.

In this episode, we talk about what it has really looked like to run a new health and wellness business in Huron, SD, especially during the chaos of road construction downtown, the challenge of getting the word out, and the reality of building something new in a town where many people had never even tried an infrared sauna before. Tabitha shares what surprised her most, what has actually taken off in her business, and why the sauna side of Salty Sun & Sauna became such a bigger success than she expected. We also get into the details of what she offers, including infrared sauna therapy, red light therapy, chromotherapy, halo therapy, tanning beds, localized cryotherapy, body sculpting, and cryo facials, and she explains in a really approachable way how those services can support everything from circulation and relaxation to joint pain, skin tightening, congestion, and inflammation.

If you are a Huron local, someone interested in natural health and wellness, a woman dreaming about starting a business in a rural town, or just someone who wants to hear a real story about building something meaningful from the ground up, this episode is worth your time. Tabitha is honest about the financial stress, the mindset work, the fear, and the vulnerability that comes with entrepreneurship, but she is just as clear about this too: sometimes you have to take the leap, trust yourself, and build the thing you wish already existed. Tune in to the full episode of the Huron Spotlight Podcast to hear Tabitha’s story, learn more about Salty Sun & Sauna in Huron, and get inspired by what it looks like to create a business that truly helps people feel better.

What We Talked About in This Episode

The personal story behind why Tabitha opened Salty Sun & Sauna in Huron
How deployment, PTSD, anxiety, and caregiving shaped her passion for wellness
Why she felt Huron needed more natural health and wellness options
What happened when she opened during downtown construction and limited access
Why the infrared sauna side of the business took off faster than tanning
How 24/7 member access changed the business and made it more convenient for clients
What services she offers, including infrared saunas, red light therapy, halo therapy, cryotherapy, body sculpting, facials, and tanning
The real-life challenges of funding, growing, and marketing a solo business
Why mindset is one of the biggest barriers for new business owners
The local business owners and collaborators who have encouraged and supported her along the way