PP Who would have reckoned that the Old West and indoor tanning lotions would have ever met up? For Dale Hansen, it was his love of all things Western, and a need for a lotion that delivers super-moisturization, that inspired him to create the Hoss Sauce line in 1991. Ever since then, the company has been giving salon professionals a “square deal” by offering a quality tanning lotion at a reasonable price. Now, his company is sitting “high in the saddle.”

It Started With a Tan

PP Hansen wasn't horsin' around when he said he wanted to make his own tanning lotion. “There were sunbeds at the gym where I worked out, but I never bothered to give tanning a try back then,” he admitted. “My friends all tanned, and they kept pressuring me to try it, so moisturization would be the way to go.” After two years of intense research and development, Hansen had a lotion formula he was willing to
hang his hat on.

PP When Hansen decided to go into the lotion business in 1991, he went all the way. Each bottle of Hoss Sauce is made at the company's 26,000 square-foot facility, of which 20,000 square feet is the company's manufacturing plant. This allows
Hoss Sauce to make its lotions under Hansen's strict sterilization and quality control standards he believes wouldn't be met if his products were made elsewhere. “We figure the only way to be sure that the job is done right is to do it ourselves,” he commented.

Tanning Lotion, Western Style

PP Hoss Sauce is certainly a unique name, by tanning lotion name standards. Truth
is, the company is named after Hansen, sort of. He's had the nickname “Hoss” for many years, after the famous character on TV's Western series, Bonanza. “I'm a big guy, like the man who played Hoss on the show. And I have a black cowboy hat similar to the white one he wore,” Hansen said. “One day, a friend of mine started calling me Hoss, and it stuck, no matter how hard I tried to get away from it.

A Modern 30,000 square-foot facility serves as the Oregon-Based lotion company's manufacturing plant and warehouse.

PP Years later, when Hansen and a team of chemists were working with his lotions, he decided to embrace the nickname he had tried so hard to lose. “One of the chemists said I should call the lotion “Hoss Sauce,” Hansen recalled. “He was joking, but I liked the idea. It's catchy, so that's what I decided to call it.” Looking back on it all, Hansen says he's glad his friend nick named him Hoss so many years ago.

PP Hansen has always had a love for country music and the Old West, and these passions influenced his early product marketing approach. Hoss Sauce Lotions debuted at the 1992 Looking Fit Chicago tradeshow, and Hansen and his staff wore western attire, he was the "Marshal," dressed in a long black coat, known as a "duster," a 10-gallon hat and other Western accouterments. It all went back to something Hansen learned a long time ago, make a unique impression and people will remember you. This approach drew a lot of looks at the show, and forever cemented the company's name in the indoor tanning industry. "We are who we are, and it seems to work for us, so I don't see any reason to change," he added.

The Long Ride

PP Hansen's love for the Old West doesn't just color his professional life, it has a profound effect on what he enjoys in his spare time, riding horses, "I work a lot, so riding horses is a good way for me to enjoy the out doors and really unwind," he commented. "I also like driving hot rods, which has also become a bit of an escape for me." Currently, Hansen has a 2001 Ford Lightning pickup truck, a 1996 Impala SS Lowrider, and a 1965 Ford Mustang that he likes to tinker with. "I used to enjoy riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but I sold my bike because I spend too much time at work didn't have time to ride it," he added.

PP Hoss is a bit of a family man, too. He's been married to wife Barbara, for 11 years, and his son Daniel works with him at Hoss Sauce. "He's learning every aspect of the business, from sales to production to Web design, and he's doing a good job," he added.

Dale Hansen isn't planning on riding off into the sunset anytime soon. He loves being a part of the indoor tanning industry, and plans to keep Hoss Sauce in it's future. One of his goals is to continue communication between Hoss Sauce and tanning salon operators. "Our co-op advertising program is very uncomplicated," he commented. All salon owners have to do is call us; we'll help them design their ads to help them get their point across and pay for a portion of it.

PP We also want to hear any ideas and feedback that salon professionals have, because they represent the heart of this industry." Hansen says that all one has to do is give Hoss Sauce a call.