Angelique Macrina is a survivor.  The owner of Tropical Looks Day Spa in Vacaville Commons shopping center didn’t let the Great Recession in ’08 stop her.  She didn’t let the closing of the shopping center where she previously leased stop her.  And she certainly isn’t about to let the COVID pandemic stop her.  “I’m determined to make this work,” Macrina said.

Macrina has been in business since 1996 when she opened her first waxing and tanning salon, and she believes it’s been her service-centered business model that has allowed her to survive and grow into the multiple-service spa that is now Tropical Looks.  “I’m really into pleasing the public,” she said.  “I want someone to walk out of here looking and feeling better than when they walked in here.”

A former model, Macrina started in the beauty business in the 80’s, waxing her boyfriend and other body builders who trained in the gym where she belonged. She says her modeling experience just gave her an understanding of how to make people look good. She is now the only woman in Solano County to have operated a beauty salon for over 25 years and has made Tropical Looks a one-stop-shop for all things beauty.  The salon offers comprehensive hair services, body waxing, tanning, massage, nails, facials and Red Light therapy—all in her 2080 Harbison Drive location.  She also does wedding parties and make-up services.  But she says it always comes back to her relationships with customers that has enabled her to endure.  “I get a lot of clients that sometimes come in here who just want to talk and listen to music.  Because we have a friendly atmosphere here.”

That’s not to say survival has always been easy.  The county shut Macrina down three times during COVID.  She received no PPP help from the government.  She’s still fighting supply chain issues and struggles.  But Macrina credits her family and staff for keeping her positive, allowing her to keep the store open. 

Though Macrina is a hands-on owner, rarely out of her shop when it’s open, she is not afraid to have a little fun when the opportunity presents itself.  She loves swimming, boating and horses, but anything to do with racing really gets her motor going. She once won a mud bog in her Ford F150 at the Vallejo Monster Jam, pocketing a $120 in prize money.  “I borrowed a helmet from a guy called the Bone Crusher, and beat all those big guys,” she said with a laugh.

Times are tough in the beauty industry—and for retail in general.  But don’t count entrepreneur Angelique Macrina out just yet.