Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake/Jackie Horan.
Hi Jake/Jackie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I received my first Himalayan Salt Lamp as a gift in 2014. I remember it had a little information pamphlet that described the health benefits of this lamp. I googled Himalayan salt and found only information on the caves in Pakistan and some spas in Europe with rooms covered in Himalayan Salt that people go and sit for health benefits of Salt. So Himalayan Salt Lamps heated up to 25 watts can release negative ions in the air to help reduce allergens in the air. So being in a Salt Room provides you with a purely negatively ionized environment in order to Relive Lung Conditions such as Ashma, Allergies, Colds, Coped, Smokers Lung and Pollution irritation. I think how cool that is. I had a dog grooming shop at the time, and I only fantasied about how cool it would be to set up salt booths like a tanning salon.
Fast forward 10 years later, my grooming shop lease was expired. I moved my grooming business directly across the street to my other business called the Self Dog Wash. this building has no bathroom. . I needed a bathroom and the solution I found was to keep the old shop and open a small business so we can have a bathroom. I was already paying the rent comfortably, so it was safe to take the risk and open something that I had actually dreamed of, but it was not a business I was familiar with. I was so excited that someone had built a salt room in Utah, so Jake and I took a drive south and visited a Himalayan Salt Cave. After this visit we were sold on the idea to have salt shop and rooms of our own. Theie room is big, and we had to share our time with others. So, I wanted separate rooms for privacy, So I researched, and I could not afford for someone to come build this, so I had to do it myself. I ordered to block based on my square footage needs and I hit that number perfect, I just did not know what or how I would make this happen yet. I eventually figured out how to put the blocks on the wall in a manner of which everything can come with me when the time arrives. Jake and I made a deal that he would bath dogs for me while I groomed that would give me energy enough to build the House of Salt in the Evening. I ended needing a hip replacement, so construction had to wait. I had a few weeks to recover then I began building the walls and slowly coming up with solutions like electric, lights, air flow and materials. I really had to wait until ideas showed up because I just could only focus on a step at a time,
I took the two rooms I had for grooming about 150 sq ft each and first covered the bathtub frames with redwood and painted the walls and ceilings to create a deep natural vibe that gives you a tucked in feeling. I filled the floor with granulated Himalayan salt so it’s just like the beach. The rooms are ventilated but tight enough to keep the air pure and concentrated. When You step into the rooms you instantly feel the pure air and a release of negative energy as well. This is a perfect natural environment with health benefits and overall, wellbeing.
That being a Himalayan Salt Cave; we can of course sell items on the side which is fun and also gives us more to direct, but a Salt Cave near people would help those in need for cheap. Utah has a terrible inversion season this place with give relief to those who suffer from pollution or even being closed up in a house all winter. Although we knew we ourselves would love the business, we also knew building a Salt Cave would be a Blue-Collar job that would consume hours of time and months on the calendar, so finishing our Salt Cave fast but efficiently was pivotal for our sanity. Of the same task of building panel frames and slicing hundreds of Salt Blocks in half carefully
So now we’re here, we eventually finished and moving the merchandise in wasn’t hard at all. When people come in, their first thoughts most of the time is Why didn’t we stop in sooner.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The hardest part was building in the parking lot knowing that the winter is coming. I also needed rest. I groomed dogs all day and worked this construction all night nonstop no days off. My hip was not really recovered from surgery and the end of October I went crippled, Luckly I was done with construction and I could lay up. We have found that No one is specifically looking for Salt Caves, and the name “House of Salt” leaves questions unanswered. Advertising correctly is much harder and people relating our name with our practices has been the hardest part so far. I always had businesses related to animal care and you can literally put a number in the window, and the animals find you. Now days everything is social media which Jake and I are really old school. This is part of the learning process though; we did not really feel satisfied with logos and stuff in the beginning and it’s hard to move forward without the design of the business. I just will one day wake up and the design will be in my head.
We’ve been impressed with House of Salt, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The House of Salt is a small business in Bountiful, Utah, offering unique items like Salt Lamps, Salt Shot Glasses, and crystals due to high demand. The main attraction is the Himalayan Salt Rooms, which feel like being inside a Salt Lamp but without the heat. The floor is made of Himalayan Salt pebbles, and the glowing walls are built with Salt Bricks. These rooms feature a halo generator that disperses fine pharmaceutical salt dust throughout the air, providing a relaxing atmosphere with fresh, clean air. Many guests even fall asleep in the rooms! You can also enjoy activities like Sound Baths, Meditation, Reading, Healing, or Ceremonies within the Salt Rooms.
Salt Sessions are ideal after a hot bath, shower, sauna, or workout. If you’re stressed, need to think clearly, breathe better, relax, or recover from a lingering cold, a Salt Session might be perfect. For added clarity and energy, you can also have an in-depth Tarot Reading in the Salt Rooms, where the fresh energy enhances the experience.
We offer services designed to benefit you and carry various items to make life more convenient—it’s worth stopping by! Alongside fun products, we sell a special tobacco called “Hape,” inhaled through a pipe (Kuripe) via the nose. This product, prepared ceremonially by Ancient Amazonian Tribes, is a powdered mix of natural tobacco and medicinal plants. We’re excited to start a program for smokers, vapers, and marijuana users to provide lung relief. Hape is a great alternative to smoking or vaping, offering your lungs a break. Pairing Hape with Salt Sessions is a proactive way to support lung health.
What makes you happy?
Jake and I are happy being independent and brave enough to take a risk on building businesses that HELP the community. Its really rewarding to be able to organize and control your own life .
Pricing:
- Salt Room = $20 per hour
- Salt Lamps = $25-$45
- Tarot Reading = $35
- Hape = $60 for 10gram
- Selenite = $4 – $25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bountifulhouseofsalt.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bountifulhouseofsalt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570561780989
