Bedford City says yes to tattoo parlors

By Justin Faulconer

Published: June 24, 2008

BEDFORD — Tattoo parlors can now make their mark on the city of Bedford.

City Council voted Tuesday to amend land-use regulations to allow parlors as a conditional function in business areas. It then voted to allow Bedrock Tattooz, the city’s first planned parlor, to locate on Blue Ridge Avenue.

Partners Linda Miller and Tim Staton, who hope to open the parlor in August in the 6C’s Shopping Center, said Tuesday they have received a lot of positive reaction from the public in their pursuit.
“City people constantly, on a daily basis, are begging us to open the doors,” Staton said.

The Statons’ plans were held up, however, by city zoning laws, which until Tuesday did not allow tattoo parlors.

Council’s approval came with a condition that tattooing within the parlor wouldn’t be visible from the shopping center’s sidewalk. But it voted 4-2 (Skip Tharp and James Vest voting no, Robert Wandrei abstaining) to drop a condition giving the parlor a mandatory midnight closing time.

Council member Jeff Hubbard, who motioned that the curfew not be imposed, said he didn’t want to set a regulation on one business and not do the same for others.

“I’m probably the last person to shop up at this place,” he said.

Vest had motioned to set a curfew of 11 p.m. during summer months and 10 a.m. during the winter. It was defeated when no other member seconded it.

Miller said the parlor could even close before midnight if it found the traffic flow wasn’t there. The partners just didn’t want to be required by law, they said, to close early when other nearby parlors in other localities could remain open.

Miller and Staton said they were shocked that parlors even have to be a condition.

“It’s a legal, retail business,” Staton said.

And a popular trend, added Miller: “One in seven adults in America have a tattoo.”

“It’s just that popular,” Staton added.