How’s that thing go? Closing the barn door after the horse is already out? Well, it seems that Norfolk council is doing just that. At Tuesday’s session, they voted to allow tattoo parlors in the city, but only in certain places, and certainly not in shopping centers. However, it seems that one tattoo parlor has already opened and it is in a strip shopping center.
While waiting for Norfolk to make up its mind about ending the 56-year old ban, the Blue Horseshoe Tattoo went and got a license from the state and set up shop on Hampton Boulevard about three weeks ago. Part owner of the shop is Virginia Beach attorney Mike Joynes. Now Joynes says the shop is grandfathered in and the city can’t make him shut down.
Wonder if any of them have been to a tattoo parlor lately? Limiting shops to industrial areas and downtown really doesn’t make much sense to me. These aren’t your grandfather’s tattoo parlors. Joynes says a majority of the customers are women between 18 and 45. I can attest to that 😉
This is going to get interesting. The only downside is that I can bet its going to cost us Norfolk taxpayers some money.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
You know, the area of the city that originally caused them to shut down the shops was called seedy. Last time I checked that area of the city was still pretty seedy. Pity that they are going to spend so much time and money trying to keep them out of business. I think it is a great idea to allow them to ply their trade.
Well, that area is getting another facelift soon. That’s where the new high-dollar assisted living facility is going to be built – in the old Atlantic City area.
I see nothing wrong with tattoo parlors. And I really hate to see them use my tax dollars to fight them.