CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Tattoo and piercing studios will now be open to Charleston’s East End after a resolution passed city council at its Monday night meeting.
Last year, the council passed an ordinance allowing for such shops in the Downtown district. Councilwoman Keeley Steele, who introduced the bill, said this extends the possibility for businesses on the East End.
“I think (Councilwoman) Mary Beth (Hoover) sort of spearheaded the very first bill that came through downtown. This seems like a logical progression for the East End knowing our input with the arts,” Steele said. “We’re a rather progressive neighborhood so it seems to be fitting.”
Steele owns both Bluegrass Kitchen and Tricky Fish on the East End. She said there’s plenty of bars and restaurants in the neighborhood, but wanted to see other businesses grow.
“We don’t have enough businesses on the East End, so this just opens up the avenue for the possibility,” she said.
She said that after the downtown tattoo ordinance passed, she received calls from residents wondering if studios would be open to the East End.
“I had three different people contact me and ask me if that encompassed the East End as well and it did not. That was the impetus for going forward and trying to make sure the East End had that availability as well.”
The bill stipulates that two tattoo or piercing studios may not operate within 800 square feet of each other, and their services may not be able to be viewed from public streets.