67.0°,
Mostly Cloudy Tattoo shop to open in West End
City approves store despite some residents’ complaints
A new West End business became a bone of contention among some residents at last week’s City Council meeting.
At the Aug. 20 meeting, the council voted unanimously to grant an off-street parking waiver to a tattoo studio in the West End. But some residents spoke out against the business, saying that they didn’t feel that it belongs in a “family” area.
The prospective owner, Robert Patrella, insisted that he runs a clean, respectable business and there is no reason for concern. The council heard dozens of comments from residents both for and against the new business, and ultimately decided that there was no reason not to approve it.
“I really think it’s wrong for the City Council to prevent a business to open up — especially in this time, when we’re encouraging business to open — based on outdated perceptions,” said Councilwoman Eileen Goggin. “Tattoos are mainstream now, and by preventing a business from opening up because of the type of business is discrimination, and it’s wrong.”
The studio will be at 1050 W. Beech St., between Georgia Avenue and Kentucky Street. Patrella, who owns four other shops on Long Island, all called Skin Deep Tattoo, said he wanted to open a store in Long Beach because he has an artist from Long Beach, Matty Monaghan, who will work in the shop and a clientele he thought would benefit from having a studio in the neighborhood. Patrella expressed disappointment that some residents opposed his business.
“I’m not looking for a problem,” he said. “I don’t want to be an outsider, I want to get along with everybody.”
Some residents were opposed because of the need for additional parking, saying that it is hard enough now to find a place to park in the West End, and that the business would take spaces away from residents.
Patrella said that there would be only two employees working at a time, and that tattooing would be done by appointment, so not a lot of parking would be taken up by customers. Monaghan added that he would most likely ride a bike or a skateboard to work when weather allowed.
