Tattoo parlors are coming to New London. City lawmakers voted to lift an outdated ban, allowing ink shops to set up shop in town again.
The last time anyone was tattooed in the city was in 1962. Every shop was closed and the ban was imposed after an artist was accused to spreading Hepatitis.
"Back then there was no sterilization code they used the same needles. Nothing was clean," says Jennifer Steele of Flats Tattooing in Groton.
47 years later things are different. Needles are used once, machines and ink tubes are cleaned by an auto clave. So it just made sense or the planning and zoning commission to lift the ban.
"They removed that last fall and this is a follow up to actually put a provision in there to provide for taxing policy and use," says New London's City Planner Harry Smith.
Plus, there may be a little hesitation from some but no one seems to really oppose the idea.
"I'm glad my children have grown and gone and I hope my grandchildren are too young to be a customer for a long long time," says Pat Anderson in New London.
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Dennis Crump, also of New London says, "I don't see anything wrong with them, I have plenty of friends that have them."
Not to mention the money the ink can help flow in. At Flats tattooing, just one town over in Groton, the business of inking arms, feet and everything in between is booming.
"So many people have tattoos now it just shows that the industry is growing," says
And the growth continues. The amendment to allow ink shops is effective March 31st, so applications from a potential parlor owners will be approved starting April 1st.
