A New Business Quietly Made History In Clovis

06/02/2007 (KFSN) -- With little fanfare, Clovis Ink opened its doors as the city's first tattoo parlor. It's not in the most convenient location, but the Clovis City council didn't want it downtown, even though that's where you'll find plenty of tattoos.

Friday night in Clovis and there are lots of tattoos. Dominique Ramirez, Fresno, says "oh yeah, I got a couple." Tattooed backs, shoulders and arms, found on all sorts of people.

Marty Mimms, Clovis, says "you can be doctor, lawyer, it doesn't matter. Construction worker. You see it on all kinds, women too, especially." While tattoos seem to be everywhere, there's only one place to get a tattoo in Clovis and it's not in an ideal location. It's an industrial strip, and not where the owner wanted to be.

Rudy Acosta, Clovis Ink, says "I would have liked to be in old town we would have got a lot more business there from the start, because there's a lot of foot traffic on Pollasky, but we are here now, we are making the best of what we got but we are excited about our location."

Rudy Acosta is making the most of this place. Because the Clovis City Council would not let him locate in downtown, or old town as it's known.

Harry Armstrong, City Council Member, says "I think it's something new to the area, we didn't have an ordinance and they have to prove themselves. Not saying this business, but some of them bring in an element that is not conducive to the Clovis way of life."

That's hard for a lot of Clovis folks to swallow. Kurt Peffley, Clovis, says "I understand where they are coming from when they put them someplace else, because there are stereotypical people with tattoos. But I'm a normal guy. Cop for 15 years, I got tattoos, so."

Rudy Acosta is not complaining, he hopes to prove himself then get the green light to move. In the meantime, it looks like tattoos have become part of the Clovis way of life.

As it stands now, if Clovis Ink doesn't cause any problems the Clovis City Council will consider allowing them to move downtown in a couple of years.

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