Tattoo Artist Wants To Open Shop In Andover

ANDOVER, MA -- There are at least seven tattoo parlors in the towns bordering Andover, including three each in Tewksbury and Lowell. But there are none in Andover -- at least for now. The board of health has scheduled a hearing for Null Tattoo, which wants to open a body art studio at 77 Main Street, on August 13.

Null did not respond to a request for comment sent through its Facebook page. The page does not list the company's principles, but describes itself as a licensed Massachusetts tattoo artist that uses a completely vegan process.

The company is also well reviewed on Facebook, with all five reviewers giving it a perfect score. "TJ is an amazing artist, I was honored to have him tattoo me," one reviewer wrote. "My turtle came out amazing, it's a very special tattoo for me."

Andover bylaws do not prohibit tattoo parlors, but they are required to get a license from the board of health as well as all o the other permits the town requires for new businesses. Null is looking to open up in the mixed-use office and retail building that is currently occupied Caffe Nerro and Block Advisors, among other businesses.

According to the industry-research company IBISWorld, the tattoo industry is a $2 billion industry that grew 9.2% between 2012 and 2017 as body art exploded. There were 53,584 people working for the 47,781 body art-related businesses in the U.S. in 2017.

The growth has been driven in large part by millennials, about half of whom have at least one tattoo, IBIS said. Overall, about 30% of Americans have a tattoo.

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File photo by Renee Schiavone/Patch.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).