Village Trustees Approve Main Street Tattoo Shop

The approved the opening of Tattoo Ritual, Main Street's first tattoo shop, after a public discussion at the Dec. 6 board meeting.

"It's a [Main Street] use that turns up, for lack of a better word, fear because people tend to associate tattoos with motorcycle gangs and outlaws," Mayor George Starkie said.

Starkie and the trustees are asking all new businesses opening on Main Street with uses not specifically in the Village Code to meet with the board. Scott Trerrotola, the future owner of Tattoo Ritual, spoke with the board both at a work session and at the public board meeting.

"We are looking to open a beautiful shop on Main Street that coincides with the aestheic, the look and what is already being done on Main Street," Trerrotola said, who brought signatures from 34 other Main Street business owners supporting the shop. "We do not want to detract from it we just want to add."

Trerrotola and business partner Scarlet have plans to build a Victorian-style parlor with gold baroque mirrors and a tin ceiling, where all tattooing will be done in private rooms in the back of the shop. Trerrotola addressed various concerns, specifically that the shop will be in full compliance with all Nassau County Board of Health standards and that no one under the age of 18 will be permitted in the shop.

Most discussion centered on the issue of being able to get a tattoo after drinking at any of the bars within walking distance of the shop, like  To address that concern, the owners agreed without hesitation to close the shop every night at 9 p.m.

"We will abide by 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. hour restrictions," Trerrotola said. "After 9 p.m. doors will shut and locked and there will be no loitering behind my shop."

The owners also set the minimum tattoo price higher than than the industry standard to ensure only serious clients come into the shop. Tattoo prices will start at around $100 with larger tattoos exceeding $500.

"Tattoos are an experience not just something you do on a whim," one resident commented. "They are not sniffing out drunk 18-year-olds leaving a bar underage. That takes down the dignity of what they are doing."

Trerrotola has been a tattoo artist for more than 20 years and currently rents a space on Hempstead Turnpike. He chose to open a shop in Farmingdale because of the close railroad proximity to serve his following of New York City and out-of-state clients.

"We are looking to rebuild Main Street using our train station as our waterfront. We want to be a destination," Mayor Starkie said. "I am not going to buy into the old stereotype but I did ask the applicant for this time element to close at nine."

Trustee Ralph Ekstrand made the motion to add tattoo shops as a permitted use in the code and all trustees were in favor except Trustee Patricia A. Christiansen.