Tattoo artist, denied in Libertyville, takes his business to Waukegan

Tattoo artist, denied in Libertyville, takes his business to Waukegan
October 28, 2010
By Amy Alderman
Trib local Libertyville

After a young tattoo artist lost his battle with the board of trustees to open a studio in downtown Libertyville, he decided to take his business to Waukegan.

The city already seems to be welcoming Mark Hoffmann of Waukegan with open arms.

“It’s a night and day difference for me,” Hoffmann, 29, said. “Libertyville was all against me. They didn’t even care what I was going to do. They kind of laughed at the issue. I was thrown back from that.”

Following Hoffmann’s public battle with the village, Mike Purtell, assistant planner in Waukegan, and Russ Tomlin, director of planning and zoning, approached him about opening a studio in the city.

Violet Ricker, executive director of Waukegan Main Street, has lobbied with local officials on Hoffmann’s behalf.

“They went above and beyond,” Hoffman said. “The difference is I’m working with a city that is changing their ordinances to get me in.”

He’s won unanimous approval at both the development and judiciary committees in Waukegan, and Waukegan Main Street officials have been vocal about its support for the shop. The Waukegan City Council will make the final vote on authorizing Hoffmann’s permits Nov. 1.

According to Ricker, the Main Street board of directors unanimously voted to support the permits Hoffmann sought to open his business in Waukegan.

“Mr. Hoffmann has an artist’s passion for what he does, as well as the experience and business savvy to make a tattoo studio successful,” Ricker said in a statement she gave to the city’s development commission. “His plan is completely in line with the city’s vision of establishing Waukegan as an arts destination, and Dinosaur Studio will be exactly that – a destination. Mark will draw new customers to our downtown neighborhood who will have the chance to see what else Genesee Street offers.

Following a unanimous vote in September, Libertyville trustees approved the definition of permitted uses for personal services in the downtown core commercial district, which excludes tattoo studios.

However, the board’s decision was no surprise to the tattoo artist, said his father, Pete Hoffmann.

“He was pretty well confident the mayor wasn’t going to change his mind,” Pete Hoffmann said. “He’s moved on. I think they’re basically discriminating against his business.”

Mark Hoffmann and his wife, Tarah, were gearing up to open the doors to a studio at 406 N. Milwaukee Ave. He gave an emotional plea to the Libertyville board of trustees, saying he was an accredited professional tattoo artist, with a bachelors degree in art from the American Academy of Art, and it was always a dream of his to open a studio.

President Terry Weppler, trustees and the plan commission, placed a moratorium on the issuance of building permits for businesses classified under personal service uses in order to take time to redefine permitted uses.

“A tattoo parlor is defined by federal statutes as a personal service, but there is a litany of things that can fall under that category,” said John P. Spoden, director of community development. “The zoning board had to come back and decide what makes sense for the village.”

But if Hoffmann or any other entrepreneur excluded from the personal services classification wanted to appeal the village board’s recent decision, they would be able to do so, Spoden said.

“Anyone would have a right to ask for another text amendment,” Spoden said.
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