It took more than half a year for Brandon Rodriguez to get Paradise Tattoo Shop open on Aurora’s near East Side.
But the 24-year-old, East Aurora High School graduate and renowned tattoo artist’s shop is now open. City officials celebrated the new store at 559 High St. with a ribbon-cutting Friday.
“We were trying to open this place since March,” Rodriguez said. “And here we are.”
Rodriguez had his equipment, had a location with a lease, and had filled out the paperwork he needed for his store. But the city had only four tattoo shop licenses, and all four were taken.
It took a City Council vote to create a fifth license for Paradise, and in June, aldermen voted 7-4 against creating that fifth license, despite many testimonials from people who said Rodriguez is a well-known tattoo artist, and a positive member of the community.
At the time, former 1st Ward Ald. Emmanuel Llamas said he thought, and was backed by feedback he had gotten from his ward, that the building, a former barber shop, should revert to residential use.
Several aldermen supported Llamas’ wishes because they felt the ward alderman would know best.
Llamas resigned in August, and new 1st Ward Ald. Dan Barreiro said the feedback he got from residents was support for the tattoo shop. The council voted again in September, and this time the vote was unanimous to expand to a fifth tattoo license.
“I decided to fight for it,” Rodriguez said Friday.
He said the store will be good for customers, good for the tattoo artists who work for him and a positive place for the 1st Ward.
“I’m sure it will be good for the community,” he said.
Rodriguez had support all along from Mayor Richard Irvin, who grew up in the 1st Ward and remembered patronizing the businesses along High Street in the ward. Irvin and Barreiro helped cut the ribbon and ring the traditional bell Friday to celebrate the opening of the business.
slord@tribpub.com
