Tattoo parlor picks up stakes

By Laura Clark

After almost two months of construction on South Limestone, the first business has left the building.

Underground Ink and Piercing announced they were relocating because the construction “cut into their business,” said Eliot Walter, the building’s property owner.  The announcement was made at a weekly update meeting with the Lexington-Fayette County Urban Government, South Limestone business owners and construction workers.

The business is now located at the intersection of South Broadway and Bolivar.  Walter said Underground Ink has been working on the new location for the past few weeks.  Walter said he was unsure if other businesses were on the verge of closure.

“This is the first one, and hopefully it’s the only one,” Walter said.

Brian Hellard, a tattoo artist at Underground Ink for three years, said business had dropped significantly since construction began on South Limestone.

“(The construction) killed our walking business … so we had to make the move,” Hellard said.

However, Underground Ink’s new home, 600 S. Broadway, seems to be a good fit. The tattoo shop is already operating.

“We pulled everything together pretty quickly,” Hellard said.

The construction on South Limestone is the result of the Streetscape Master Plan, which was adopted by the City Council.  Construction is scheduled to last from July 22, 2009 to July 1, 2010.  The South Limestone and High Street intersection will be reopening this weekend.

The South Limestone and Maxwell Street intersection is scheduled to close Wednesday, Sept. 16 for four weeks, according to an e-mail sent by Beth Hanna, owner of Hanna’s on Lime.

While other businesses have not closed, they have noticed a lack of customers.

Hanna said business was steady until the intersection closed.

“It’s difficult for people to get down here if they don’t know where they’re going,” Hanna said.  “And with Maxwell closing… that’s another set of problems for us.”

Bombay Brazier, an Indian restaurant on the corner of South Limestone and High Street, will be closed for the rest of the week. Employees of Bombay Brazier were unavailable for comment, but an automated answering machine said they will reopen Friday.

LexTran is also changing its route to avoid Rose and Maxwell streets, according to a news release sent by LexTran on Wednesday.

The Streetscape Master Plan was created to renovate the Limestone area with new storm and sanitary sewers, curbside rain gardens, water features, wider sidewalks, bike lanes and underground utility improvements.

Hanna said the South Limestone area lost a neighbor, but hopes people will battle through the construction to keep the other businesses alive.

“Hopefully if we keep it in the newspaper, maybe people will remember we’re here,” Hanna said.