HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-10, Page 13Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - Page A13
Downtown business sector gets colourful addition
_ D�mlp��ua Mllburn
signal -star staff
Jay French is a colourful guy.
Spears of design flare out from
beneath his collar and climb his
neck, while more stretch from the
cuff of his shirt• sleeves seeping
down past his wrists and onto his
hands. At first glance, he seems
like someone with a hard edge
and harder disposition.
But this entrepreneur has three
things on his mind; customer safe-
ty, satisfaction, and his family. -
French and business partner,
Kim Petronski, opened the doors
to Straight To The Point Tattoos
and Body Piercing located at 60
East Street on March 31 and have
since had little time to look back.
"It's been crazy busy," French
said recently before opening up
shop on a bustling Friday. "It's just
taken off immediately to where
we were expecting and hoping to
be after six months. We're now
booking three weeks in advance,
and it's a little hard to keep up."
And it's no wonder. French and
Petronski have planted their stake
into a previously untapped service
sector in Goderich — body art.
"Body art isn't what is was 10
years ago," French said. "Tat-
tooing for example is a lot more
than just anchors and eagles. So-
ciety is opened up to art in gen-
eral, and tattooing has
evolved and continues
to evolve."
"We see a lot of soci-
ety accepting this type
of art -form, and be-
come more informed,
even doing a great deal
of research before com-
ing in," said Petronski.
"Even younger people
are coming in with their
parents who seem more.
open to it."
"It's a lot safer this
way then to say 'no' and
have your teenager go
elsewhere to what may
be an unsterile and un-
safe environment."
And safety is a big
concern for the painted
duo. The shop under-
goes voluntary sani-
tizer spore testing as
well as random health
inspections along with
their daily aggressive
cleaning and sterilizing
routines.
"It's a harsh reality
that we put ourselves
at risk everyday along with our
clients," French said. "If I do five
clients per day, I put myself at risk
five times, and I've got a wife and
kids to think about."
Newcomers
Straight to The Point
isn't your average back -
alley tattoo parlor that
highlights generic design
choices on the wall. Ac-
cording to French, it's an
evolving process unique
to each individual.
"We want to steer clear
of that small selection of
reproduced photos to
choose from," he said.
"What's good for one
person isn't always good
for another."
And the customer isn't
always right, either. Too
often, French has seen
clients wanting to cover-
up or outright remove
a piece of work poorly
thought-out. He said that
he strides to ensure that
the conceptual idea is
one that the client will be
happy with in the long -
Photo by Dominique Milburn run.
to the Goderich business landscape "I ask myself, 'do I
Kim Petronski and Jay French are putting a new twist really think they'll re -
on local art, as they transform virgin skin to personal gret this?' and 'if I do,
cavas with tatoo and piercing. I'll tell them so. There is
In their respective comers, still a moral code to this
French tackles his clients living type of artwork, and if someone
canvas with ink and needle, while comes in wanting something I
Petronski uses the needle, but consider to be racist, or inappro-
leaves behind only surgical steel priate, I'll tell them they've got
as she heads -up all piercing. the wrong guy. "
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"A big part of our job is reading
people," he continued. "Some are
very set on their ideas, and we may
not necessarily agree. In that case
we've got to mer in the middle
and come up with a compromise
that works well for both of us."
And its the same across the shop.
Petronski caters to a less perma-
nent type of body modification, but
she uses her own moral code when
consulting with a would-be client.
"My big consideration is when
some people aren't thinking so
much about the reality of the pierc-
ing," Petronski said. "At age 16,
they may want to cover their face
completely, which might not be the
right choice at that age. Sometimes
I have to draw the line and say
'no, give it a few years and come
back."'
The two have a combined 15
years experience in the body -art
industry. Both moved their skills
to Goderich after working on staff
at a popular parlor in Port Elgin,
where they sometimes catered to
Goderich and area clients.
"All of the amenities are here —
school, shopping and the beach,"
French said. "In many ways, it's
the perfect little town to stay and
live in."
For more information on Straight
To The Point, call their shop at
519-612-1600.
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