First tattoo studio in 10 years opens in Inverness

Sunday, January 4, 2009

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Chad McDonald works on a tattoo that has been two years in the making for Luther Green.

INVERNESS (Bay News 9) -- The city of Inverness recently had a tattoo studio open up inside city limits - the first one in several years.

While there are several tattoo parlors in unincorporated areas surrounding the city, the Department of Development said it's been at least 10 years since one opened within city limits, a fact that Perseverance Tattoo co-owner Steve Burton finds surprising.

"We found it kind of odd that we're the first ones," he said.

The move came about after a recent divorce that forced Burton to open his studio in a new location - which happened to be inside city limits.

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The new location is a boon for tattoo aficionados like Luther Green, who has wanted a tattoo since he was five. Sixty-one years later, he has a collection of nearly 20, and it's still growing.

For the past two years, he's been working with artist Chad McDonald on an underwater scene on his left leg. The tattoo has a lot of meaning for Green, who was in the Navy.

"I've been wanting to do this for forever," he said. "I've waited forty-some-odd years to do this."

Customers like Green give Burton a reason to feel proud of his studio's work.

"He can't stop, he's hooked," Burton said.

Other people seek out Perseverance's artists for portrait work, ranging from Al Capone to self-portraits to something more special, like Cathy Blanco, who wants a tattoo of her father's portrait.

"I just wanted to do something that was a tribute to him, have him with me at all times," she said.

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Jonathan Petramala, a journalist who lives and works in Citrus County, knows that there are plenty of stories out there that need to be told. He would love to hear from you so he can share your story.