Some N.B. tattoo artists ready to get back to work, but some will wait

New Brunswick's shift into the third phase of its COVID-19 recovery plan on Friday gave the green light to tattoo artists to reopen business.

But, like most industries reopening after the lockdown, it's going to be a different experience for customers and business owners.

Jason McCaw, a tattoo artist in Oromocto, said he's ready to take his first post-lockdown customer on Monday morning. 

"It's going to be a different way of doing things, but, I mean, we'll all get used to it, we have to — you know, that's the way it is," McCaw said. 

McCaw said he's outfitted his business, Marked For Life Tattooz, to meet public health guidelines and regulations. 

There is no waiting room and customers can only enter if they have an appointment.

Customers wanting to browse through McCaw's portfolio have to do it online now.

"Anything basically that people can touch, we had to get rid of," he said. 

McCaw said the biggest change for him will be wearing a mask all the time, including while he's tattooing.

"I run pretty warm all the time, so this mask thing — I don't know how that's going to work, but we'll see," he said, adding that all staff and customers have to wear a mask inside the business.

Like all other businesses reopening, people are not permitted to enter if they experience any symptoms of COVID-19.

Despite the changes, McCaw said his customers are eager for him to reopen.

"My Facebook Messenger is blowing up," he laughed. "I've had two months of people that I've had to cancel, so now I have to figure out where I can fit these people back into my schedule."

McCaw said he used the shutdown to do some renovations. Those included adding a second room, which will allow two artists to ink customers at the same time.

But not all artists are keen to reopen just yet.

Waiting longer

Matty Ford, owner of Dead Tree Tattoo in Fredericton, said he's waiting another two weeks before reopening his studio.

"Just like in the movie Jaws, just because the mayor says it's safe to get back into the water, it's not always the case," he said. 

"We are going to wait two weeks from the beginning of Phase 3 to open just to see if there are any spikes in numbers."

When the studio does reopen, pre-tattoo consultations will be done online.

Ford said his shop is closed to anyone who is not a staff member right now.