Chris Hinkle: ‘I am glad people’s voices were heard’

Jun 26, 2015 4:40 PM

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Chris Hinkle sits in front of what will be his new business location on East Broadway in Alton. (Photo by Dan Brannan)

Chris Hinkle sat on the footsteps of what will be his new Grand Piasa Body Art and Art Supply business in Alton on Friday morning, breathing a sigh of relief for the first time in months.

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Hinkle beamed with pride just a short distance down from where abolitionist newspaper editor Elijah P. Lovejoy once took his stand in print opposing slavery.

Only a couple nights before on Wednesday, the Alton City Council voted 5-3 to allow Hinkle and Grand Piasa Body Art to have a special use permit, which allows him to purchase the building located on East Broadway.

Hinkle has a different view of history than some and said many who stood before him in Alton would be proud he took a stand to open his tattoo business in the 500 block of East Broadway.

“We had just overwhelming support from everybody and without that I don’t think I could have done it alone,” he said. “Alton Main Street’s Sara McGibany was a giant part of it. Every time I hit a dead end with what to do or where to go, she put some brilliant insight into it.”

The Grand Piasa Body Art owner said he was just glad the ordeal is done and he can move on with his life and preparing the structure on Broadway for the new shop.

As Hinkle sat on the cement in front of the structure, he talked openly about his feelings and the process that had been involved getting to this point.

“I remember walking up and down the street,” he pointed, “getting names on a petition and after that working with the bank to get ready to invest. I don’t think my location could be any better. The location overlooks the Mississippi River and the Clark Bridge and is at a four-way stop on Broadway. There is so much traffic that goes by each day.”

Just today, while standing there facing the Mississippi and Clark Bridge, a woman stopped and said, “When are you going to start work?”

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Hinkle smiled and responded, “in the near future” and the woman shook her head, said congratulations and drove away. The tattoo artist said his phone had literally been ringing off the hook since the decision was made on his fate.

After the first meeting, Hinkle said his tattoo parlor issue on Broadway “kind of took a life of its own.”

“It became something bigger than me,” he said. “It was kind of like I didn’t have a choice anymore although I didn’t want to go anywhere else. It became a matter of principle.”

After the first meeting on the issue, Hinkle said his support grew exponentially. The Alton businessman said the owner of the buildings he plans to purchase stuck with him through thick and thin and offered him constant support. He also praised Alton Alderman Charles Brake for his constant positive approaches with the Alton City Council.

“Charley even came into my shop early on and after he visited, he was supportive all the way,” Hinkle said. “I can’t express how much that meant to me. Charley had the courage to stand up for something, even if it didn’t have relevance to him. He was amazing.”

Hinkle said he hopes he is the one who broke the seal so no one else has to go through what he went through if their business model is a little different to some.

“I guess I felt I had to prove that tattooing is legitimate and morally OK,” he said. “I don’t think any other business in Alton ever had to do what I had to do. I had to try to convince people I am not the devil.”

As Hinkle looked around at the crowd supporting him at the Alton City Council meeting, he said he was overwhelmed and extremely thankful.

“I am trying to bring a successful business to Broadway,” he said. “Who wants to invest their life, their time and their money into something and have it fall on its face? I am not going to invest $500,000 and all people’s time and effort and leave it outside in the rain.”

As Chris Hinkle prepared to get back in his van and start the next steps in the process of getting the facility renovated, and ready to open, he had a good way to describe his role in changing Downtown Alton business history: “I was the lighting rod for a good cause.”

He looked up and down Broadway where now there are some empty buildings, and again pointed each way and said, “I would love to see business up and down Broadway and people walking up and down it again.”