Eternal Art Tattoo took the next step toward relocating its shop a mile down the road Tuesday.
The city of Santa Clarita is planning to build the new Canyon Country Community Center where the tattoo shop and nine other businesses are currently located on the corner of Sierra Highway and Soledad Canyon Road, moving the existing businesses there elsewhere.
On Tuesday, planning commissioners approved the tattoo parlor’s conditional use permit, the last step needed before they can start building at their new 2,077 square-foot location in the Flying Tiger Drive commercial center.
There was no question the shop would stay in Canyon Country after the move, according to the shop’s owner, Adam Guyot, who was born and raised in the community.
“I’ve grown up in that neighborhood my entire life,” Guyot said. “To stay in Canyon Country, it’s just a must for me.”
In addition to the sentimental value the area holds, the owner said he feared there were no other places in the Santa Clarita Valley that could use a tattoo shop, and he didn’t want to encroach on someone else’s business.
“We need something to serve this part of town,” he said. “We want to continue doing what we love in a place that is safe so customers are not scared by the seedy elements that people would associate with tattoo shops in the past.”
While Guyot has been looking forward to starting construction on the new shop for the last two months, he was prevented from making any further steps until the permit was approved.
Though he wishes he could stay in the building his businesses has been in since 1995, Guyot said the city has been helpful in the relocation process. His only stressor thus far was getting the permit approved.
In the venture to relocate the 10 businesses, the city assigned them a relocation consultant and assistance with relocation expenses.
Of the ten relocating, the city has reached settlement agreements with seven of them, including Eternal Art Tattoo, MexPress Transportation, Inc., Aguila Landscaping, Inc., Doggie Den, Boost Mobile, Just Passing Thru Body Piercing and Sierra Auto Care, Inc.
Several of these businesses have attained their permits and have moved onto next steps, according to Wayne Weber, manager of parks planning for the city.
Osteria Caruso, Hair Wave Salon and Joe’s Shoe Repair have yet to reach settlement agreements.
The city is simultaneously happy to help the businesses relocate while also looking forward to all the programs and amenities the new center will offer locals, according to City Communications Manager Carrie Lujan.
This specific location was chosen greatly in part because of its walkability for neighbors, Lujan said.
“We’re a very business-friendly city and we want to make sure our businesses are at a new location where they can serve their current clients as well as new customers,” Lujan said. “We’re really excited about the community center that’s coming to Canyon Country.”
