Schaumburg approves first tattoo business

A U.S. Marine from Addison who in the spring fought for Schaumburg to allow tattoo businesses now will open the very first in the village by mid-September.

Schaumburg trustees Tuesday voted unanimously to issue a special-use permit allowing Jeff Jucha to open his fourth such business — Atmosphere Tattoo Gallery — at 301 W. Golf Road in the Golf Point Plaza shopping center.

Schaumburg had never listed tattoo businesses among its permitted land uses until Jucha argued tattooing was a constitutionally protected activity and banning it a violation of the First Amendment.

Schaumburg's attorney agreed with him relatively quickly compared to the 2½-year fight Jucha said he had before he could open 4 Anchors Tattoo in North Chicago near Great Lakes Naval Base.

But he said it probably was the precedent that fight created that made his experience in Schaumburg easier.

Jucha said he knew of another potential business owner who backed down three years ago when told Schaumburg didn't permit tattoo establishments.

“You've got to fight for what you believe in,” Jucha said.

Even when Schaumburg officials initially recommended allowing tattoo businesses with special-use permits, there were two conditions that were ultimately dropped.

The first required a 1,000-foot buffer from churches and schools, while the other confined such businesses to manufacturing districts.

Jucha said he had to further insist on the foot traffic of a shopping center, though he was happy to live with the village's restriction of a 10 p.m. closing time.

But Schaumburg did keep a ban on such businesses at its three largest shopping centers — Woodfield Mall, Streets of Woodfield and Woodfield Village Green.

Each of Jucha's businesses has its own individual name, with 4 Aces Tattoo operating in Franklin Park and Pink Rhino Tattoo in Chicago.