The buzz around town is all about the newest addition to Main Street in Florence.After two years of working with zoning and planning officials to get approval for body art services within Florence city limits, Brett Hoerstring sealed the deal to have the first legal tattoo studio in Boone County."I'm just glad that I could get it going. I think that it's something this city needs," said Hoersting, owner of Bluegrass Tattoo Studio.Before Friday, the tattoo business in Florence was a bustling black market."If you wanted to get tattooed, you're going to get tattooed. You can get on social media and people openly advertise tattoo parties, tattoos at their house," Hoersting said.Now, if you want to wear your heart on your sleeve, there's a place that will put it there permanently.For Florence Mayor Diane Whalen, the new addition to Main Street is monumental in more ways than one."This was the hub of the city for years and years before the mall, so to have people reinvesting, purchasing the property and taking a chance on bringing back that small business and that walkability to our Main Street is one of our focuses," Whalen said.Hoersting goes by the book when it comes to safety and state regulations, though his work is anything but ordinary."I focus mostly on large-scale, custom. I like to do a lot of color work, Japanese style and traditional American," Hoersting said.

The buzz around town is all about the newest addition to Main Street in Florence.

After two years of working with zoning and planning officials to get approval for body art services within Florence city limits, Brett Hoerstring sealed the deal to have the first legal tattoo studio in Boone County.


"I'm just glad that I could get it going. I think that it's something this city needs," said Hoersting, owner of Bluegrass Tattoo Studio.

Before Friday, the tattoo business in Florence was a bustling black market.

"If you wanted to get tattooed, you're going to get tattooed. You can get on social media and people openly advertise tattoo parties, tattoos at their house," Hoersting said.

Now, if you want to wear your heart on your sleeve, there's a place that will put it there permanently.

For Florence Mayor Diane Whalen, the new addition to Main Street is monumental in more ways than one.

"This was the hub of the city for years and years before the mall, so to have people reinvesting, purchasing the property and taking a chance on bringing back that small business and that walkability to our Main Street is one of our focuses," Whalen said.

Hoersting goes by the book when it comes to safety and state regulations, though his work is anything but ordinary.

"I focus mostly on large-scale, custom. I like to do a lot of color work, Japanese style and traditional American," Hoersting said.