10/22/2024
🏛️Hanceville City Council Passes Ordinance Allowing Tattoo Shop to Open Within City Limits: A Milestone for Local Business and Community Growth🪡
At Thursday’s city council meeting, the Hanceville City Council voted on Ordinance 2024-5, officially amending zoning laws to allow tattoo and body piercing facilities to operate within city limits. The decision comes after a heated public hearing where both sides passionately voiced their opinions.
The ordinance, initially opposed by certain religious groups, particularly concerned with the potential influence on local youth, has now passed with only one dissenting vote. This marks a significant victory for Kortni Quick, a Hanceville native and tattoo artist, who has been advocating for the ordinance change to open her own tattoo studio, Milk and Honey Tattoo.
Local business owner Brittani Armstrong Coker opened the hearing, speaking in support of her sister, Kortni Quick. “My big sister is trying to change the city ordinance for the betterment of our community,” Coker said, adding that Quick’s actions were not intended to harm the town’s values or its religious foundations. “She is trying to show my nieces and nephews that you can achieve anything that you want to, as long as you work hard enough and remain honest to yourself and your community.”
Coker emphasized her sister’s ongoing charitable efforts, which have helped provide medical and funeral assistance to families in need, and highlighted the broader issue at hand: a need for Hanceville to diversify and grow economically. “We’re not living in the past; tattoos are no longer a taboo form of self-expression,” Coker said, challenging the council to live up to their motto of being “a positive and progressive community.”
The ordinance was ultimately passed, with only Councilman John Stam voting against it. “I am voting no, but I want to express my appreciation for what your family has done as far as community involvement. I think that is very honorable of y’all,” Stam said. His concerns were largely generational, citing feedback from older residents who opposed the change.
The other council members, however, supported the ordinance, allowing Quick to move forward with her plans to open Milk and Honey Tattoo.
Quick, who previously worked at Dodge City Tattoo Company in Cullman County, spoke to us about her excitement and challenges along the way. “I’ve spent my entire life in Hanceville—my mother graduated from Hanceville, I graduated from Hanceville, and my children are now students there. My father even teaches at the school,” Quick shared, emphasizing her deep roots in the community. “I’ve been tattooing for nearly 11 years, and Cullman County as a whole has been incredibly supportive and welcoming.”
Quick also explained the inspiration behind the name of her shop. “The name Milk and Honey comes from a Bible verse,” she said. “I’m going to name it Milk and Honey Tattoo. A lifetime ago, a man made me a promise. He agreed to teach me tattoo and gave me a speech that went as follows: “I’m going to give you something that no one can ever take away from you. You can go anywhere in the world and use this skill to support your family, you will never have to worry about how you’re going to feed your children again.” This is my promised land. My land of Milk and Honey. And after everything I’ve endured in my career to get here, nothing is ever going take it from me.”
She noted that opening her new studio had been more difficult than expected, particularly given local opposition. “The emotional toll has been the toughest part,” Quick admitted. “Despite my professional role, at the end of the day, I’m just a person. I anticipated some differing opinions about tattoos, but I didn’t expect to be perceived as a threat to the public.”
Quick’s commitment to her community extends far beyond her business. She plans to continue her charitable efforts, including her annual toy drive, and expand into new initiatives. “I’m exploring new ways to expand these efforts,” she said. “Currently, I’m working on organizing monthly raffles for tattoo gift certificates, with entry fees being donations for First Source and local food pantries. My goal is always to make our charitable initiatives ‘bigger and better.’”
When asked about the future, Quick is optimistic but realistic. “Balancing family life with running a business has been my biggest challenge,” she explained. As a mother of four, she makes it a point to prioritize her children, but she’s determined to make Milk and Honey Tattoo a success while maintaining her commitments at home.
Despite the challenges posed by local churches, Quick remains hopeful about building positive relationships in the future. “At this time, I haven’t engaged with local churches, as they seem to have reservations about the new ordinance. I hope that once my studio is operational and they see my commitment to community betterment, we can build a positive relationship.”
As Hanceville looks to its future, Quick’s new studio could signal a shift toward more inclusivity and economic growth for the small town. “The new ordinance now permits [tattoo shops] under strict conditions,” Quick noted, adding that she believes these regulations represent progress. “The council is working very hard to keep the small-town charm that we have here, and I really respect that.”
With the approval of Ordinance 2024-5, Milk and Honey Tattoo is set to open its doors soon, promising not only artistic expression but continued community support and growth.
Have anything to report? Want us to expand upon a story? Message us directly with any new and relevant information.
Edit: This article has been revised with small tweaks made with the use of quotes. Our original post unintentionally read as if Kortni may have left her previous workplace because of issues with that company and safe spaces. This was not our intention and this article has been edited accordingly. We apologize for not properly delivering this message.
