Ink 180 Receives Unanimous Approval from Oswego Village Board

Kendall County will be seeing its first tattoo shop in the near future after the Village of Oswego board unanimously voted to approve a special permit for tattoo facility Ink 180.

Ink 180, owned by tattoo artist and Oswego resident Chris Baker, will function as both a tattoo shop for patrons as well as a part of the Ink 180 Ministry that provides free cover-up tattoos for sex trafficking victims and former gang members.

After the vote, Baker said he’d been hopeful it would pass, but had been expecting a few votes against because of the stigma surrounding tattoo shops.

“We’re hoping to turn that conception around,” said Baker.

“It’s a great service and God bless him for doing it,” said trustee Jeff Lawson right before the vote in which many trustees tried to second the motion.

The shop, located at 27 Stonehill Drive Unit D, is expected to open on St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, Saturday, March 16.

Right now the building is undergoing renovations. The walls in the waiting room have been painted a bright cherry red and Baker is in the process of getting new carpeting down.

“It’s going to look pretty awesome when it’s all done,” he said. The building features a waiting room where there will be a 50-inch television that allows friends of someone getting a tattoo to watch the process without hovering over Baker’s shoulder.

“Saloon-style” doors will open up into another room, which will connect to the main tattoo parlor. A second room at the back of the hall with an exterior exit door will be where Baker does all of his Ink 180 work.

“It’s crazy how it’s coming together. Everything is just lining up.”

Read more about the Ink 180 Ministry and Chris Baker’s work here or visit the Ink 180 website for ways to help and get involved.