April 19, 2024
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Spider Tattooz sets sights on new location blocks from downtown Sycamore

By Shane Taylor

A look inside the stairway that leads to Spider Tattooz gives an idea of the damage caused by an early morning fire in the building in the 100 block of East State Street in Sycamore Thursday. The location is also home to State Street Laundry and World Famous Pizza. All of the businesses sustained heavy damage in the blaze. (Mark Busch)

SYCAMORE - A Sycamore tattoo shop formerly owned by a late alderman could soon open at a new location after its previous home was destroyed by fire in 2020.

The tattoo parlor and body shop, formerly owned by late Ward 4 Alderman Rick “Spider” Kramer and now operated by Brian Fleetwood, is seeking a new permit to reopen in a strip at 325 E. State St., blocks from downtown Sycamore across the street from Sycamore Animal Hospital. Kramer died in November 2020 after a battle with throat cancer.

[ 'A good friend to all': Sycamore alderman Rick 'Spider' Kramer remembered by community ]

The City of Sycamore’s Planning and Zoning Commission gave preliminary support of the permit request during its Monday meeting, voting 10-0 to recommend the Sycamore City Council approve the request.

John Sauter, director of community development for the city, said city staff received a note supporting the endeavor from a future neighbor of the State Street business strip.

“We had one phone call from a business owner inside the building saying he was in favor of the use,” said Sauter said Monday.

The petition now heads to the city council for final approval, though a timeline for the move is not yet known.

The tattoo parlor was one of the three businesses in Sycamore that sustained damage in September of 2020 at its old location at 126 E. 1/2 State St. The fire caused $500,000 worth of damage to the building, which also housed World Famous Pizza and State Street Laundry, a laundromat where the fire was reported to have started.

Since that time, the building has been demolished, and Fleetwood has searched for a new place to set up shop. He attended Monday night’s meeting but was not available for request for comment.

It’s not the first time Fleetwood has attempted to reopen the parlor at a different spot. In January 2021, the Sycamore City Council approved a permit allowing the parlor to move to 220 E. State St. in Sycamore. According to city documents, that location is no longer being pursued, though no reason was provided.

The Sycamore City Council will take up the request at its next meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

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