SILOAM SPRINGS -- A new barbershop in Siloam Springs became the first place to offer tattoos in approximately 15 years.
Wild Board Barbershop began offering tattoos in its shop Feb. 28, according to Nick Eberley, the owner of the establishment.
Eberley said in the old days, barbers had multiple skill sets including tattoo artists, dentists and even surgeons, and he wanted to bring some of that back by offering a place in the city for people to get tattoos.
The barbershop component opened last October and has been quite popular, Eberley said. His church, family and word of mouth helped Wild Boar increase business, Eberley said.
Opening the tattoo parlor component was a little more difficult, but the city helped Eberley navigate through the red tape.
During the Sept. 7 city board meeting the board members adopted Ordinance 21-18 which allowed tattoo parlors to open with a special use permit in roadway commercial zones. Before the adoption of the ordinance, tattoo parlors were only allowed to open in industrial zones.
Eberley said the tattoo room would be separate and closed off. There would also be a barrier underneath the door to block any hairs from coming into the tattoo room. What also helped is remaining in constant contact with the city, the board of health and the barber board, Eberley said.
The plan for the shop is to have two barbers, one tattoo artist and a receptionist who will handle appointments. Eberley tattooed in Bentonville as an apprentice and plans to do the same at Wild Boar, he said.
So far, the sky has been the limit for Wild Boar Barbershop, Eberley said. Siloam Springs has been very supportive of the new shop, he said, adding that customers have been posting on social media how much they love Wild Boar.
"I'm just proud to have a local business in this city," Eberley said.
Eberley does not have any plans to open a second location but is instead focusing on making his current shop a success, he said. His plans are to keep it small at least while Wild Boar is in its present location. The ultimate goal is to make sure the shop maintains its small-town feel.
For now, Eberley is prepped to offer his dual services to residents and visitors alike. As the first person to have this type of business, Eberley said he needs to make Siloam Springs proud of what he is doing.