Tattoo Shop Owner Busted on Drug Charges

Rodney Pendleton, owner of Area 54 Tattoos in Peachtree City, Georgia, has been arrested for cultivating and distributing marijuana. Several plants were found in his home. As far as I know, he’s still in jail.

What pisses me off the most about this story is the back information. Area 54 just opened earlier this year and it was the first tattoo studio to open in Peachtree City. (source) It was a struggle to begin with, and the city tried to shut Pendleton down. Rodney Pendleton rounded up the support of residents and sympathetic legislators, and eventually opened up Area 54. He could have taught people that we’re better than they expect us to be. He could have proved that we don’t mean these cities or their residents any harm. In a year or two, he could have softened the hearts of the local lawmakers and opened a doorway for more tattoo studios in the area. But instead, he has proven them right - that they should never have allowed him to open and that such a business has no place in their fine city. Regardless of how they may have felt before, the city will more than likely be even more vehemently opposed to the presence of a tattoo studio anywhere near their borders thanks to the idiocy of one person.

People like Pendleton are in the minority. Most artists and shop owners take this business very seriously and do not purposely do things to jeopardize the reputation of the industry or its supporters. But the actions of a few people can really hurt the way the rest of the world perceives all of us, making it twice as hard for the rest of us to be accepted.

More News This Week:
Undercover Investigation Results of Some Colorado Tattoo Shops

Stearns County Bans Suspension Shows in Bars