By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter
BUCYRUS — When Brenton Potter was faced with the loss of his job when the tattoo parlor he worked for was moving out of town, he made the only decision he could at the time: He took it over.
“I was 19 at the time. Me and Tori (Robinson) were working here for Image in Ink and if we wanted to keep our jobs, one of us had to take over and it ended up being me,” Potter said.
Potter officially took over the former Images in Ink business on June 9, 2010.
“I always considered myself to be creative, but was under the impression you wouldn’t make a living with it,” said Potter, who grew up helping his dad pin-stripe classic cars.
Potter took art classes in high school but did not become interested in tattoos until he was around 18 years old.
“I actually did not even like tattoos when I was younger, but clearly that changed,” Potter said with a smile.
In celebration of The Tattoo Factory’s eighth anniversary, he hired two artists to hand-paint signs for the business.
“It is something I have always wanted to do and it seemed like the perfect time,” Potter said as artists Bonita Breining and Robert Lockamy reverse window-painted signs on the window of the business.
“Besides the Crazy Fox, we will be the only business in town with a hand-painted sign,” Potter said.
Breining and Lockamy of Signs by Bob made the trip to the Tattoo Factory from Fairborn, near Dayton, to create the signage for Potter.
“I have been doing reverse window painting for 15 years,” Lockamy said.
Breining is an art teacher and joined forces with Lockamy two years ago to create the unique signage.
Potter said business is good.
“The community has been very supportive of the shop. Currently, we offer the only tattoo shop in Crawford County,” he said.
Robinson still works at the shop and offers customers tattoos and body piercings.
Tattoos, body piercing, car pin-striping and commissioned art work are offered at The Tattoo Factory which is located at 334 S. Sandusky Ave., in Bucyrus.
For more information about The Tattoo Factory, call 419-310-6655 or visit the business’ Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/The-Tattoo-Factory-132776550122626.
For information about Signs by Bob, call 937-516-4627 or find him or Breining on Instagram.