Getting a tattoo is a personal preference, but now you won't be able to do it in one local town.

That's something that Nick Swartz says is unfortunate. He's the manager of Alley Cat Tattoo in Harrisonburg, and he says banning this kind of business is a shame since it brings so many people to the area.

"People come here from all over the country and all over the east coast to get tattoos, to Harrisonburg you know, and so it can definitely bring people from different communities and all over the state," said Swartz.

The New Market town council voted unanimously to prevent tattoo parlors from opening up in the small town. The town's manager says they haven't gotten any negative feedback on this decision.

"So there was public input involved and ultimately there was a recommendation from the Planning Commission to this prohibition and tonight's council meeting made that final," said Evan Vass, the town's manager.

Neighbors like Renee Sharman support the decision.

"I mean I think tattoo parlors can draw a certain element, and maybe they don't want that element on the main street of their nice little historic town, so you know but that's personal preference," said Sharman.

A certain element that Swartz says isn't always the case for someone who gets a tattoo. He says this ban will just keep all kinds of people away from this town.

"People make assumptions that it's sort of an unsavory thing for people to be getting tattoos, but we tattoo people from all walks of life here and it's not uncommon for us to tattoo doctors, lawyers, JMU professors, so you know there's two sides to every coin," said Swartz.

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