LeeandSarahCookseyhopetoleavealastingimpressiononUnadilla. ThepairopenedResurgenceInk,atattooparlorat192MainSt.intheOtsegoCountyvillage,onMay7. Lee“Hollywood”Cooksey,40,aTennesseenative,saiditwasink-mindedfriendswhobroughthimupstate,buttheregionthatkepthimhere. “MyfriendsownInkdictedTattooinWalton,soIdidthatforawhile,fromJuly2018throughDecember2020,”hesaid.“ButI’vebeenatattooartistfor20-somethingyears.IalwaysloveddrawingandI’vebeendrawingsinceIwasakid.Oneonta’sgotwaytoomanytattooparlorsandSidneydoesn’thaveonethatIknowof…butIfigureditwouldbenicetobeinasmallcommunity;I’mfromasmallcommunity,soIwantedtobeinasmallcommunity,andIliketryingtogiveback.” ResurgenceInk’sopeningday,Leesaid,featuredatattoo'flashsale,'withaportionofproceedsbenefittingtheUnadillaFoodPantry.Afollow-upsalegeneratedmorethan$800fortheDelawareValleyHumaneSociety. TheCookseyssaidtheiradoptedcommunityisembracingthebusiness. “Itwasabouttimeforhimtohavehisownshop,”SarahCooksey,47,said.“He’sgoodatwhathedoesandwellliked…andpeoplehavebeenverywelcoming.Wewantedtobuildintheareaandshowpeoplethatyoucanstartabusinessandrunitsuccessfullyandbeingpartofthatisreallycool—togivepeopletheunderstandingthatyoucanachieveyourdreamsifyouputyourmindandhearttoit.Tosaywewerehereandhelpedbuildupthecommunity—there’ssomuchhistoryhereandit’sabeautifularea—whenyoucanbeapartofthat,it’sprettyneat.” “Weliterallytwoweeksagopostedthatweweregoingtohaveashophere,andwe’rebookingalready,”LeesaidinearlyMay.“I’vebeenuphereawhile,soIhavealotoffaithfulclients.We’vegotpeoplecomingallthewayfromBinghamtonanduptowardWorcesterandthatway,butfromMississippiallthewayuphere,I’veleftaslewofinkinmytrails.” Thedemographicsofcustomers,LeeandSarahsaid,haveevolvedalongsideculturalattitudestowardtattoos. “Igetpeoplefromfreshoutofhighschooluptopeopleintheir60s,”hesaid.“It’sabroadspectrum.” “You’dbesurprisedhowmanyolderpeoplearenowgettingthembecausetheycouldn’tgetthemwhentheywereyoungerandtheyalwayswantedto,”shesaid.“Peoplearegettingmorebraveandcomingoutanddoingitnow,andit’smoreacceptablenow.(People)feeltheycanexpresstheirfeelingsthroughartontheirbody.” Leesaidit’stheartisticaspectthat’skepthimcommitted. “Yougettoputyourmarkontheworld,yourstamponit,”hesaid.“It’sthestoriesandthepeople;yougettohearalotofthemandit’snicetoseeyourartonsomebody,andthat’sprettymuchforever.” ThoughLee saidhedoes“alittlebitofeverything”intermsoftattoostyles,hesaidhefavorsblackandgraywork. Onceestablished,theCookseyssaid,theyhopetoofferpiercingandmerchandise. ResurgenceInkisopenfromnoonto8p.m.,TuesdaythroughFriday,and10to10onSaturday;closedSundayandMonday. Formoreinformation,find“ResurgenceInk”onFacebookorcall607-287-1757. Sourcelink

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