Palatine To Look Into Piercings At Bead World

In the wake of rejecting a tattoo parlor, Palatine officials are now looking into whether Bead World, 8 S. Brockway St., is violating the village's zoning code by offering piercings.

District 1 Council member Aaron Del Mar said after the vote against Beth and Phil Cisco's plans for a tattoo parlor he received an e-mail about piercings being offered at Bead World. Plans for the tattoo parlor – which was not going to offer piercings – were rejected by the Village Council on Feb. 22.

"Palatine is not ready for a tattoo parlor," Del Mar said. "But doing piercing is worse than the tattoos, in my opinion."

Del Mar said he needed more information about what Bead World does, adding that if it is simply ear lobes he would not consider it to be a big deal.

Palatine Village Manager Reid Ottesen said he has sent a letter to Bead World inquiring about the practice. Ottesen said that a jewelry store is defined in the village code and piercing ears could be seen as being consistent with that type of business.

Ottesen said more extensive piercing could create a zoning issue.

"Body piercing is not an allowed use," Ottesen said. "The question is whether the business has evolved beyond what was originally anticipated."

Ottesen said that depending on the extent of the piercing buisness, Bead World might have to come before the Village Council and request a special use, or consider scaling things back.

Bead World's Owner Martha Pafralides said the business does piercings from the waist up. She said her husband does the piercings and has taken classes regarding safety and blood borne diseases.

Pafralides said Bead World has been in business 16 years. She said the store's primary business is selling beads and jewelry. The business offers jewelry making classes, and repairs jewelry and watches.

"This all came up because of the tattoo shop," Pafralides said.

The Illinois Department of Public Health plans to investigate whether Bead World is in compliance with the Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Act.

Businesses that only do ear lobe piercings are exempt. Businesses that offer other types of piercings, however, are supposed to be registered with the state and regularly inspected by either the state or the local health department.

Kelly Jakubek, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health, said Bead World is not registered with the state and the department will investigate.