Tattoo parlor to fill vacant Onset storefront

The location of a former Onset landmark is getting a new tenant.

One year after Tracy and Troy Knowles purchased Sinners & Saints Tattoo and Body Piercing, the couple is moving the business to 2 W Central Ave.

The property is owned by the Papantoniadis family who operate Stash’s Onset Beach just down the road. It was home to the Onset Blues Cafe for many years before that business closed in 2008.

The large storefront is located behind Dudley Brown Square and was dressed up this week with new signage ahead of the move.

Tracy Knowles said the new shop is needed to accommodate the growing business, and it will provide space that the shop's location at 37 Depot St. lacks.

“We’ve definitely outgrown the building we’re in now,” she said, adding that the store employs six tattoo artists and often hosts visiting artists from across the country. “When we get busy there’s not much parking here.”

According to Knowles, she hopes to take advantage of Onset’s bustling summer season.

“The building is awesome and in a great spot. We wanted to be near the beach and all the walking traffic it attracts,” she said.

A grand opening was initially set for mid-September. However, renovations took longer than expected. Knowles said she hopes to open in the new location in early October if all goes well.

The Knowles have been in the tattoo business for five years and both are combat veterans. Troy retired after 20 years of military service. Tracy was discharged for medical reasons after 10 years of service.

While the Knowles have owned Sinners & Saints for one year, the business itself has been open for 10 years at its current location.

Putting the shop front and center in Onset is another way to get the word out about Sinners & Saints, said Knowles.

“Some residents didn’t even know this was in town after 10 years,” she said. “After the move we’re definitely going to have more of a presence.”

For more information on Sinners & Saints, visit www.sinnerssaint.com.