![Tattoo Xtreme tattoo artist Steven McPhee inks Lochie Carnegie from Belconnen on Wednesday. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong Tattoo Xtreme tattoo artist Steven McPhee inks Lochie Carnegie from Belconnen on Wednesday. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8WgcxeQ6swJGymJT6BMGEL/f1f25b22-6e5c-4b1f-a793-5a3ba61ec437.jpg/r0_534_5338_3547_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sharon Raczkowski's tattoo parlour was completely booked out for at least the next four months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Tennis star Nick Kyrgios was even scheduled to get some new ink done this Sunday.
Despite a booming business, the Fyshwick-based Tattoo Xtreme will be closed from Thursday due to new restrictions imposed to stop the spread of coronavirus.
"There are no words," Ms Raczkowski said.
"I'm so devastated. I've got 10 staff in this business, all with families and mortgages and mouths to feed."
Even on the last day of business before the closure came into effect, the parlour was packed out with people getting some final ink, many having waited months for their appointments.
The closure of tattoo parlours under the federal government's restrictions also applies to beauty and nail salons.
Hairdressers and barbers will be exempt from the restrictions but strict social distancing rules will be in effect including a time limit of 30 minutes.
READ MORE:
Ms Raczkowski said while she could understand measures had to be taken to stop the spread of COVID-19, some of the exemptions did not make sense.
"There's a double standard for hairdressers, because we can do a small walk-in tattoo in half an hour, or a piercing in that time," she said.
"We already had segregated bays and one client for one tattooist measures in place for the past two weeks.
"Its unfair that hairdressers are still trading with the same amount of physical contact that we do."
After many challenges over the years, Ms Raczkowski said the closure was the biggest crisis the parlour had faced in its 22 years in operation.
She said that staff at the parlour, all permanent, were devastated by the closure.
"I've had staff with me who started with me in their 20s and now they're in their 30s with houses and kids and mortgages," she said.
Ms Raczkowski said she feared with the closure of tattoo parlours, people would look to get underground tattoos if they couldn't get inked legally.
Despite the lockdown measures, the parlour owner said she was optimistic about the future.
"We're definitely going to reopen as soon as possible. There's been lots of ups and downs and but we keep coming back," she said.
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
We have removed our paywall from our stories about the coronavirus. This is a rapidly changing situation and we want to make sure our readers are as informed as possible. If you're looking to stay up to date on COVID-19, you can also sign up for our twice-daily digest here. If you would like to support our journalists you can subscribe here.