While the address has changed, what Hank's Tattoo owner Hank Hernandez wants to accomplish hasn't.
Hernandez recently opened a new storefront at 3407 Lake City Highway, Warsaw, between Provident Studios and Cash Depot in the shopping plaza off U.S. 30E.
It started out for Hernandez with his first storefront in 1999 in Claypool.
He then moved to Warsaw in 2001 and had another location on U.S. 30 before moving into his new studio.
Hernandez is the only artist on staff. The business is open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
"I've lived here in Warsaw for 43 years," said Hernandez. "I did my first tattoos in 1985."
And the experience has earned Hank some recognition.
At the Body Art Expo in Chicago, a highly regarded expo for the body art world, he won the Best of Day award. That award goes to any tattoo given on that day.
Hernandez said whenever he hits up the expo in Chicago, he has people asking to get work done by him.
He's also been asked to be a judge for awards as well.
Community involvement is also important to Hernandez.
He does a Toys for Tatts program, which is in its sixth year.
People can get discounts on tattoos and body piercing for bringing gifts up to $50 in value into the store. Hernandez doubles whatever the value of the toy is and takes that off the price of a tattoo.
Then each Christmas, Hernandez and his family make up goodie bags with cookies, candy and toys and hand delivers them to families in need.
He even gets his brother-in-law involved by dressing him up like Santa.
In the past two years, Hernandez's efforts have brought Christmas to two families with six children in them.
He is also a fan of holding food drives for local food banks and works with the group Wounded Warriors as well.
His most recent effort was featured earlier this week in the Times-Union.
Every Wednesday since August, Hernandez has been offering free tattoos of breast cancer awareness ribbons from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday. The event is first-come, first -serve.
"Even when Breast Cancer Awareness month is over we're going to have the cancer ribbon be a part of this place," said Hernandez. "Because cancer is a part of so many people's lives everyday. And it's important to keep aware of that."Hernandez is launching a website, www.hankstattoo.com
For more information, call Hernandez at the shop at 574-268-5292.
