#New Yorkers flock to tattoo parlors, tanning salons amid Phase 3 reopening

Business was booming at city tattoo and piercing parlors from Park Slope to the Lower East Side on Monday, the first day of the Big Apple’s Phase 3 of reopening.

“It’s insane,’’ said Matthew Mayfield, a 32-year-old piercer at The End is Near in Brooklyn.

“We are completely booked for today and tomorrow. … Saturday and Sunday are completely booked. Friday, there are two spots left. It went in seconds,” he said of the open schedule.

Since customers must wear masks, they’re getting piercings elsewhere, Mayfield said.

“Almost all of them are getting ear piercings. There’s an eyebrow piercing. We have a few nipple piercings later,” said the Park Slope worker.

Jared Hunter, a 40-year-old ink artist at Williamsburg Tattoo, said he has been working on coronavirus-themed artwork to offer customers.

One drawing, which Hunter calls an “old-school, pin-up-style COVID girl,’’ features a sexy woman — in a face mask.

The design shows “the face of America now,’’ the Brooklyn artist said.

“It’s something for people that want to live the nostalgia of this time,’’ he said. “Sh-t man, we’re halfway through this f–king year like this.”

Kenneth Restrepo, 37, the artist owner of Leathernecks Tattoo in Park Slope, said, “Some tattoo artists are designing face-mask [tattoos] as a gag.”

Mark Harada, owner of New York Hardcore Tattoo in the East Village of Manhattan, said his fiancée is considering a more poignant virus-related tattoo — a tribute to boxing trainer and Times Square bar owner Jimmy Glenn, who died from the virus in May.

“[She] expressed an interest in getting a memorial tattoo for her old boss who passed away due to complications with COVID 19,’’ Harada said.

“Her old boss was Jimmy Glenn. He owned a bar called Jimmy’s Corner. … He’s kind of a legend. He worked with a lot of famous boxers, so she wanted to get boxing gloves.’’

Michelle Sirgoo, 43, manager at First Class Tattoo on the Lower East Side in Manhattan, added, “We’ve had a few requests for Statue of Liberty tattoos with face masks.

“I think that’s a very huge symbolic piece for a lot of New Yorkers,” Sirgoo said.

“People are coming in for a lot of quotes and stuff that inspired them maybe or kept them going through quarantine.”

Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan allowed personal-care businesses such as tattoo, tanning and nail salons to start up again for the first time since mid-March, when the virus pandemic put the Big Apple in lockdown.

Some outdoor sports, such as soccer, basketball and tennis, also were allowed to resume — although indoor dining was put on hold because of concerns of a resurgence.

Kayla Pasko, a 27-year-old writer for VegOut Magazine, was at NYC Tan on Staten Island for some quarantine relief.

“Normally, I tan at the gym, but it’s closed, so I decided to check this out,” Pasko said of the salon. “I did the stand-up booth, and yeah! I got good color!

“I’m just trying to get back to a sense of normalcy,’’ she said. “Outdoor dining, now tanning, just testing the waters, getting out! I’m sick of being home.’’

Another tanning customer, Jennifer Massa, 41, said, “I’ve been going to the beach, but I wanted to give them the business. I know they’re struggling, and they are such good people there.

“Plus, I needed to even out and tan my back a little.

“After I was done I called and made an appointment at the nail salon for tomorrow.”

John Carandola, 50, owner NYC Tan, said, “Today, I’m less worried about feeding the family, now that we’ve opened.’’

Additional reporting by Kate Sheehy