San Francisco's renowned Tattoo City, a prominent fixture in the North Beach since 1977, is set to close by the end of this year. The revelation comes amid health challenges faced by its founder, Don Ed Hardy, who now struggles with dementia. Tattoo City expressed on social media, "We have decided that the time has come for this part of San Francisco tattoo history to come to an end," according to a statement obtained by The San Francisco Chronicle.
Hardy, 79, is acknowledged for his innovative work and deep historical knowledge in tattooing, having completed an estimated tens of thousands of tattoos. Tattoo City has been a significant part of the community, inviting individuals to "make a final pilgrimage if you can, come and get tattooed, and share your stories of this wonderful, crazy, historic place", as was shared in their Instagram post. Despite his retirement over a decade ago because of arthritis, Hardy's legacy continued to be influenced through the careful stewardship of his wife, Francesca Passalacqua, and son, Doug Hardy.
Tattoo City's journey began with Hardy opening Realistic Tattoo Studio in 1974 and surviving challenges, including a fire in 1978 that destroyed its original location. It stands as a testament to the evolution of tattoos from fringe to mainstream acceptance. Tattoo City's followers are encouraged to visit for one last time before its closure to celebrate not just the shop but a vital part of San Francisco's cultural tapestry, as they said, "The shop will be formally closing at the end of the year". This closure highlights the end of an era, especially following the closure of Lyle Tuttle’s tattoo shop, another landmark institution that shut its doors in 2019 after Tuttle's death, as The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
