Video killed the radio star

There has been a lot of talk about Dr. Robert Feder’s video arcade on the corner of West Second and Main. It reminds me of the all the hooh-hah that flew around when the tattoo shops wanted to move downtown. “There will be plague and pestilence if thy tattoo people harbor near the center of town,” claimed the extremists. But the fact remains that the expanding tat shops add a certain charm and definite color to Chico.

Sacred Art was No. 1 to break virgin ground. Dug in at 319 Main St., above Team Players, the reconditioned bar is a first class fly looking joint. Owner David Singletary’s experience as a designer on movie sets in Hollywood shows through in the slick layout and design. With a staff that features the occasional international artist, Sacred Art strives toward new ground in levels of excellence.

New Creation arrived second but has situated itself above Celestino’s, giving it the best view of any shop. Owner Ronita Yvarra has over 22 years’ experience inking and greets everyone with a smile. From tribal to classic design, New Creation has something for everyone. The address is 101 Salem St.; all you have to do is look up!

Chrome Lotus, owned by Teri Cameron, has recently settled in at 112 West Second St. and has a great reputation as a quality tat and piercing facility. Helping the taggers in town work other places besides the street, Chrome Lotus displays a grand mural inside, making it a community friendly place.

Victory Tattoo, while not downtown, is a great place to see some flash and fully customed work. Owned by Kip Delaney, it’s located at 1818 Mangrove Ave. and worth the trip.

Point is that the lack of vision of the city to embrace the tattoo shops is the same sort of myopia that we see being used against a 21st-century video arcade. And while the skateboard park and yo-yo contests are a great boon to town, opening a cool arcade would be a step to actually make the youth of Chico feel like they’re part of the community rather than criminals. And while this doesn’t have to do with my usual rants on music, the truth is that the kids are the future of our city and our world, and we best give them as many outlets to feel connected as possible.