Mackenzie Bergen. (submitted photo/Mac Piercing)

By Nicole Reis

Re-Open Saskatchewan

Tattoo and piercing services resume in Meadow Lake

Jun 11, 2020 | 1:48 PM

A local tattoo and piercing studio is booked solid after months of mandatory closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mackenzie Bergen, owner of Mac Piercing located inside Arlene’s in Meadow Lake told meadowlakeNOW her customers anticipated her reopening for weeks. She said during the closure she received invitations to do piercings at customers’ homes.

“I’ve been getting messages for three months from people wanting me to come to their home,” she said with a laugh. “Unfortunately I can’t, I fall under the guidelines of health and I can’t come to homes to do piercings.”

Under The Public Health Act, personal service facilities are required to operate in a hygienic manner and in a manner that prevents and minimizes the risk of transmission of disease to clients or individuals providing personal services.

Mac Piercing currently operates in a highly-sterile environment and Bergen said the new imposed regulations laid out in phase three of the provincial reopen plan are not much different from her current procedures. The only difference Bergen has noticed so far is the requirement she wear a face shield and a special type of apron at work.

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“At first [the province] didn’t say it was a requirement and but now they’re saying it is,” she said. “I put it on and it immediately fogs up and that makes it a challenge to pierce someone.”

Bergen was able to support her business through emergency federal funding, and when she opened her doors Monday, her calendar was completely booked. Shannon, the location’s tattoo artist returns to work tomorrow and plans to work two or three days per month. Bergen said it’s anticipated Shannon will also have a busy schedule.

Some new changes to Mac Piercing will be limits to the number of people in the storefront. Appointments will be booked a half hour in between each other.

Bergen will provide a disposable mask and sanitizer for customers upon signing their usual waiver form to be pierced. The waiver includes a section asking if an individual is sick or come into contact with an infected person, not to continue with their appointment.

“I’m happy to be back,” she said. “I missed my people.”

Mac Piercing operates Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s and can be contacted here.