Justin McGriff’s licensed tattoo studio in Kodiak, Grave’n Images, has been open for only a few weeks, but the kind of reception he’s gotten from the community keeps him busy seven days a week.

It’s a reception you wouldn’t expect. McGriff hasn’t advertised his new business and no signs of a tattoo parlor exist outside the Alaska landmark on Mill Bay Road that used to be Diamond Jim’s bar.

News of the business has spread exclusively through word of mouth.

Local customer and crab fisherman Carl Sholl had to make an appointment weeks in advance for the art he now sports on his right leg, a sea-decayed skull.

A crab fisherman himself, McGriff said a fishing town like Kodiak is the perfect place for a tattoo parlor and hearkens back to the stereotype of the tattooed sailor.

Kodiak residents love tattoos with sea themes, McGriff said.

On his many layovers to Kodiak from fishing trips, McGriff said he couldn’t believe Kodiak didn’t have a certified tattoo business yet.

Business gaps in the community were recently discussed by the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce. The chamber released a business gap analysis that identified a certified tattoo parlor as a business Kodiak residents wanted.

The chamber polled more than 100 members of the community on products and services they have purchased off-island that they would have purchased locally if available.

McGriff said many of his customers used to go to Anchorage for tattoos, paying hundreds of dollars in travel on top of what they would pay for the tattoo.

In other cases, young people would get tattoos from their friends with poor — and permanent — results.

The chamber also asked if there were goods and services residents wanted which reflected the rich cultural diversity of the community.

The study was sponsored by a diversity group, the Latina Women of Alaska.

The seven-page business gap analysis study, available at Kodiak Chamber of Commerce offices, lists other businesses that people here want to see.

The list includes excellent ideas for anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit or for current businesses that want to expand their offerings to include products and services identified as gaps.

Glancing at the business gap list shows that people in Kodiak are interested in a wider variety of places to eat out.

On the list are fast food restaurants Taco Bell, Baskin Robbins and Arby’s. Residents also want more affordable, late-night restaurants, family oriented restaurants and ethnically diverse Indian or Thai restaurants.

Various clothing products, shoes stores, electronics outlets and housewares businesses were also identified.

The study revealed large gap the beauty, entertainment and recreation sectors of local business.

Mirror writer Wes Hanna can be reached via e-mail at whanna@kodiakdailymirror.com