Local businessman Chris Hinkle hasn’t declared a complete victory just yet on his attempt to move his business to 558-560 East Broadway in Alton, but he thought what did happen on Wednesday night was people had their voices heard.
The Alton City Council voted a super majority vote 5-3 in favor of him obtaining a special permit to move his business Grand Piasa Art and Art Supply from Homer Adams Parkway to Broadway.
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“I am glad I got the vote,” he said. “I am optimistic about the zoning meeting, which is the next step. I just hope it doesn’t get back there and snagged. I feel like a celebration at this point would be premature. Until I get all clear from everything, I am holding back excitement.”
Hinkle said he was nearly overwhelmed at the outpouring of support he received from so many different types of people and for their sake, too, he was glad the council approved his measure.
Hinkle is a tattoo artist and said he has not been able to do much in terms of that in recent months, he has relied on his staff, but he is ready to be creating tattoo artwork again.
“I am constantly playing catch up,” he said. “I haven’t had a moment for anything; it has been run, run, run trying to keep up with my business, my home, family, all of the politics with the city and the media.”
The local businessman emphasized that the long process has burned two months of time already to relocate his store and he worries it will be another month before he can get started on the project.
Hinkle described his support as simply “amazing.”
“It was definitely hard to take it all in on Wednesday night,” he said. “I am amazed by the amount of support of people that stood up to speak and were super passionate about what they were speaking about. I am kind of taken back by it.”
The local businessman said there was a moment when no council members spoke after the vote, waiting for a second of the vote.
Then Charlie Brake stood up and seconded it and added an amendment.
“He did the best thing out of all of them,” Hinkle said. “Nobody else there would do it. I am extremely grateful for what he did and I just hope when it comes to zoning board, I hope it isn’t a big ordeal. I am looking forward to getting it done so I can have a direction to start planning for.”
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