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Local tattoo shop donates supplies to Norton Hospital

The slogan of Tattoo Charlie's, 'While you Wait,' has a new meaning amidst coronavirus concerns in the Commonwealth.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When the call to help went out, small businesses across the Commonwealth answered. Some of those small businesses are sending supplies from unlikely places.  

Tattoo Charlie's invited WHAS11 to join them as they packed up their supplies and sent them off to a local hospital. 

"While you wait."

The slogan of a famous tattoo studio now takes on a completely different meaning. 

"Best things to do while you wait right now, are stay home," said Buddy Wheeler, owner of Tattoo Charlie's.  "Honest to goodness, stay home and protect your family and protect your loved ones and protect other people's families."

While he's waiting for further instruction as he closes the doors to the business his father opened back in the '70s, and we're waiting to see just how bad this pandemic is going to be, they aren't waiting to take action.

"Supplies that could be really helpful for treating people or even saving lives are sitting in storage here in my studio," Wheeler said.  "I'm going to get those and take them somewhere where they could do some good." 

Wheeler loaded bed covers, arm covers, 80 boxes of gloves, gauze and most prized, bottles of alcohol and 12 boxes of face masks, into his van and headed to Norton Hospital.

Recalling the efforts businesses made during world wars, Wheeler said it's never been easier to help your neighbors.

"We are being called to sit on the couch and protect them now," Wheeler said.  "It's our time. We can do this. We can sit on the couch to protect our parents, our grandparents, the most fragile in our community."

Looking back on the history of Tattoo Charlie's, Buddy Wheeler knows his father would approve of this decision and would also lock the door.

"He would be absolutely in agreement with closing down and waiting this out at this time," Wheeler said.  "He wouldn't be happy with it, but it's the right thing to do and he would 100 percent be on board with it."

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