Owner of Vivid Arts tattoo studio addresses critical violations found earlier this year
WATERVLIET TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WNDU) - A tattoo shop in Watervliet Township was temporarily closed last month after the Berrien County Health Department found health violations that led to approximately 2,500 people being told that they may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis B and C.
According to our reporting partners at The Herald-Palladium, Vivid Arts was closed on Jan. 10 because critical violations were discovered during an investigation into a filed complaint.
After the inspection, Health Officer Guy Miller says the owner of the shop, Joshua “Big J” Mansfield, was very compliant with the health department.
Letters were sent to all individuals who had received services at Vivid Arts since 2021, including people as far away as Arizona. Miller says the purpose of the letters was not to imply that everyone is affected but rather a precautionary measure due to potential exposure resulting from observed poor sanitary practices at the facility.
The tattoo shop was allowed to reopen on Jan. 31 after an inspection found that Mansfield had rectified the identified violations.
Miller says the letters have led to overwhelming phone calls from concerned customers and advises those who were potentially exposed to contact their doctor. For those without a primary physician, the health department can be reached at 269-926-7121.
Miller says the state laboratory is currently testing the collected samples. Meanwhile, information gathered by the health department has been forwarded to the Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office, as Mansfield is alleged to have violated the public health code.
Mansfield released the following statement on the shop’s Facebook page.
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