WHITESBURG, Ky. — For 11 years, The Parlor Room Tattoo Shop and Art Gallery has been John Haywood’s sanctuary. A place to let his passions come to life. 


What You Need To Know

  • John Haywood, Whitesburg business owner, is cleaning up what’s salvageable after the deadly flash floods

  • At least 37 people are dead following the Eastern Kentucky floods

  • Haywood is accustomed to flooding after living in Martin, Kentucky

ā€œIt’s good to know, it’s good to know cause I built this one myself back when my first daughter was born. It’s got her name on it and did this little painting thing on the back,ā€ owner John Haywood said.

His doors at The Parlor Room in Whitesburg were open to anyone who wanted to express themselves.

ā€œWe kept instruments and stuff here, so the shop was kind of like anybody who liked tattoos, art, music just would stop in,ā€ Haywood said. ā€œYou didn’t have to have a tattoo to stop in here. Folks come in to look at the art or check out instruments or play something with us if we had time.ā€

Recently, jam sessions have been put on pause. The flash floods that swept through Eastern Kentucky caused water damage inside Haywood’s shop.

ā€œWe lucked out, really, that the water only got just only up to the splashguard,ā€ Haywood said.

Flooding is something Haywood is used to experiencing since growing up in Martin, Kentucky. Now he’s dealing with the devastation first-hand as a business owner with instruments and sketches soaked in water.

ā€œA lot of this stuff is still here, but it’s kind of in a flimsy form now, you know. There’s a lot of stuff here that goes back to when I was in college, even just getting out of high school and stuff,ā€ Haywood said.

The aftermath of The Parlor Room in Whitesburg following the deadly flash floods. (Spectrum News 1/Erin Wilson)
The aftermath of The Parlor Room in Whitesburg following the deadly flash floods. (Spectrum News 1/Erin Wilson)

Haywood is still trying to look on the bright side.

ā€œI had already been thinking about ways I could kind of give the shop a makeover or something,ā€ Haywood said. ā€œWhen you’re an artist, you’re also a little bit of a hoarder.ā€

While cleaning up what’s salvageable with hopes one day he’ll be back where it all began.

ā€œIt’s like I don’t know what to do next, you know what I mean, I keep chipping away,ā€ Haywood said. ā€œThis is just a good town for doing a DIY business.ā€

At least 37 people have died in the Eastern Kentucky floods, according to Gov. Beshear’s latest announcement.