RICHMOND, Va. — Robert Weaver and Jessica Simmons, co-owners of River City Tattoo in Richmond, are permanent fixtures at GalaxyCons across the country.
They help lead Galaxie Ink Tattoos and Piercing during the event, offering attendees an opportunity to own long-lasting memories of their encounters with cosplayers, celebrities, voice actors, creators, gamers, and more.
CBS 6 met Weaver and Simmons at their flagship Arthur Ashe Boulevard location ahead of GalaxyCon Richmond and the four-day event that starts Thursday afternoon at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
They attended GalaxyCon prior to signing up as vendors.
“Our son was very into superheroes and cosplay and all of the components that came along with GalaxyCon. I remember the first time we walked into one of the shows and looked down over all the booths, and he and I were both like, ‘We belong here,’” Simmons recalled.
Weaver now provides fans with the signature tattoo experience in an inclusive environment that serves as a permanent reminder of their visit.
“It's literally going to be very intimate, because the celebrity is going to have to touch you,” he explained. “In some cases, the fans are shaking; in some cases, they’re crying about something, and then they're telling me why this person is so personal to them.”
He then inks the celebrity’s signature on the guest for an everlasting memory.
Weaver recalled helping a longtime Star Trek fan in Oklahoma City with a permanent reminder of his meet-and-greet with actor George Takei.
“As soon as we left the room, he just collapsed. He emotionally grabbed me and was holding me and hugging me and crying in my arms, thanking me for this experience,” Weaver explained. “I'm crying at the time as well, because he grew up as this young queer guy in the ’60s, and he didn’t have anybody he could identify with.”
Simmons is a well-renowned master piercer with 30 years of experience and helped write the piercing guidelines for the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. She spoke about becoming friends with WWE wrestler Mick Foley through GalaxyCon.
“It's nice to spend a little time with him at each show. Recently, we changed some of his jewelry out. It was funny because it was just a quick little thing, but I could see people stopping and pulling out their cameras,” she stated.
Peter Katz, the senior vice president for GalaxyCon Richmond, told CBS 6’s Antoinette Essa that the event attracted 10,000 to 15,000 people in previous years. However, attendance jumped to 32,500 last year, and organizers expect nearly 40,000 attendees this year.
Watch: 'Something for everybody' at GalaxyCon Richmond
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, providing ample time for fans to enjoy the activities. Sunday’s hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
GalaxyCon also features major guests including "Weird Al" Yankovic and the cast of "Reno 911." In addition, NSYNC fans can expect to see Joey Fatone, and wrestling fans will meet Ric Flair.
Adding to the excitement are costume contests, shopping opportunities, and after-dark events.
Last year, the convention generated a record-breaking $10.3 million in direct visitor spending for the Richmond region, nearly doubling the economic impact of the previous year and underscoring the event’s rapid growth, according to a press release.
The financial impact for River City Tattoo is huge. Their local shop receives exposure across the country, and they know visitors are traveling from West Virginia and Maryland to attend GalaxyCon Richmond.
“It's great because it's bringing a bunch of people to Richmond for tattooing and otherwise into the city that we wouldn’t normally get exposed to,” Weaver said.
Weaver views their role at GalaxyCon as helping individuals get out of their comfort zone and discover who they are inside.
“We really now are in the era of identity, in which everybody is deciding who they are with all these various components of how they manifest themselves. They're growing up, and they're discovering themselves,” he stated. “We should be a part of this.”
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