A Black-owned business in Fordham worked hard to bounce back after having to shut down for three months because of the pandemic.

Marion Tattoo has been a presence in the neighborhood for 15 years, with the last 10 years spent at its location in Fordham.

However, the pandemic forced artists to put the pens down and close up shop in the spring.

Owner Marion Taylor says, "I watched the news and everything was saying businesses were closing down, and it was a scary sight and I didn't know what to expect."

Taylor was able to reopen her namesake business in July with COVID-19 safety precautions in place. She and her staff received a warm welcome back from clients.

"We weren't able to acquire any of the loans or the grants or anything they had available, but we're able to, because of our repeated clients, able to be here," Taylor says. "And we're able to pay all our bills back we owed because of the pandemic, and we're going strong."

Taylor says she hopes the shop will remain a permanent fixture in Fordham for more years to come.