As a child, Ty Pallotta was infatuated with his father's military tattoo.  He got his first tattoo -- Spiderman -- when he was 17.  And, in 1998 he left his home in Toms River for a tattoo artist apprenticeship in Austin, Texas. Pallotta, the owner of Premium Blend Tattoo, 777 East Bay Avenue, Manahawkin, said after his apprenticeship he worked in Staten Island and then came back to New Jersey, finally opening his own shop in 2004. "What people seek me out for are the realism tattoos," said Pallotta.  "There are not a lot of people doing that type of work around here.  You see it more in the …

The lavender house on the south side of Route 9 in Manahawkin, a historical structure built in 1860 as a parsonage for the adjacent Hertiage Park church, has been a bridal shop, a rosewood gift shop, an Italian restaurant and a 70s sandwich shop. As of last November, under the direction of Manahawkin resident Samantha Palmeri, it became something unique. It became the "Art House." "It's just what it is -- literally, it's an art house," Palmeri said. "I mean, every room is being utilized for something artistic." Palmeri, who graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York and moved here …

Last year, Anna Renner was left with a decision to make when the Egg Harbor Township boutique where she worked as a dog groomer moved. "I had been grooming there one and a half years and did not want to leave the customers without a groomer," said Renner, a Barnegat resident.  That's when she decided to start Bark Of The Town, Housecall Dog Grooming.  Renner said she had owned dog grooming salons and been a dog groomer for about 20 years.  Now her office is in her clients' bathrooms, laundry rooms, or kitchens. "Wherever there is light, water and electric," she said.  "I bring everything I …

Raised by an Italian mother, Caitlin Clarke of Barnegat said food has always been important in her family. "What an admirable endeavor it is to try and feed people," Clarke said. She studied zoology, then switched to an interest in plants at a small Pennsylvania college in an agrarian area. She ended up majoring in Japanese, but fell in love with orchards and the idea of growing things, she said. Today Clarke, 25, is seeking to fulfill this mission by growing heirloom vegetables out of the Bay Avenue home where she grew up, an 1872 historical residence across from the Memorial Park with a 1-…

Unshredded Nostalgia, 323 South Main Street in Barnegat Township, had humble beginnings -- as a series of garage sales in front of store owner Jim Episale's house. As Episale collected more things to sell, he wanted to know more about the items. "I went to auctions for stuff for the sales and I found that doing the research on the stuff intrigued me most," said Episale.  "As I bought more magazines and researched them, I got more enthralled in doing research on old paper." By the 1970s, Episale -- a former photo journalist and newspaper publisher -- graduated to flea markets and soon was …

Several martial arts schools have opened and closed in the area in the last few years. At this point, Barnegat is home to two of them, whose owners say they plan to stick around. If you or your children ever considered karate as a way to boost self-esteem, learn self-defense, or stay physically fit and active, find out what makes each of the town's karate schools unique.  This article is the second installment in a two-part series about the town's karate schools. A little while ago we profiled “Shotokan Karate.”   MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY Address: 34 South Main Street, Barnegat Owner: Master John…

Several martial arts schools have opened and closed in the area in the last few years. At this point, Barnegat is home to two of them, whose owners say they plan to stick around.  If you or your children ever considered karate as a way to boost self-esteem, learn self-defense, or stay physically fit and active, find out what makes each of the town's karate schools unique.     SHOTOKAN KARATE Address: 86 Memorial Drive, Barnegat Owner: Sensei Tim Blumensteel, 42, of Bayville. In addition to teaching and operating the school, Blumensteel works for Bugbee Riggs Funeral Home in Barnegat, and for …

Chenna Nukala travelled a long way to get to Barnegat Township.  Moving to the United States with his family from India when he was 15, Nukala went to high school in Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in computer science.  His first job out of college was at Meyers Liquors in Barnegat. "It feels like I've been here all my life but it's been only seven years," said 33 year-old Nukala.  "This place is very appealing.  I'm very fond of small towns -- I'm not a big city guy." Nukala worked as the manager of Meyers, eventually purchasing his own liquor store.  …

Green Thumb Day Care and Pre-School, which opened last November at 361 North Main Street in Barnegat, might seem like the typical day care center.  It provides care for infants through 6-year-olds, with aftercare for children up to age 12.  During the summer months, a summer program will be provided for the older children. But, just looking at the building, which looks more like a Victorian home with a wrap-around porch, it is apparent why the name "Green Thumb" was chosen.  Adjacent to the center's playground area is a greenhouse. "We're teaching kids about the environment, soil and watering…