Tattoo Questions and Answers

 We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, for any reason.

Do tattoos hurt?
Getting a tattoo is not as painful as most people expect. It is more of an annoying discomfort than a horrible pain. Some people say it feels like plucking your eyebrows. It's not something you would care to feel every day but something you can surely survive.

Do you use new needles?
Yes. We use all new, disposable, needles and tubes in all tattoo procedures. This means they are single packaged and sterile from the distributing company. All of our artists have been trained in blood-borne pathogens and proper sterilization procedures. 

How long do they take to heal?
With proper care, tattoos will usually take about 2-3 weeks for a healthy body to heal.

How do you care for a fresh tattoo?
We recommend that a new tattoo remained bandaged for two hours. After that time, remove the bandage and wash the tattooed area with warm water, mild fragrance-free soap, and your hands. Do not use wash clothes or scrub brushes. Pat dry with a clean paper towel and apply the recommended ointment. We recommend Tattoo Goo which we carry at the shop or Aquaphor which you can find at any drug store. Apply only a VERY THIN coat of ointment a few times a day for two weeks. DO NOT pick or scratch at the tattoo. If it itches, apply a little ointment or slap it to relieve the itch. DO NOT swim, soak, or suntan for at least 2 to 3 weeks. After the tattoo is fully healed you should use sunblock any time your tattoo is exposed to the sun or tanning beds. Please keep pets away from your healing tattoo or you may run a higher risk of infection. Please avoid going to the gym or in the least keep your fresh tattoo completely covered with one or more layers of clothing. Do not let your tattoo come in contact with any surface in the gym. It is very common for people to catch staph or MRSA infections by contacting an open wound to surfaces in gyms and hospitals. 

Why does my tattoo look like it is peeling off?
Tattoos will usually peel like a sunburn within a few days to a week. There will be color in the skin that peels away but this is totally normal. DO NOT pick or peel the skin off, let it do what it needs to do on its own.

Do we need an appointment?
We do take walk-ins when we have the availability. Appointments are not always necessary but recommended, especially during the weekends and all week during the summer months. Sometimes our artists are booked weeks and months in advance, so plan accordingly. We do take appointments over the phone BUT you must contact the artist you are looking to work with first. Each artist does charge differently so please email the artist you are looking to work with, plus include any reference images, approximate size you are looking for, placement and if its color or black and grey. From there, they will let you know if you need to call and schedule an in person consult OR give you a retainer amount and session length. Then, you may call the shop during normal business hours and schedule your consult or appointment and leave your retainer over the phone. Retainers are non-refundable but are transferable one time provided that you give the artist notice at least 72 hours in advance so that we may have an opportunity to book the time for someone else. Retainers are determined by the amount of time you are booking. They start at $100 and can run up to $500 for an all-day session. We always require a retainer before starting any artwork. We will work with you and make changes and modifications to your design to suit your liking but within reason. There are artistic, body placement, and size issues that will be determined by the artist to give you the best tattoo possible. If, after your tattoo is drawn, you choose not to have it tattooed your retainer will be forfeit and used as an art charge to cover the artist's research and drawing time.

Can we bring in our own design?
Of course, you can bring in any type of design you like such as your own drawing, something from a book, T-shirt, off the Internet, etc. We can also custom design something for you based on your ideas or reference material. We do not duplicate tattoos. We do not want you to walk out of here with the same tattoo as someone you saw on the internet. We will work with you and make changes and modifications to your design to suit your liking but within reason. There are artistic, body placement and size issues that will be determined by the artist to give you the best tattoo possible. If, after your tattoo is drawn, you choose not to have it tattooed your retainer will be forfeit used as an art charge to cover the artist's research and drawing time.  Please print out any and all reference images and bring them with for your consultation.

Can we bring our children into the shop?
This is a tattoo shop and not a playground. With that said, we do allow our customers to bring their children as long as someone is with you who can look after the kids and keep them out of trouble. If you must bring children, please keep in mind that the artists must concentrate while tattooing and crying babies and small children running around can be very distracting. We are one of the only shops in the country who will allow you to bring your children into the shop so please do us the favor of keeping them under control and out of trouble. We ask that whoever is with you, keep the children at the reception desk, or in the art gallery. They will not be permitted in the tattoo area to assure that everything remains sanitary. Under no circumstances will we tattoo your minor children, so don't even ask! If for any reason any child gets out of control we reserve the right to ask you and your child to leave the shop.

What forms of payment do you take?
We accept Cash, Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express, and Debit Cards.
WE DO NOT TAKE CHECKS OF ANY KIND!!!

How much do tattoos cost?
Tattoos start at $100 and go up. We have artists that range between $125 and $225 per hour based on their experience and skill level.  DO NOT call us to ask for a price quote as we cannot give one without seeing the actual design in person. The cost of a tattoo is determined by size, detail, color, placement on the body, and the work and time involved in doing the tattoo. We do the highest quality tattoos at very reasonable prices so please do not try to haggle price. This is not a flea market. If you are looking for bargain basement prices, go to your local basement scratcher and don't waste our time.
Good work is not cheap and cheap work is not good.

Do you do touch ups and what do they cost?
We guarantee our tattoos and the artist who did it will touch them up free of charge within 6 months of when they were done, provided that you cared for them according to our healing instructions. After 6 months you will be charged based on the work involved. We also touch up other peoples work at a fee determined by the work involved.

Can you cover up old tattoos?
Yes, we can cover up unwanted tattoos with new ones. Keep in mind that you are very limited in what will actually cover existing tattoos as you cannot put lighter colors over darker colors without the old design showing through. The new tattoo will most times be a bit larger than the old one and usually darker in order to fully hide the unwanted tattoo. An easier and less expensive alternative to covering one up is to redo the old design. We can rework your old tattoos and make them look like new and in most cases better than the day you got it the first time. If you have a tattoo that you would like covered, or reworked, please stop in for a consultation and we would be happy to help you. In extreme cases, we may recommend that you get some laser removal done to at least lighten up the old tattoo in order for you to get a better quality cover-up.

Can I drink before my tattoo?
We DO NOT recommend drinking before getting tattooed. Alcohol thins out your blood making you bleed more during the tattoo procedure which in turn pushes the ink out of your body leaving you with a faded looking tattoo that will need to be touched up. We will not tattoo you if you are noticeably intoxicated. Drunk people quite often become rude and obnoxious, move around a lot, and tend to make poor decisions that they may regret in the future, like a tattoo they would not have gotten while sober.

Do you have handicap parking?
We have one area in front of our building that can be utilized for handicap parking. While the art gallery is wheelchair accessible, the tattoo shop is not. 

Do you do body piercings?

No we do not, nor do we sell jewelry.