“No one knew who I was when I moved to Hawaii,” says Mike Ledger. “I really had to work my way up from nothing again.” Originally from Farmingdale, New York, Ledger went from having a three-year waiting list to starting from scratch. “I had to prove myself and get accepted by the locals in Hawaii,” he remembers. Now he’s back to a waiting list. Inspired by his grandfather who had a full body suit, Ledger began his apprenticeship at 16 and has been inking for almost 20 years. His specialty (thanks to Granddaddy) is large-scale body suits, mostly Asian-inspired, and the occasional portrait work and photo-realism. Mike Ledger Tattoo resembles an upscale gallery setting, as Ledger’s paintings decorate the walls, creating an ambience that’s less tattoo parlor and more modern ...
Perfection Tattoo is definitely a custom shop. Located in Central Austin, and surrounded by an eclectic residential area, Perfection was opened in 1978 by Bob Moreau. Moreau passed the shop to his student Dave Lum, who then passed it to Chris Treviño, the current owner, in 1992. Treviño, known worldwide as Horimana, has garnered a well-deserved reputation for his amazing, full-body Japanese work. “For the most part, our clientele is looking for larger scale tattoos, serious tattoos,” says artist Carlos Truan. “Every week there are people flying in from all over the world to get tattooed by Treviño. It keeps things serious and interesting.” Staffed with four tattooers, the shop also attracts guest artists, both from the states and abroad. The shop has an impressive tattoo art collection hanging on ...
Smack in the middle of the Red River District, glows the cool neon of True Blue Tattoo. Founded by the late Vanessa Alvarez, this two-fl oor ex-carriage house (the first floor is for tattooing; the second fl oor, known as “Glory Hole,” is strictly for piercings) is home to nine full-time tattoo artists and three piercers. The shop can get slammed on the weekends due to the foot traffic out on busy Sixth Street. “We get our fair share of walk-ins who want tattoos from the flash on the walls,” says artist Jose Palacios. “But a lot the flash here is drawn by our artists, and most of our customers expect us to draw custom pieces for them.” Due to its location, True Blue is open until 2 a.m. on ...
Producing high-quality, specialized work is paramount to Jason Brooks, Tony Hundahl, and Hector Fong—the three diverse artists who make up Rock of Ages in South Austin. Opened in October of 2005, Rock of Ages is a pure custom shop specializing in traditional American and Japanese tattooing. Hailing from an artistic family (his father was a professional illustrator), Brooks began making his bones some 15 years ago, working the street shops of South Florida. Now he is sought out for his specialty, traditional Japanese designs and imagery. Entering its third year of existence, the shop’s drive for creative excellence is emphatically summed up by Hundahl: “We’re constantly pushing ourselves and each other to do the best tattoos we possibly can.”
At 26th and Guadalupe Streets, right across from the University of Texas campus, Diablo Rojo has “probably one of the best locations in town, ” according to owner Doug Curtis. Though it’s within earshot of the school, the shop is for the most part custom, according to Curtis. But the weekends do have a tendency toward a “street shop atmosphere.” The shop itself is spacious and well-designed, featuring two fl oors with large, neon red crosses at the doorway entrance and an elaborate mosaic tiled fl oor. A vast selection of body jewelry (tribal, stretch, and fi tted) is sold right alongside the veteran crew of tattooers plying their trade. “We have a range of artists that vary in style from Japanese and portraits to traditional,” Curtis ...
“First and foremost, we’re a neighborhood shop,” declares Cosmo, the owner of 13-year-old Kadillac Tattoo. “This ain’t no hipster hangout.” Located in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia, this clean, bright shop prides itself on being a mainstay of a neighborhood that has struggled to stay true to its blue-collar history, despite the chic shops and restaurants that have popped up. They’re obviously succeeding: “We’re now tattooing some of the kids of our original customers,” says Drew Rash, one of Kadillac’s artists. Anything goes at Kadillac, which is also home to artist Matt Runks and fine-line expert Erica Barfield. “We’re in the business of getting along,” says punk legend Cosmo, who was a big part of the local music scene in the early ’80s and was featured in the documentary American ...
Walk around the streets of Philadelphia and you’ll quickly notice it’s a city that takes tattooing seri ously. “In the summer you’ll see ink all over everyone,” says Chinatown Tattoo co-owner Braden Kendall. “It crosses all genres; I’ve sleeved out two doctors recently.” The shop sees a lot of action from walk-in clients—“We do names all day,” Kendall says—and has earned a reputation as a good place for first-timers looking for a positive experience. Here the legacy of traditional tattooing is still going strong, as Chinatown Tattoo has the distinction of being the oldest consecutively operational shop in Philadelphia. And yes, it used to be a Philadelphia Eddie’s. “The history of this shop and the city in general is amazing,” muses Dave Steele, who also goes by the name Snakeface. “It’s ...
Yes, you read it correctly; this shop is also called Philadelphia Eddie’s. “This was the first shop that Eddie Funk opened on Fourth Street,” explains Troy Timpel, who has owned the business along with Furry since 2002. “When he retired he offered ownership of the different locations to the guys who helped run them. We’re keeping his legacy going strong.” Today, Philadelphia Eddie’s Tattoo Haven is known as a stellar custom shop and has gotten plenty of recognition thanks to the work of Japanese-style artist Don Juan and the rest of the close-knit staff. The group produces everything from large-scale pieces to portraits to the old-school, traditional style that put Philadelphia on the map as a serious tattoo town. In addition to running the shop, Timpel also owns Tattooed Kingpin ...
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