“We are more or less the anti-shop shop,” says Everlasting Tattoo’s Henry Lewis about this staple on the San Francisco tattoo scene. “We’re more like a fine arts tattoo gallery.” Why? To begin, there is no flash of any kind in the store. Instead the walls are decorated with paintings by the artists, many of who have had shows at galleries in and around San Francisco. Owner Mike Davis, whose paintings and illustrations were recently featured in a show at San Francisco’s White Walls gallery, also had a hand in building everything in the store. Although they travel to conventions around the world (the studio recently attended a convention in Rome), they don’t enter contests. “We don’t believe in that sort of thing,” says Lewis. “The work speaks for itself.” ... Feature Story

Run by Bill Salmon with Juni, his wife of 20 years, Diamond Club is anything but your average mom-and-pop shop. Both Salmons have spent their whole lives tattooing, mostly as a team. “Working with my wife everyday is fun stuff,” says Bill. “It’s a good time everyday.” Before opening its doors to the public just a few years ago, Diamond Club operated for 13 years solely as a private, appointment-only club that offered high-quality, custom pieces in a comfortable environment. While they do a little bit of everything, the shop, according to Bill, is mostly “all about color.” What they don’t specialize in is ego. Notes Bill, “We are just one of many out there in what is a great tattoo city.” Eat: Rex Café, 2323 Polk St., San Francisco, ... Feature Story

When you ask Blackheart owner Scott Sylvia what sets his studio apart from the sea of shops in the Bay Area, you are likely to hear words like “established” and “tradition” somewhere in his response. And, “We don’t suck,” he says seriously. “There are only a handful of good shops left in the area,” Sylvia says with a combination of ruefulness and pride, “and we’re one of them.” Having logged more than 14 years working in and around San Francisco, Sylvia considers himself and the members of his team to be part of an elite group of artists. “That level of experience counts for something,” Sylvia says. Opened in 2004 by Sylvia, with friends Jeff Rassier and Tom Lehi, both of whom he’s known and worked with at several locales ... Feature Story