If you've found yourself reading this you have probably recently just finished your tattoo apprenticeship and are looking to start up with your own shop. So, CONGRATULATIONS.
However, if you want to open your very own tattoo shop and haven’t learnt or started your apprenticeship, I suggest you do that first!
Okay, here goes.
Step 1
Location, Location, Location!
There really is no point plonking your brand new, cutting edge tattoo studio in a little village where the population is generally made up of old people.
A nice big shop window on a busy street will be perfect. You ideally want somewhere that gets a lot of footfall and passing traffic. Your shop window is a massive advertisement, second to your work.
Step 2
Warning: Serious & boring section.
Okay, so a tattoo shop needs to be regulated, have all the right health & safety documents, etc etc etc. So make sure you get these ahead of opening, as you don’t want to end up getting stung with fines weeks in!
Just do it right!
Step 3
You are going to need something to tattoo with, and you’re going to need the best! Companies such as Body Shock sell all the tattoo supplies you’ll need, from machines, to power adapters, and even furniture. Every artist needs one of those funky chairs that bends into EVERY position!
Many tattoo shops boost sales by combining with a piercer to offer even more ‘rad’ body mods. If you're looking for some piercing supplies check out the Painful Pleasures site!
Step 4
Hire some help. Running a shop isn’t a one man job! It’s near impossible to tattoo some beautiful pieces if you have to stop every ten minutes to book in another tribal armband. (Okay, it’s not the 90s but you get what I mean.)
Step 5
Watch the customers roll in!
Try and add something to your studio so it stands out from the crowd of tattoo shops. Maybe a 50s theme with a Jukebox and black and white tiles. Or maybe a really modern approach!
Why not stock some other interesting things too to generate some extra profit! Transfer tattoos would be a cool gimmicky thing to sell that people would come in and buy! Inkwear.co.uk even make custom ones so you could give them out with your shop name on!
Hopefully, now you are ready to get your own shop up and running with these few extra tips! Good luck!
