Opening a Tattoo Shop in ED

[PhilPhilPhil]

I think a good way to make it more appealing to the people of ED is to play up the art angle of tattoos. As I've said before a lot of tattoo places can be intimidating from the outside, so if it looked more like a shop with art on display, books for sale etc then at least that would arouse curiosity and encourage people to browse and chat to the staff. You could even serve coffee as a sideline if you wanted people to hang out. Not that ED is short of places to drink coffee, of course. Permanent face painting for the kids probably wouldnt be such a good idea.

[Bex337]

Hi Pedro,

Id love to see a decent tattoo shop open up in ED!!

Despite what some people seem to be saying I think there would be demand. Unfortunately tattoo's are always going to generate this kind of debate, there will always be people who refuse to evolve and cling onto century old stigmas and predudice. But who cares, I think most people nowadays can appreciate the time and effort that goes into becoming a decent professional tattoo artist and understand that tattoos are often deeply personal and therapeutic as well as being amazing pieces of art in their own right.

As they say....Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....

Best of luck, hope it works out and hope to see you in ED soon! I'll certainly be visiting your shop if you do!

[cab]

Peckham?! Get with it, tattoos are so NOT Peckham. Shoreditch, Soho, yes... Honestly... I despair.

[untamedstylist]

RedDevil hit the nail on the head.... I know it might sound weird but I'm telling that's the best way to sus out the area to see if worth opening a parlour and also will build ur clientel on the way up. Start out offering a mobile service which to my knoledge has never been done as a business and yet lots of tattooists tattoo friends at home... Untapped business right there... Especially in east dulwich, this forum will make u or brake u so be very carefull with comments and opinions etc just from my own personal experience and watching the forum over time...i started my mobile hair business back in December 2010 and now 7 months later I'm so so busy clients often have to wait a week or 2 to get an appointment and now if I had the funds I could very happily open a salon on lordship lane which I have been thinking about.

My current clientel would mist certainly cover my rent and bills + a small amount of profit but then obviously there would be more revenue from passers bye, and others that don't perhaps use the forum and then those that liked the sound of my reputation but would rather use a salon as they like the pamper side of things...

As for Ed class and social types etc... I'd kind of agree with what some others said about not being a huge demand for it in the area but that's not to say u couldnt get busy or succeeds.. Theta why the mobile side of things would really help u test the water and a safe option so as not to waste money with the initial outlay of a shop and fitting etc...

Also if u dud open a studio I'd heavily suggest looking at the area and it's surrounding decour of shops and making it fit into the area with a touch of class as a stereo typical studio look would not go down well with the locals and may get complaints or even not get approval from the panel... Phrrhaps frosted glass on the shop front...

I have to say though there is a market here, certainly alot of my clients are very cool and trendy and I'd say 40% have tattoos and I'm covered lol... And many compliment my tattoos so not all of Ed despises ink...

I'd say mobile would be ur best idea to start with though..

Hope has been some help

[woody549]

Mate get opening on that tattoo parlour,

east dulwich is a good place to go at it, look at the clients you have around you and within a small radius...

a lot of creative individuals, if your prices arent high and your art works good i may deter my visit to the family business in the future and take a look at someone closer to home....

anyone who judges someone with a tattoo... tbh like most of east dulwich I will judge you and your screaming child in the pub, the last thing i want to do when i go to a pub for a drink or a bite to eat is hear a screaming 3 year old not get his way about not being allowed that lego toy he wanted.... so lay off, let this guy have his shot... or are you just unhappy if he takes off he could be earning more then you...

thing is your going to need more then yourself as the tattoo artist, couple of guys and girls would be good, pay them on a commission basis, and im not saying id reccomend it but look at poaching a few young artists from other established places, over them a slightly higher commission and tell them to invite their clients along...

you get your name out and they get a bit more cash then usual... its a win win.

plus pm me back, let me knwo when your looking to get this done, what your rate will be and a link to some art work :)

my idea of being an officer in the army has gone, but my creative, leadership and inteligence is still there plus in the office i can keep my ink covered.

[woody549]

oh and to also top it off..

some of my closest friends pieces have come to about 6k and thats just for one.... more expensive then most of the east dulwich characters watches or suits come to... difference is, these dont go down in value as well ;) you live with it.

[josian]

Excellent idea I will use you

Cheers

Chris from Dulwich!

[Marie81]

Asset Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm of the understanding that people travel to

> tattoo parlours on the word of mouth

> recommendation for the tattoo artist. You can

> open a tattoo parlour where you like but if no one

> is interested in the artists you have then you'll

> just be doing trade in tiny butterflies on the

> shoulder or tramp stamps......Fair enough but

> maybe not sufficient to sustain a business.

>

> PS - my son wants to be a tattoo artist maybe he

> can come and do work experience with you when you

> open.

I totally agree, my boyfriend collects and has lots of fantastic ink on him. He travels to the best artists who have very long waiting lists for good reasons...The Family Business, Into You, Louis Molloy. He is currently on a waiting list and the apt isn't until December! Whenever we are on holiday people always stop him to admire the art of his tattoo's. I obvioulsy don't know who you are so cannot speak for your work but I do wish you luck in your new business :)

[DulwichFox]

People have been slightly mislead here...

pedropowers is not actually a Tattooist..

He sent me a PM * where he was very open about his intentions..

I wouldn't be an artist, just own and run the shop, take bookings, discuss work and techniques with customers. Explain what they can and cant get done. Also stock etc.

[end quote]

* PM's were sent because I advised pedro.. of my own previous experiance of running a shop in the area..

which had no significance to this thread..

[ianr]

pedropowers Wrote:

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> I'll stay on the forums and perhaps post a few more questions about the area if you dont mind me sticking around.

No reason at all not to, if you're now living in the area and part of the community, as I think most of us inferred from your opening "I am currently new to the area and am putting together a business plan for opening a tattoo shop."

What's your previous business experience, btw?

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Dulwich Fox, I dont think Pdero was deliberately being misleading. He posted:

"I will be making a Facebook page with alot of examples of the work my artists have produced. Please be patient as there is alot to do but I will of course keep all of the forum up to date when I get some portfolio's and some images that I can really use"

That said to me he was not the actual artist.

He has gone a bit quiet all the same.

[Marie81]

Although he states he wouldn't be working as an artist in his shop, I wonder has he actually got any experience of being an artist as I certainly wouldn't take any advice from someone who doesn't actually do the tattoo! Surely you would just have a receptionist take bookings and then the actual artists dicuss techniques, designs etc...that is how it usually works in every shop I've ever been into. But then I suppose some people who would walk in are none the wiser, in that case I wonder how good the actual artists would be working there?!

[DulwichFox]

Help-Ma-Boab Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dulwich Fox, I dont think Pdero was deliberately

> being misleading. He posted:

>

> "I will be making a Facebook page with alot of

> examples of the work my artists have produced.

> Please be patient as there is alot to do but I

> will of course keep all of the forum up to date

> when I get some portfolio's and some images that I

> can really use"

>

> That said to me he was not the actual artist.

>

> He has gone a bit quiet all the same.

You are correct.. I don't think Pedro was deliberately being misleading.

But I feel most people here assumed he was a tattooist himself.

Dont think the project is financially viable in this area...

[pedropowers]

I apologise, I have been trying to keep up-to-date with all the entries here, I did not think i would get this many responses.

I apologise if I may have come across misleading, that was not my intentions at all and I mean that very sincerley. DulwichFox - Please take no offense but Private messages should remain private I feel.

No I would not be the artist nor would I discuss work that one of the artists would do, of course I would direct clients and get them in the direction that they want to go, you see alot of the time a client will come in with a tiny idea of what they want with no pictures or examples. Its common you will get "hi I want a tattoo, something religious with a cross" very vague and hard for an artist to depict exactly what they have in mind, so it would be me to help or guide them into something, encourage them to go back, have a real think, bring examples etc. I have good knowledge of the industry and know what can or cant be done.

Many shops I have been too have a manager running the show and not an artist themselves. Please check out "Urban Ink" as this is a fine example of a shop run by a non artist. Of course I can see how people would at first be discomforted by perhaps a shop being run by a non artist, but its the artist you would be having consultations with and the artist who would be doing your work.

I hope I have been helpful and cleared some air. I am trying to pop in and out as much as I can and like I said before, all your feedback is greatly appreciated. Things are coming along nicely at present but its very hard work and this is not even the beginning haha.

Cheers everyone

[DulwichFox]

pedropowers Wrote:

-----------------------------------------------------

DulwichFox - Please take no offense but Private messages should remain private I feel.

-----------------------------------------------------

Your PM was in response to my question..

"Is this a new venture.. ? Have you worked in this field before.. I don't know how someone becomes

a Tattooist / Tattoo artist. Presumable you have to be trained.. Where does someone learn this trade.?"

This surely could have been answered in the Forum Page... Not as a PM.

I only posted part of your PM I thought the forum might need clarification on..

Wish only the very best in your venture...

Have you been able to find a suitable location yet.. ???

Fox

[Otta]

Pedro, I can't see it being a big problem. Does the master chef always run the restaurant? No, they get on with cooking good stuff, and let someone else deal with running things.

[indiepanda]

Lets face it, management is a skill and just because someone is good at something doesn't mean they were good at managing other people to do it. Lots are dreadful at managing and would far rather get on with doing what they are good at.

Provided you have enough understand of and respect for what people are doing I don't think you need to actually have done it yourself to manage them.

As for a tattoo parlour in the area, I think some good comments about making sure the place fits in with the area would help, some do look a bit rough and intimidating from the outside. I can't say I'd be looking to be a client (I don't like pain, work in a conservative job where visible tattoos would be totally unacceptable and I'd worry about what they'd look like when I get old) but I've no objection to other people having them done - it's a matter of personal choice.

[the-e-dealer]

Tatoos just make me think 'Dirty'

[mjem]

Cool idea and cool tattoos

Will maybe not work out in e.dulwich though...

Shop about South East & South West London!:)

[Amanda1979]

Maybe untamedstylist and pedropwers need to get talking - tattoo palour and hairdressers have been know to share premises........ pedropowers obvously has the capital to set up show and then for a reasonable rent untamed stylist could have a premises.........

As for mobile tattooists, not sure that is legal due to sterile premises, autoclaves etc.

[Sue]

Except that Untamed Stylist now lives in Cornwall!

[kellygirl]

could you do me a sort of kath kidson-type tat?

[jocerocks]

Brilliant idea - can't wait!

[EDQueen]

Pete, although I personally think it would be a great idea to have something like a tattoo shop in the area - as East Dulwich has come a long way - I think your shop would possibly get more business over in the Peckham Rye/Bellenden Road area.

....Unless there is a new craze for Dulwich yummy mummy's to go out and a get a tat on their arse, it may not do so well in ED.

Best of luck though!

[Inkmaiden]

I didn't realize that being a mum in East Dulwich and having tattoos were mutually exclusive.