Opening A Tattoo Parlour

Big Nasty

Hey all,

I've been considering looking into this for a while now. Lots of places, and competition, in the city centre (Dublin) but not so much in suburbia. There has to be a market in or close to some of the major shopping centes, e.g. Blanch, Liffey Valley, Dundrum, etc. I know rent would be very high in a shopping centre but most have busy adjoining villages etc.

Anyhow, that's not really the question - what would be involved in setting a business such as this up? What would you need in terms of fit out, health and saftey, etc. Is the business regulated in any way/ Do you need permits? Do artists work on commission only or basic plus commission?

It's pie in the sky at the moment but could become something more serious / written off depending on advice.

I am a big tattoo fan and have a number myself but not an artist.

Thanks all!

Big Nasty

Anyone got any input to this at all?

Even by PM if you prefer would be appreciated!

Thanks.

CyberJuice

What are you asking?

are you saying you want to open up your own tattoo parlour and then allow artists to rent the space from you?

Big Nasty

CyberJuice wrote: »

What are you asking?

are you saying you want to open up your own tattoo parlour and then allow artists to rent the space from you?

Essentially yes, that's what I'm thinking about.

I know the train of thought would be that only an artist should open a studio but you don't have to be a brewer to run a pub so I don't see why an enthusiast can't run a studio.

My way of thinking would be that basically I would take the risk and the artists would take their cut. I would have to cover rent and rates, electricity, phone, internet, marketing, public liability, shop fit-out, etc. If it doesn't work out the artists would have nothing to loose but I would.I've been involved in a few different business' over the years and this is something I would really like to do.

Big Nasty

anora1 wrote: »

Hi,
Is it difficult to understand that are you actually want to do. Are you want to open a tattoo shop or to work in a parlor as tattooist? Please clear your view. Thanks....

I'm looking at the pros and cons, the do's and don'ts in relation to opening a studio, I'm not an artist.

Thanks.

Diceicle

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Hey all,

I've been considering looking into this for a while now. Lots of places, and competition, in the city centre (Dublin) but not so much in suburbia. There has to be a market in or close to some of the major shopping centes, e.g. Blanch, Liffey Valley, Dundrum, etc. I know rent would be very high in a shopping centre but most have busy adjoining villages etc.

Anyhow, that's not really the question - what would be involved in setting a business such as this up? What would you need in terms of fit out, health and saftey, etc. Is the business regulated in any way/ Do you need permits? Do artists work on commission only or basic plus commission?

It's pie in the sky at the moment but could become something more serious / written off depending on advice.

I am a big tattoo fan and have a number myself but not an artist.

Thanks all!

Afaik there are no restrictions in opening a tattoo studio in Ireland as you outline. It's an unregulated area. You would have to have all your usual public insurances etc but that's it really. I would be of the opinion that tattooing on the burbs attracts mainly the non tattoo fan types and your artists would end up tattooing dolphins and tazmanian devils and flash all day. That would get on my nerves if I were in your position as I'd want to run a "proper" tattoo studio.

Big Nasty

Diceicle wrote: »

Afaik there are no restrictions in opening a tattoo studio in Ireland as you outline. It's an unregulated area. You would have to have all your usual public insurances etc but that's it really. I would be of the opinion that tattooing on the burbs attracts mainly the non tattoo fan types and your artists would end up tattooing dolphins and tazmanian devils and flash all day. That would get on my nerves if I were in your position as I'd want to run a "proper" tattoo studio.

Many thyanks for the reply Diceicle - now we're getting somewhere!

I appreciate what you are saying about suburbia however there's way too much competition in the city centre and rents would be too high for me. There's practically nowhere north or south of the city centre inking at the moment. Why does everyone need to travel to the city centre to be inked? Ideally I would be looking at busy south Dublin post code areas.

Diceicle

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Diceicle wrote: »

Afaik there are no restrictions in opening a tattoo studio in Ireland as you outline. It's an unregulated area. You would have to have all your usual public insurances etc but that's it really. I would be of the opinion that tattooing on the burbs attracts mainly the non tattoo fan types and your artists would end up tattooing dolphins and tazmanian devils and flash all day. That would get on my nerves if I were in your position as I'd want to run a "proper" tattoo studio.

Many thyanks for the reply Diceicle - now we're getting somewhere!

I appreciate what you are saying about suburbia however there's way too much competition in the city centre and rents would be too high for me. There's practically nowhere north or south of the city centre inking at the moment. Why does everyone need to travel to the city centre to be inked? Ideally I would be looking at busy south Dublin post code areas.

I'm replying via my phone so replies won't be as well structured or as detailed as I'd like to be so bear with me here. The city centre is the place to be as that's where your target Market is going to be. If you're just looking to make cash then a burb area with excess cash will do. High footfall, spare cash to burn and a reasonably high 18 to 35 group is the Market structure. Keep in mind people will only travel to your studio if you're worth it. Also city centre tattooing is half talent half location. A nice inviting friendly looking studio that people can see into should in theory have a good turnover as opposed to a studio above a hairdressers that's decorated in skulls.

Big Nasty

Diceicle wrote: »

I'm replying via my phone so replies won't be as well structured or as detailed as I'd like to be so bear with me here. The city centre is the place to be as that's where your target Market is going to be. If you're just looking to make cash then a burb area with excess cash will do.

The reason I'm thinking of the burbs is there's little or no competition. In the city centre you are up against some excellent and well established studios plus high rents.

Diceicle wrote: »

High footfall, spare cash to burn and a reasonably high 18 to 35 group is the Market structure. Keep in mind people will only travel to your studio if you're worth it. Also city centre tattooing is half talent half location. A nice inviting friendly looking studio that people can see into should in theory have a good turnover as opposed to a studio above a hairdressers that's decorated in skulls.

That's exactly the idea - Blackrock, Dundrum, Terenure maybe. Any area that is a main artery into the city, fairly affluent, has high footfall, etc. I would be thinking main street, street level studio with a good big window in any of these areas.

CyberJuice

Theres is other guys running shops out of their houses / extensions they had made. i know of 2 and have went to both of them,its not soo rare

but anyways regarding finding yourself an artist

will be hard to do,youl want somebody of good quality,with years or experience,how will you get him to leave his current shop hes in and move out to you, where he is now might be easy forhis clients to get to him,if hes goin out into the arsehole of nowhere his clients may not be willing to make such a journey..
also how will he drum up new business? in town u get people walking in off the street and gettin things done on a whim.in your studio there will be absolutely no walk by business,it will all have to be done by appointment beforehand, it will start off really slow as all business do so mayb the guy will be there for 8 hours and tatto for only 3 hours,this could go on for couple months,he might just say forget this and go back to a shop thats allready known

Big Nasty

CyberJuice wrote: »

Theres is other guys running shops out of their houses / extensions they had made. i know of 2 and have went to both of them,its not soo rare

but anyways regarding finding yourself an artist

will be hard to do,youl want somebody of good quality,with years or experience,how will you get him to leave his current shop hes in and move out to you, where he is now might be easy forhis clients to get to him,if hes goin out into the arsehole of nowhere his clients may not be willing to make such a journey..
also how will he drum up new business? in town u get people walking in off the street and gettin things done on a whim.in your studio there will be absolutely no walk by business,it will all have to be done by appointment beforehand, it will start off really slow as all business do so mayb the guy will be there for 8 hours and tatto for only 3 hours,this could go on for couple months,he might just say forget this and go back to a shop thats allready known

Thanks for your comments.

Naturally I would want good artists. I would be happy to give artists good incentives to move out of the city centre, but it won't be 20 miles outside nowheresville, probably no more than 5 miles from the centre of town. The areas I have in mind have very good footfall, maybe more than where some of the cities better known studios are located.

From an artists point of view it will be a new venture in a new area in a cool studio and there will be good incentives for them to promote themselves and the business. What those incentives are I haven't quite figured out yet. At the end of the day a good artist will always be in demand and have nothing to loose by trying, I will but I'm willing to take the chance.

EDIT: I don't want to make a killing off the back of good artists - I want to make a half decent wage and provide the same to artists.

Atavan-Halen

I think you'd also need a good knowledge of tattooing, the indusrty and health and safety. Even though you're not looking to be an artist, You'd probably need to know as much as an artist does. If you're going to hire an artist you need to know they're fully competent and can set up and break down a station properly, know all about diseases and infections and are of course good artists.

Marty McFly

Ok Im not an artist or a business person myself but I can there being a market for what you have in mind, once its done properly I personally know of two tattoo places in the suburbs near me but neither are appealing there like as said above small dinky places above a hairbressers etc. Now if you got it in a good location with an inviting studio and got your name out there there can se it doing very well.

I know personally if there was a decent studio in a suburb I would be likely to try it, as I hate having to get to and pay for parking in town while getting a tattoo if there was a suburb one would make things much more handier tbh. Include laser removal in there aswell big market for it.

Big Nasty

luvbulmers01 wrote: »

Ok Im not an artist or a business person myself but I can there being a market for what you have in mind, once its done properly I personally know of two tattoo places in the suburbs near me but neither are appealing there like as said above small dinky places above a hairbressers etc. Now if you got it in a good location with an inviting studio and got your name out there there can se it doing very well.

I know personally if there was a decent studio in a suburb I would be likely to try it, as I hate having to get to and pay for parking in town while getting a tattoo if there was a suburb one would make things much more handier tbh. Include laser removal in there aswell big market for it.

That's what I'm thinking. Someone said earlier that all the action is in town - but why is it in town? Is it simply because there are practically no studios outside the city centre? In terms of footfall a few of the studios in Dublin are on tight little 'alley' type streets. If I can find a suburban main street with a good shop window and good footfall I think it will be better than any city centre alley.

Big Nasty

atavan-halen wrote: »

I think you'd also need a good knowledge of tattooing, the indusrty and health and safety. Even though you're not looking to be an artist, You'd probably need to know as much as an artist does. If you're going to hire an artist you need to know they're fully competent and can set up and break down a station properly, know all about diseases and infections and are of course good artists.

Good point - I'm currently reading as much about this as I can.

Next thing I need to do is work out a P&L to see if it is economically viable. Can any artists tell me (via PM if you would prefer) how the pay structure works. I.e. do you get commission only or is there a basic salary plus commission. Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Big Nasty

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Next thing I need to do is work out a P&L to see if it is economically viable. Can any artists tell me (via PM if you would prefer) how the pay structure works. I.e. do you get commission only or is there a basic salary plus commission. Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Any artists here like to help me take this to the next level?

Diceicle

MCMLXXV wrote: »

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Next thing I need to do is work out a P&L to see if it is economically viable. Can any artists tell me (via PM if you would prefer) how the pay structure works. I.e. do you get commission only or is there a basic salary plus commission. Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Any artists here like to help me take this to the next level?

Afaik the artists I've talked to work on a 50 50 split with the studio or something close to that anyway. The studio cleans and decorates the place, pays the bills, does the admin and provides the artist with the furniture needed to complete the job...... Kind of like a pimp. You are of course free change that model. 60 40 in your favour for newer artists and 70 30 in their favour for experience. Sort of like a football team. Your next problem I'd that out of your share you have to pay yourself, run the studio, pay insurance etc.

Big Nasty

Diceicle wrote: »

Afaik the artists I've talked to work on a 50 50 split with the studio or something close to that anyway. The studio cleans and decorates the place, pays the bills, does the admin and provides the artist with the furniture needed to complete the job...... Kind of like a pimp. You are of course free change that model. 60 40 in your favour for newer artists and 70 30 in their favour for experience. Sort of like a football team. Your next problem I'd that out of your share you have to pay yourself, run the studio, pay insurance etc.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I gathered from reading online although that was from UK / US so wanted to see if it was the same here. Also I gather that artists supply all their own equipment and conumables?

Diceicle

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Yeah, that's pretty much what I gathered from reading online although that was from UK / US so wanted to see if it was the same here. Also I gather that artists supply all their own equipment and conumables?

Regardless of who the owner is, the position you would be filling would essentially be the role of shop manager. You supply and organise appointments for the artists, you make sure the bills are paid and the heat is on, the marketing is done, accounts are in order etc. The technical side, (the tattooing) is left to the artist which also includes them supplying their inks and equipment. Infection control could / would arguably be supplied by the studio or kitty system. Breaking down and sterilization should be the artists responsibility IMO.

Big Nasty

Diceicle wrote: »

Regardless of who the owner is, the position you would be filling would essentially be the role of shop manager. You supply and organise appointments for the artists, you make sure the bills are paid and the heat is on, the marketing is done, accounts are in order etc. The technical side, (the tattooing) is left to the artist which also includes them supplying their inks and equipment. Infection control could / would arguably be supplied by the studio or kitty system. Breaking down and sterilization should be the artists responsibility IMO.

Thanks for your reply!

I would intend being hands on - i.e. managing the shop myself and leaving the artists to ink.

When you say 'infection control' do you mean the setting of policies or the safe disposal of needles?

Diceicle

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Thanks for your reply!

I would intend being hands on - i.e. managing the shop myself and leaving the artists to ink.

When you say 'infection control' do you mean the setting of policies or the safe disposal of needles?

Sorry I should have elaborated slightly. That should have read infection control products. Gloves, Chlorhexadine, alco wipes, sharps bins, maybe an autoclave (that will set you back around 3000 - 4000 for a good level one)though you might pick up basic basic one for less than 2000.

Big Nasty

Diceicle wrote: »

Sorry I should have elaborated slightly. That should have read infection control products. Gloves, Chlorhexadine, alco wipes, sharps bins, maybe an autoclave (that will set you back around 3000 - 4000 for a good level one)though you might pick up basic basic one for less than 2000.

I hadn't budgeted an autoclave into the set up costs so if I go ahead with this that may have to wait a few months! I was going to use a medical waste collection company for the needles and that. They would give you bins and would come to collect same regularly.

Thanks for the info and advice so far!