To the non-tattooed, it might not seem sustainable for a city of 28,000 to support five tattoo businesses.
Devon DelloStritto / Special to The Citizen
Eric Vargason, owner of Year of the Dragon Tattoo and Piercing in Auburn, talks to customer Ben Hawker, of Auburn, while preparing his needle.
Eric Vargason, owner of Year of the Dragon Tattoo and Piercing in Auburn, talks to customer Ben Hawker, of Auburn, while preparing his needle.
But earlier this summer, a fifth tattoo shop opened in Auburn: Experience Tattooing, Body Piercing and Fine Arts. It's the third tattoo studio located on Genesee Street and within the Downtown Auburn Business Improvement District.
Auburn's tattoo studio owners say it's not unfeasible to make a living decorating people's skin with permanent artwork.
They say their businesses thrive because quality work builds a repeat clientele who want to have more than one tattoo.
"Once you get a tattoo, I don't really know anyone who only has one," said Eric Vargason, who has owned the Year of the Dragon tattoo shop on Genesee Street for three years.
People don't look at the price of the tattoo because it's something that will be on their bodies for the rest of their lives, Vargason said.
"They come for an artwork. They don't come for the price," he said.
Vargason said he and the other artist at his studio, Greg Cornell, do about eight to 12 tattoos a day, which, at a minimum of $50, can turn into a decent chunk of change for a day's work. Area tattoo studio owners also point to the longevity of the human fascination with marking their skin.
"I know for a fact tattoos have been around for thousands of years," said Fred Larham, who owns the Auburn and Geneva Extreme Graphix shops. "Business Week had it as one of the fastest growing industries."
Larham made a measured decision when he entered a partnership with his son, Noah, a year and a half ago to buy the tattoo and piercing studios from the previous owner, who had several stores in the region.
The profit margin for his $250,000 purchase was worth it, Larham said. The two shops currently have eight employees. The reason for a successful studio, Larham said, is repeat customers who are satisfied with a friendly experience and a sterile environment.
"Tattoos and piercing are not a life necessity, so it's got to be a good experience," Larham said.
Larham also had a personal reason to buy the businesses.
"If my son wants to be a tattoo artist, I'd rather be his boss," said Larham, who sports Noah's first tattoo work on his left wrist.
Vince Tosto, who opened Experience Tattooing on East Genesee Street July 8, also had a personal reason for going into the business. Tosto has had a variety of jobs - draftsman, ad designer, arborist - before beginning his tattooing apprenticeship 10 years ago. He turned 40 this year, and he thought it was time to have his own studio.
"Following. Reputation. Professionalism. They're all important words" for why his new business will make it, Tosto said.
The owners of the two other tattoo shops operating in Auburn - Dream Weaver Tattooing and Body Piercing on South Street and Ink Inc. on Walnut Street - could not be reached last week for comment.
While a few merchants have complained that tattoo shops do not help the city's downtown revitalization efforts, Auburn's tattoo shops have made agreeable neighbors for other businesses, said Sandy Craner, executive director of Auburn's downtown BID.
No complaints have been lodged with the BID about the tattoo studios within the district, she said.
Auburn's tattoo studio owners say it's not unfeasible to make a living decorating people's skin with permanent artwork.
They say their businesses thrive because quality work builds a repeat clientele who want to have more than one tattoo.
"Once you get a tattoo, I don't really know anyone who only has one," said Eric Vargason, who has owned the Year of the Dragon tattoo shop on Genesee Street for three years.
People don't look at the price of the tattoo because it's something that will be on their bodies for the rest of their lives, Vargason said.
"They come for an artwork. They don't come for the price," he said.
Vargason said he and the other artist at his studio, Greg Cornell, do about eight to 12 tattoos a day, which, at a minimum of $50, can turn into a decent chunk of change for a day's work. Area tattoo studio owners also point to the longevity of the human fascination with marking their skin.
"I know for a fact tattoos have been around for thousands of years," said Fred Larham, who owns the Auburn and Geneva Extreme Graphix shops. "Business Week had it as one of the fastest growing industries."
Larham made a measured decision when he entered a partnership with his son, Noah, a year and a half ago to buy the tattoo and piercing studios from the previous owner, who had several stores in the region.
The profit margin for his $250,000 purchase was worth it, Larham said. The two shops currently have eight employees. The reason for a successful studio, Larham said, is repeat customers who are satisfied with a friendly experience and a sterile environment.
"Tattoos and piercing are not a life necessity, so it's got to be a good experience," Larham said.
Larham also had a personal reason to buy the businesses.
"If my son wants to be a tattoo artist, I'd rather be his boss," said Larham, who sports Noah's first tattoo work on his left wrist.
Vince Tosto, who opened Experience Tattooing on East Genesee Street July 8, also had a personal reason for going into the business. Tosto has had a variety of jobs - draftsman, ad designer, arborist - before beginning his tattooing apprenticeship 10 years ago. He turned 40 this year, and he thought it was time to have his own studio.
"Following. Reputation. Professionalism. They're all important words" for why his new business will make it, Tosto said.
The owners of the two other tattoo shops operating in Auburn - Dream Weaver Tattooing and Body Piercing on South Street and Ink Inc. on Walnut Street - could not be reached last week for comment.
While a few merchants have complained that tattoo shops do not help the city's downtown revitalization efforts, Auburn's tattoo shops have made agreeable neighbors for other businesses, said Sandy Craner, executive director of Auburn's downtown BID.
No complaints have been lodged with the BID about the tattoo studios within the district, she said.
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