KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | New tattoo shop gets high marks

New tattoo shop gets high marks

by Ted Land
Monday, December 22, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Some tattoo shops can be booked for months, but one local artist is going upscale, hoping to bring new faces into her shop.

The Inked Monkey is located in south Anchorage, right next to a religious bookstore, and just held its grand opening this past weekend.

"It's absolutely amazing," tattoo artist Matt Wasdyke said. "This is one of the nicest shops I've ever even set foot in."

It's a relatively new business venture for shop owner Isidra Castro.

"This is the Rose and Crown Cafe, and we'll be specializing in organic, fair trade products," Castro said, showing another side to her multi-faceted shop.

She's a salon manager, turned chef, turned artist who wants clients to feel like they can get a high-quality tattoo, and not feel out of place.

"They'd know it's sanitary and a place where they're greeted by a friendly face," Castro said.

Castro said many customers get the Big Dipper from the Alaska State Flag tattooed.

The business is always changing and these days more women are inking -- and getting inked, Castro said.

"As simple as it is, the cancer ribbons always get me," Castro said. "We do a lot of cancer ribbons, 'In remembrance of,' with the dates."

Tattoo enthusiast Christy Strong has seven tattoos and said the new shop is pretty impressive.

Strong is a UAA Art and Biology major who says she's more familiar with smaller, more dingy studios.

"This is definitely the most comfortable place in town," Strong said.

Across town, the legendary Anchorage Tattoo Studio has been in business since 1975.

Artist James Allen has seen nearly half a dozen shops come and go during the past 13 years he's worked here.

"It's been pretty busy, it's consistent," Allen said on a recent day.

Artists at this shop are booked up three to four months in advance, and while Allen said there's room for another shop in town, he says success starts with the basics.

"You have to present yourself with a clean, professional image," he said. "You have to provide the best possible service for your clients."

A place like the new Inked Monkey just might draw new faces in and keep others coming back.

"It's kind of addicting after you get your first one," Strong said. "You just want to look at it all the time and show it off."

And if a client isn't interested in showing off their ink, Castro said that starting next year they hope to offer laser tattoo removal.

Contact Ted Land at tland@ktuu.com