New tattoo studio in downtown Ann Arbor aims for 'clean and classy shop'
Authentic Art Tattoo shop manager Jordan Epstein said his new shop in downtown Ann Arbor wants to prove that tattoo shops can be "clean and classy."
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
“Honestly, I think the city of Ann Arbor has been ready for a new shop for some time,” owner Jordan Epstein said. “People are so relieved when they come in and we run a totally different type of shop here. It’s a really clean and classy shop.”
The studio, which is leasing 1,000 square feet of space at 527 E. Liberty St., Suite 200, opened in April.
Epstein became interested in opening a tattoo shop after meeting Cory Torrans, who is currently his only artist.
“He had a shop in Three Rivers for three years and then when Cory and I met up a couple years ago, he really liked the area and this is where I was born and raised,” Epstein said. “We’re both heavily into the tattoo industry so we were just talking while he was doing some work on me and we both had a passion for doing tattoos, so we decided that we wanted to do a shop. We just didn’t know where.
“Since I was from here and he liked the area and he was living in one of my rental properties at the time, we just decided to open up a shop in Ann Arbor.”
Changes in Michigan's body art laws in 2007 and 2010 required artists to be certified to avoid transmitting pathogens and infectious diseases, and shops must register as a facility that produces medical waste and submit to routine public health inspections, Epstein said.
“So there’s a lot of training and a bit of paperwork that has to be done,” Epstein said. “It’s not like the old days where you can just start a tattoo shop. Back when Cory had his shop in Three Rivers, he just went and got his business license and the next day he was tatting.”
Including himself, Epstein only has three employees, with one currently in training. Epstein said this number could increase as students return for the fall semester at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.
“When the students get back and everything picks up, we’re going to have to get another artist, but we haven’t really come across anyone with a portfolio or the skill-set that we would want to hire full-time,” he said.
Epstein said he is looking for an artist who exemplifies quality work, experience, and a great attitude.
“Pretty much checking out a portfolio can really say it all,” he said.
The shop also does piercings ranging from oral to navel with prices starting around $50 or more depending on the procedure.
“We don’t do dermals and gauges and a lot of the stuff that’s really popular these days,” Epstein said. “We don’t do a lot of the more intense piercing procedures, but we do offer a long list of piercings. There are so many different piercings and people are piercing just about everything on the body these days. We offer a good amount of piercings but we definitely focus on custom tattoo work.”
Torrans has more than 16 years of tattooing experience.
“Cory doesn’t just do one style, he does a tattoo in every form,” Epstein said. “He has a few tattoos that are sought after. I’d say his biggest perk is that he has a wide range of tattoo styles that he does — everything from tribal to portraits. Oftentimes, you find artists that specialize in one style and get used to it, but they limit themselves from all the other forms people want.”
The studio’s custom tattoo artwork, affordability, customer interaction and equipment distinguishes the shop from its competitors, Epstein said.
“We strive to be extremely affordable and show people they can get good quality work for a good price,” he said. “Customers walk out of here and tell us they’re never going to let anyone else tattoo them. We use the best tattoo guns you can buy and they’re just really high tech guns that allow Cory to get a lot faster at laying the ink down and it’s a lot less painful.”
Prices range from about $50 for small tattoos to thousands of dollars for elaborate work.
"In our shop we’ve done tattoos that have been a couple thousand dollars," Epstein said. "That’s a really large piece that may require several sessions. In my experience, I’ve seen as much as $50,000. There are some guys out there that have three-year waiting lists and they’ll do a back piece for $50,000 or a sleeve for $20,000.”
Epstein said the demand for a new, quality shop in the Ann Arbor area has been “huge.”
A lot of people come in here and tell me for the past three to five years they’ve walked the streets of Ann Arbor looking for a new shop to open,” he said.
People would be shocked to find that individuals from all walks of life get tattoos, Epstein said.
“We get everything from 18 to 25 all the way up to 60-year-olds and 70- year-olds,” he said. “Cory’s done tattoos for 80-year-olds before. But we get doctors, lawyers, young professionals, students and tattoo collectors from all walks of life. You never know whose going to walk in the door.”
Katrease Stafford is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.
Comments
Doug
Mon, Aug 29, 2011 : 3:57 a.m.
OK, Becky and Taxpayer - Go to any seedy bar in any run-down portion of any run-down town in any run-down state (this one included). Look at any "most-wanted" website. Look at any eyewitness account of a suspect in an armed robbery, assault, etc. Looks at the guys caught in the periodic child-support deadbeat sweeps. Go to any illegal dogfighting or cockfighting ring. Watch an episode of Jerry Springer. You two may be upstanding citizens, but 90%+ of the time these people are covered with "body art." You want this on Liberty Street? Fine, I guess. Becky - As for the Harley correlation: First, spell it right. Second, the correlation is so tight it's probably causal. Third, it's not really "90s"; it's actually far more prevalent today than in the 90s.
TaxPayer
Mon, Aug 8, 2011 : 11:23 p.m.
I am flabbergasted at some of the comments. Ignorant is the only word that comes to mind. I am a professional, successful college educated, happily married woman with three children. I also have a beautiful tattoo. Every time I see it I smile. I have never been on food stamps or rode a Harley and I surely am just as classy as any other lady in Ann Arbor. Many people, myself included, view tattoos as art. I have a piece of art on my body that represents my body, my choice, and my children. I will never regret my choice. I used Spiral Tattoo in Ann Arbor, a true artist made my dream come true. I wish the new talent in town the very best in his business venture.
Becky1126
Sun, Aug 7, 2011 : 10:41 p.m.
Joseph Cline: Your comments appear to be the only valid, educated statements on this entire page. You did not name call or use any stereo-types which is impressive with this group. However, I didn't hear Mr. Epstein saying anything negative about any of the other shops. His language may have come off as a little over-confident, but it's refreshing to hear such passion from a new business owner. Please stop trying to bring ambitious new business owners down. Maybe instead of sitting behind your laptops and critisizing hard working entrepreuners, you should go out and create jobs.
Bessi
Fri, Aug 12, 2011 : 7:31 a.m.
A2E--Why do you care what Becky's reason was when she decided to create an account or why she wrote a repsonse? Does is matter if she is a friend or a stranger? This is America where eveyone is entitled to voice their opinion, and all of her points are not only valid, but very well written. I just created an account to write a response. And call me crazy, but Im assuming that is the reason that MOST people create accounts, to write a response, because they have something to say aobut something they have just read. Does it really matter which particular article moves a person to share their feelings and opinions? And just because a person feels strongly about something does not mean they are being "defensive". I respect the fact that this is your opinion and you have every right to share it. However, it is MY opinion that you are just being negative and rude. Maybe you should stop questioning other people's motives and take a look at your own.
Becky1126
Thu, Aug 11, 2011 : 11:47 p.m.
A2E: You're obviously affiliated with the other shops or have work by them and you were offended. Mr. Epstein did not attack any of the shops in Ann Arbor or Ypsi. You mention my start date on these messages, yet you created your account on the same day just to post a reply?
A2Enthusiast
Tue, Aug 9, 2011 : 1:33 a.m.
Because it's true...
Becky1126
Mon, Aug 8, 2011 : 4:40 p.m.
LOL!!! That's great :-D
Becky1126
Sun, Aug 7, 2011 : 10:41 p.m.
I find it extremely unfortunate that there are people who would negatively criticize a young, college-educated, entreprenuer for pursuing his dream of opening a legal, job-creating business in an economy where a life of crime is becoming more and more prevelant. Negativity harnessed towards entreprenuers such as Mr. Epstein, who is bringing business to your city, is simply self-destructive. I am not a tattoo enthusiast, but there are many business that provide products and services that conflict with my values and beliefs, but that does not entitle me to make uneducated judgements about the owners and/or employees. Just a couple notes: Think!: You do not believe that tattoos are classy. That is perfectly clear. However, I don't think that you define what classy is for everyone, although I could be wrong! Are Channel sunglasses classy? Is Patchouli oil classy? Please tell me because I've always wondered how classiness was defined. Doug: Comparing a local tattoo shop with sexual assaults, shootings, and calling Ann Arbor "Ypsi West" is ... well, just really immature and quite frankly. It's an art form that some people happen to enjoy and use as their creative outlet. Furthermore, directly coorilating Harley Davidson with tattoos is so 90's. At least pick a better negative stereo-type if you're going to throw them out there. Nicole: Your criticism is extremely constructive. You seem very classy... but we'll let Think! be the judge of that.
joseph cline
Sun, Aug 7, 2011 : 7:28 p.m.
5. the shops here have existed in harmony for years and competition is not a huge issue to them. i know that spiral and namebrand play whirleyball together whenever there are friends of the 2 shops in town visiting. this kind of stab by the new guys is not neccesary. being freindly will get you farther. well i have to go to work. i wish i could type more because i feel very strongly about this topic. the guys and gals tattooing around here are great and it just kinda bummed me out a little to hear someone claiming that they were going to raise the bar for professionalism in our local tattoo scene. in my opinion, and in the opinion of collectors and tattooers from all over the world who come here to get tattooed, we were just fine to begin with.
joseph cline
Sun, Aug 7, 2011 : 7:14 p.m.
i am not a tattooer but i have recieved extensive coverage from tattooists from all over the world. much of that work was done right here in ann arbor. in that 10 years ive listened to alot of conversations between tattooers while they are working and also through building friendships with some these folks they have opened up to me and filled me in on some of the inner workings of the craft. as i read through this article i noticed a number of discrepancies between what ive heard and what ive just read. 1. no knowledgable tattooer refers to his apparatus as a "gun". in fact many tattooers are very adament about correcting people on this and view the term as disrespectful to the instrument. 2. "The studio's custom tattoo artwork, affordability, customer interaction and equipment distinguishes the shop from its competitors, Epstein said." all that stuff is exactly whats been going on here for 40 maybe 50 yrs. ann arbor has always been a hotspot for innovative tattooing. suzanne fauser opened here in the late 70s right upstairs from the bead gallery on liberty. fauser was one of the first prominant female tattooers of the trade and i still see her tattoos all time. leo zulueta is here. leo is credited for pioneering tribal tattooing and over a 30 year career has cemented his place as a legend of tattooing. he operates a world class practice on packard. jeff zuck owns namebrand tattoo on washington that for over 10 years has set the standard for quality modern traditional tattoos far beyond the borders of ann arbor. not to mention that all of these shops contain employees that all well known and highly respected in the trade. the only thing that distiguishes this new shop away from the ones already here is that they are just that "new". 3. no sleeve will ever cost $20,000 dollars. maybe if your arm was 15 feet long. 4. ann arbor was not ready for a new tattoo shop. before this new place there were 3 tattoo shops in ann arbor. how many does o
nicole
Sun, Aug 7, 2011 : 2:21 a.m.
Once a tattoo is there, it's there. So you better like what you pick. The only trouble is, people change over the years and probably regret them most of the time. I think they make people look cheap and hoody anyway.
jcj
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
Do they accept food stamps?
Evemis
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 7:01 p.m.
I think it's great there's another tattoo shop opening, but this piece also makes it sound like the places already open in Ann Arbor and Ypsi are total dives where you'll not only get all sorts of diseases but be morally corrupted at the same time. Having been to (and gotten tattoos at) Name Brand, Depot Town Tattoo and Lost & Found, I've had great experiences at all places and heard good things about plenty of the other shops open in the area. It's fine to toot your own horn, but let's not act like the other places are dumps with lousy artists because that couldn't be further from the truth.
Doug
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 5:32 p.m.
I forgot: What's next -- a Harley Davidson franchise?
tommy_t
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 5:58 p.m.
Noop, they closed and went to Brighton last August.
Doug
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 4:58 p.m.
Sexual assaults, then shootings. Now this. There goes the neighborhood. Ypsi West, my friends.
KB
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 4:06 p.m.
I think there are already two "Classy" shops in Ann Arbor Name Brand Tattoo on Washington St and Spiral Tattoo on Packard both have been around over 10 years and have some of the best artists in the business!
Think!
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
Congratulations Mr. Epstein. I wish you much success. While tattoos may be many things to many people, let us not stretch the boundaries of truth and call them classy.
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 4:14 p.m.
"classy" is a rather subjective term.
golfer
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.
maybe someone could forward this to the football at osu. no discounts but good work. they could have "JT we love you come back".
cinnabar7071
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
Ann Arbors had a few good artists over the years. Suzanne, and leo zuluetas come to mind off the top of my head.
tdw
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 4:39 p.m.
I don't have tattos but I have heard of Suzanne.I knew a guy that had some mountain man tats by her and they were really works of art
Maxwell
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 1:12 p.m.
And the Mayor is concerned that there is not enough public art...
A2K
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 12:47 p.m.
50K? 99.9999% won't even come close to breathing on this number for a back piece.
timjbd
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 12:28 p.m.
"...where customers can high-quality work done." ?? C'mon, editors -- This is the first sentence!
Tony Dearing
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 1:01 p.m.
That's been corrected.
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 10:43 a.m.
I'm not a tattoo kind-o-guy but ink is pretty much ubiquitous these days. But I might ask how much a little Brady Hoke tattoo on my ankle would cost? ;)