By Melody GustafsonSALEM – Hawaiian Joe’s Tattoo and Piercing Shop opened Friday in a convenient downtown location, with four licensed artists and two piercing apprentices. Owner Reginald “Joe” Robinson, insists that the “reputation built on recommendation” is based on skill and top of the line equipment in a friendly and professional environment.
The creative staff is already stocked with flash (art) and will work with the customer toward a unique design. The two female piercers will do any part of the body.
To prepare for the grand opening, the group invested around $10,000 to purchase a vendor’s license, pass the health department inspection and everyone had to certify in first aid, CPR, and blood-born pathogens.Jeremiah Javens, manager of the facility, boasts that the staff can accommodate anyone who needs to schedule a tattoo at an unconventional time of day. “There are no set hours,” he said. “We will make appointments anytime.”
Shawna Bower, assistant manager, artist apprentice and piercing technician added that the cost is fair, and they will undercut any competitor’s price. Interested parties can call the shop at (330) 337- 8450 or Bower at (330) 610-1218.Now that Hawaiian Joe’s is open, they operate directly in competition with Sic Rick’s Tattoos and Piercing, on the same side of town. Rick Pine, owner and
artist, has been open for three years with full licensing and inspection at 536 East State Street, and he’s open Monday through Saturday from 12 to 9 p.m.Tommy Murray, artist apprentice, says that although he feels “confident doing any tattoo,” he doesn’t advance from the apprentice level until the master feels that “he is up to speed.”
Justin Duffy does the piercing at Sic Rick’s, and will do any request “from the waist up, especially the face and ears.” Call (330)337-1000 for details.
“We operate with a complete one-time-use of all disposable instruments in the tattoo process,” Pine said. “None of the equipment we use goes into the autoclave. It’s all ripped from a fresh package and discarded after use.” The autoclave is a medical sterilization device used by tattoo parlors to disinfect the instruments.
Pine described his plans for the Hot Rod Super-National
s that will take place in Salem in June. He will have guest tattooists in the store, including Jonathan Clark from Key West, Victor Los Angeles, from California, and The Purple Pirate, a fire-spitting freakshow artist. Pine also travels to special events. He worked at the Easy Riders Convention in Columbus, and will be at the Sturgis Bike Rally August 1 through 8.___________________________________________________
(Shown in Photos Top to Bottom: Manager Steven "Turtle" Reynolds, Artist, and Owner Reginald "Joe" Robinson at grand opening; Joe tattooing; Lead Artist Ron Simpson tattooing; Sic Rick's storefront; Sic Rick in his studio)
