Due to new insurance requirements, all artists must have a minimum of one year of experience to tattoo on clients. If you have less than one year of legal tattooing experience, you will need to apply for an apprenticeship.

Any artist who poses a health code risk or a gross violation -such as theft- will not be permitted to continue renting a booth from The Shop.

Background checks and social media checks will be conducted. Since artists own their own businesses and share space, all the artists currently at the shop need to feel like their businesses are safe with you around.

Perks of Renting Booth Space from The Shop

Unlike many body art facilities where independent contractors are actually treated like employees, artists at The Shop truly own their own businesses. This rental arrangement provides artists with genuine freedom. Here are just some of the perks of choosing to rent booth space at The Shop:

Complimentary supply of gloves, lap cloths, in-booth paper towel, and many other supplies.
Designated booth space.
Designated drawing desk.
You set your schedule.
You choose your clients
You have the right to refuse your client’s designs that you don’t want to do.
You have a right to set your own rates, your own scheduling procedures, your own consultation policies.
No non-compete clause affords you business and artistic freedom.
Choose your own vacation days and decide on your own if you want to work at multiple shops, work conventions and festivals or sell your own merchandise.
I never expect a cut of your merch sales or your fine art sales.
I can provide you with payment processing services for cashing out your clients.

Of course, I handle your sharps disposal, as required by the state and as the facility license holder, I am obligated to only allow artists who follow Michigan’s body art law to provide tattooing service within my facility, but artists at The Shop are treated like individual business owners.

Interested in tattooing at The Shop?

A successful artist at The Shop will:

Commit to 3-4 days of tattooing each week, but there are no minimum hours or days needed for us to be willing to let you rent a booth with us.
Be a self starter, because you will be running your own business with the support of other artists and The Shop.
Draw multiple times a week, but since you own your own business, you set the rules.
Follow state-regulated procedure. The State of Michigan does have certain rules you must follow by law.
Treat all artists and guests with decency.
Be trustworthy.
Avoid alcohol abuse and narcotics abuse. I’m not your boss, so I can’t drug test, but addiction absolutely hinders your own business’ success.
Be hygienic. It’s the law.
Market yourself. I’m happy to send some of my clients to do business with you, but artists that work here also build their own client-base.

We need to see your portfolio

If you are interested in renting booth space at The Shop, you will need to present us with an online portfolio. Your portfolio should consist of at least 30 tattoos and even some drawings. All of the current artists will likely be taking a look at this portfolio.

Are we the right shop for you?

Are you frequently hostile and rude on social media? Are you hateful, bigoted and racist on social media? If you are, this isn’t the right shop for you.

Shop artists conduct themselves with a basic level civility because our shop consists of six different businesses (individual artists own their own businesses) all in one shared space.

Some people think it’s OK to hate on men, since we live in a patriarchy. We disagree. We think all genders are capable of getting along.

Some people think it’s OK to make fun of our neighbors in The Ville because they have tractors and are farmers. We disagree. I have a tractor and I have farm.

Some people think it’s OK to meanly make fun of gay, transgender or neurodiverse people. We disagree. I have a transgender family member and multiple transgender clients. Most of the artists renting space here and many of our clients here are neurodiverse and/or a member of the LGBTQIA community.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Socialist or some other political affiliation. We believe most people are capable of getting along. We fall all over the political spectrum here and so do our clients, but we will not maintain a business relationship with hostile, hateful, transphobic, homophobic, racist or mean clients or artists.
THE SHOP’S BUSINESS MOTTO IS “BE KIND.”

Applying For A Booth Rental Our Tattoo Shop

To apply for a booth rental or to be put on a list to be contacted should a booth become available, please fill out the form below.