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In 2008, I opened Rock City Tattoo with nothing but commitment and a very stubborn belief that it had to work. I didn’t have a safety net. I didn’t have extra money. I definitely didn’t have people cheering me on—most people thought opening a tattoo shop in a recession was a terrible idea. But I poured everything I had (and everything I didn’t have) into getting the doors open.
At the time, I didn’t know exactly what direction the shop would take. I just showed up every day, did walk-ins, took appointments, and pushed myself to build something real. Over time, Rock City naturally grew into an appointment-only private studio—long before “private studio” was even a popular phrase. It evolved the same way I did: quietly, steadily, and with the focus on the work.
Looking back, these 17 years haven’t been easy. I opened during the 2008 financial crisis. I made it through two disaster floods in downtown Barre, Covid, economic ups and downs, and a level of tattoo shop oversaturation I never imagined I’d see. And still—here I am. Still tattooing. Still improving. Still trying to make the best work I can possibly produce.
What’s kept me going is simple: I care about making tattoos that inspire me, and I hope they inspire the people who choose to wear them. My priority has always been creating pieces that aren’t the usual, that push beyond the expected, that become something meaningful and original.
Seventeen years is a long time in this industry, and I don’t take it lightly. Thank you to every single person who’s trusted me with their skin, their ideas, and their time. Your trust has allowed me to build a career I’m proud of and a life centered around art.
Here’s to year 18.
