Savage Ink Tattoo Emporium
• Address: 3650 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas
• Phone: 702-473-5268
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: savageinklv.com
• Hours of operation: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday through Sunday
• Owned/operated by: Jay Savage
• In business since: July 2015
Describe your business.
With a combined 30 years of experience, our artists strive to give our customers exactly what they want with no pressure and at a reasonable price, from traditional to portraits and styles we are constantly creating along the way.
Who are your customers?
We have tattooed the stereotypical grandmother from next door and the most interesting characters society has to offer, as well as construction workers, bikers, stay-at-home mothers, doctors and just about everyone else.
What is your business philosophy?
Do business in a way so that if someone spoke badly of us, no one would believe it.
How have tattoo shops evolved over the years?
A lot of would-be tattoo artists and even seasoned artists are bitten by the “rock-star” label that is associated with the job. As social stigmas of tattoos continue to lift and tattoos become increasingly acceptable, this type of mentality becomes more and more prevalent. This is unfortunate, as tattooing is all about an art form that precedes almost every other art form known to man.
As far as shop décor and vibe, most shops still adhere to that old-school rebel vibe and tend to look as if a heavy metal band and a biker bar had a child together. At Savage Ink, we have taken a neutral and artistic approach to our décor, adopting styles such as 1800s French provincial and fantasy genres rooted in the steam-punk realm.
What is the hardest part about doing business in Las Vegas?
Business is hard in general, and I don’t feel that Las Vegas has anything to do with how difficult it is to operate a successful business. There are over 300 tattoo shops in Las Vegas, and not even that makes it hard to do business here. I look at it all as a challenge, and that is what drives the staff and myself daily to be better than we were yesterday.
What is the best part about doing business here?
There is still a good amount of stigma or taboo where tattoos are concerned. Combine this stigma with the daring act of getting that first tattoo and the fact that tourists use their trip to Vegas as an excuse to do what they consider “wild” things, and you have the perfect setting for a successful tattoo shop.
What have you learned from the recession?
The recession taught me that in order to survive, whether you are a business owner or not, you must adapt to your market. If income drops, you must adjust your spending, bills, etc., to match your income. If we have to do $5 tattoos all day, we will. However, Nevada has a history of being fairly recession-proof due to the service-industry nature of this town. Our business is obviously a luxury, and can be a quite expensive one, at that. Adjusting our prices keeps us in business, as people historically will still look for that escape from their everyday problems. It may be going to the movies for one person and getting a new tattoo for the next. Making your services accessible and obtainable no matter what market you are operating in is the key to being around to see the end of a recession and the rebuilding of the economy. Adapt or close your doors; that’s about as simple as it gets.