Addicted 2 Tattoos, Inc. is a Female-Owned shop designed with women in mind. We welcome everyone, but specialize in women and first timers. We have designed our shop to be welcoming, mellow, calm and clean. If you’ve been put off by the dark, dingy, grungy shops in Tampa, it’s time you discovered Addicted 2 Tattoos. This shop is bright, safe, and you won’t find any “attitudes” at our shop.

Each procedure room is private and no children are allowed into the shop, letting you come in and enjoy a personally satisfying experience when you get tattooed or pierced here. So, please leave the kids at home when you come to visit. We ask this because of the adult-styled artwork (some images are pornographic in nature) in the shop as well as for health reasons. This will also let Mom or Dad relax knowing the children are safe at home and not running around outside in the parking lot.

We offer more than 1,000,000 designs to choose from as well as a nice selection of jewelry of some of the latest designs for body piercings. (We've just added some hot, new styles! Navel Jewelry that dangles, with crystals of pink, blue, white, purple and other colors. Butterflies, chandelier styles, flowers, hearts and more.) Whether its your first time, or you have a larger collection of tattoos and/or body piercings, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by our safe, clean atmosphere as well as by our low prices. Our piercings start at just $20.00 and include the initial steel jewelry to be worn during the healing process. We recommend H2Ocean aftercare product to heal your piercing.

Our tattoos start at $50.00 for any design 1” x 1” (or smaller) or script-styled names. We also offer a “pay-as-you-go” plan that allows you to pay for those larger tattoos over several sittings. Typically, a customer will come in and have the outlines done and pay for that portion. The next sitting adds shading, and the final sittings complete the color. Each sitting can be paid for at the time the work is performed, thus allowing you to spread the cost of a larger tattoo over several sittings, making it much more affordable to the average person. Usually we ask that you wait 2 weeks between each sitting to give your body time to recover and heal from each sitting.

We open at 2:00 p.m. every day (except Sunday & Wednesday, when we take time off) and stay open until 10:00 p.m. during the week and until midnight Friday and Saturday. We also gladly accept private appointments with a small cash deposit. We welcome walk-ins.

If you have an idea for a custom piece, please feel free to come in to discuss the idea with us. We will evaluate your idea and offer any advice we feel might give you the very best tattoo. The design is drawn up and you have the opportunity to review and revise the design before your first sitting. The deposit is applied to the cost of the custom tattoo. There are no art charges at our shop and we do not charge extra for color. Typically we ask for a minimum of 48 hours to develop your custom piece. Normally, a week for art development is more desirable since we are often tattooing from the moment we open until well after normal closing hours. This means your design must be drawn up during the hours we are closed and this sometimes takes us a bit more time. We do have the Internet available to us at the shop and use it extensively to research and develop custom tattoo designs.

Both tattoo artists creative professionals with shop experience and each has their area of specialization. Paul is an award-winning artist and loves doing Traditional Japanese and Custom work as well as portraits. He has a gentle touch and receives regular praise for his inventive style. Lenny is a color freak and excels at vibrant, rich color designs. Both are very sensitive to their clients wants and desires and do their best to accommodate the client's wishes. Both take their time to make sure the work is done right the first time and neither has ever had a client come back with a complaint.

We opened in March of 2005 and since that time we’ve received numerous positive comments about our shop. Below are samples of some of the compliments our clients have passed on to us:

“I was so happy I found your shop. I’ve been to 3 other shops in the area and I’ve walked out of each one because either it was pretty dirty, or else the staff just didn’t have time to help me with my idea for my first tattoo. Thanks, Addicted 2 Tattoos, my first tattoo looks great! I’ll be back!”   -GINA- Tampa, FL

“I’ve had several tattoos done at other shops in the area, but the one I got at Addicted 2 Tattoos is brighter and more colorful than any others I have. I love your work!”    -TED-   St. Pete, FL

“My first tattoo was put on by a friend who wasn’t a professional tattooist. I came to Addicted 2 Tattoos to see if they could fix it. Not only did they fix it, but they made suggestions about improving it, and now I have a really pretty tattoo. I think it’s great!”   -LISA-  Tampa, FL

“WOW, your shop is really different than the other shops I’ve been to. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the people that work there. Since I was getting my first tattoo in a “special” place, I really appreciated the privacy your shop offered during the tattoo being applied. I’m telling all my girlfriends this is the only shop they need to go to.”  -ELLEN-    Brandon, FL

“All the tattoos I have, I got in prison. I’ve never had a tattoo by a professional. You made the experience memorable, and I’m real happy with the tattoo. Thanks.”   -MARK- Tampa, FL

“My girlfriend and I wanted matching tattoos. The people at Addicted 2 Tattoos took their time and helped us design the perfect tattoo for us. Then they made us feel very comfortable and the tattoos didn’t hurt much at all. On top of that, you gave each of us a full sized container of Ink Fixx to use during the healing process and told us in detail how to take care of our tattoos during the healing stage. We’re very happy with the work and the experience.”  -JOHN & JILL-   Chicago, IL

“I came into Addicted 2 Tattoos because my piercing was hurting and the shop I had it done at was closed. The piercer there cleaned it up, told me how to take care of it and even gave me a discount on a new piece of jewelry. I had no after-care instructions from the first place I went, so the piercer gave me a copy of their after-care sheet and answered all my questions, even though there were other people waiting. I think this is the only shop I’ll be coming to in the future.”   -JANICE-   Tampa, FL

“I didn’t have enough to pay for the tattoo I really wanted. The artists at Addicted 2 Tattoos explained how I could do a “pay-as-you-go” for the tattoo and so that’s what I did. I already have the outline done, and I’m coming in next week for the shading part. I only had to pay $100 for each sitting and this let me get the tattoo I really wanted, rather than settling for something cheaper. This really helped me out a lot. Thanks.  –SUSAN-  Plant City, FL

“My Dad died last year and I wanted something to remember him by. The artists at Addicted 2 Tattoos worked with me to design something dignified and eye-catching. They didn’t even charge me extra for including his name and birth/death dates. I’m really happy and now every time I look at it I feel good.”    -GEORGE-   Largo, FL

”What a great shop! I’ve never seen such a clean, well-run shop. You sure gave me confidence and made me feel welcome.”   -MATT-   Pinellas Park, FL 

“Your shop was the only one I could find open after 8 p.m. in this part of town. Since I work late, it’s been a problem to find a shop that could help me after work. I got my eyebrow and navel pierced and it only cost me $50.00. That included the jewelry. It’s a great deal. The piercings are straight and well done. And, I appreciate you taking the time to go over the healing steps with me.”    -SANDRA-   Tampa, FL

“My daughter who is 14 wanted her navel pierced. When I took her to Addicted 2 Tattoos, they explained why, with her body still growing, it wasn’t a good idea to let her do it. So, I hope other parents will take my advice and make their children wait until they are at least 16 to get pierced.”   -MARGIE-   Tampa, FL

“I had some unfinished tattoos and Addicted 2 Tattoos is working with me to get them completed. They made the cost reasonable (by letting me pay-as-you-go) and they were real nice to me. Thanks.”  -ALEX-   Lutz, FL

“This is the friendliest shop I’ve ever been in. And, what a huge selection of designs. I really enjoyed my visit. I will be coming back here for my next tattoo and for the 2 piercings I want.”    -CATHY-  N.Y., NY

“I just needed a new barbell and I picked one up here for just $5.00. And, there wasn’t a charge to help me put it in. Thanks.”    -CHITO-   Tampa, FL

“My girlfriends and I wanted to have a private tattoo party but couldn’t find an artist who wanted to do the tats. When I called Addicted 2 Tattoos, they explained how their private parties worked and the costs. Both fit well with what I wanted. So, we arranged to go to the shop on a day they were closed, and they let us all in, locked the doors and worked on all of us til 3 AM. It was a great party and we’ve got some really fine work. You helped me make my friend’s birthday a smash success. Thank you so much!”   -BRITTANY-  Tampa, FL

“My son just turned 18. He’s been bugging me for a couple of years to get a tattoo, but after visiting several shops in Tampa, I thought I’d have to disappoint him because they were not sanitary looking and the people there were for the most part rude or snotty. When we found Addicted 2 Tattoos, we were both really happy with the shop and their prices, so now my son has his first tattoo and I’m not broke!”   -DANNY & DANNY, JR. -   Tampa, FL

“My mom wanted her first tattoo at age 50. She was not comfortable going to a tattoo shop alone, so I took her to Addicted 2 Tattoos, where I’ve already gotten 2 tattoos. She felt right at home and found a beautiful band of roses to put around her ankle. For the fun of it, she also had a rose put on her big toe. I got away for less than $100 and she got a great looking tattoo. Thanks for making her happy!”     -LESLIE-    Clearwater, FL

“My tattoo looks great, and I loved the price.”     -BOBBY-  Tampa, FL

“I’m a dancer and I needed a beautiful tattoo to compliment my legs. I found just the perfect one and it took only an hour to complete it. I’m getting more tips than ever and I think it’s because of the ‘strategically-placed’ tattoo. Thanks, Addicted 2 Tattoos!”   -BEVERLY-    Tampa, FL

The last tattoo shop I went to really messed up my tattoo. I came here to see if they could fix it. Not only did they fix it, but they suggested some additions and now it looks beautiful. And, now I’m not embarrassed to show it.”     -SAMANTHA-   Tampa, FL

“I went to Ybor for a tattoo. But, the price was so high, I didn’t get it. Then, I found Addicted 2 Tattoos on Florida Avenue. Their price for the same tattoo was more than 50% less than the Ybor price. So I got it here and I couldn’t be happier with the work!”   -SCOTT-    Brandon, FL

Hello, I've been researching UV ink and tattoos as far as safety concerns and I have read a great many opinions. My first question is have you ever encountered any adverse reactions to this ink? My other question to you is have you ever used this ink on a Black man (or woman). I added my picture below and the link to my website has lots more if you want to get a better feel for my skin tone. For professional reasons I cant have visible ink so this is something that would satisfy my desire for ink and keep the peace in my profession. As long as it would be invisible. Thank you for any advice you can give. I saw you online and wanted to ask. Have a wonderful day.
Online opinions:

Hello Yusef,

I am a tattoo artist and shop owner in Tampa, FL that you contacted about UV inks tattoos. The white ink we have heals out to be invisible. The other colors will show up lightly on light skin, but because of the tone of your skin would be barely noticeable unless you point them out to someone. What we have been advising our clients about using UV, is that if they want a tattoo to look good in normal light AND in UV, do the normal tattoo first and let it heal, then come back and have the UV colors added over the existing tattoo. All the colors except white will show up pale in the skin, due to the extreme "waterery-ness" of the ink. Because of this, it is often advisable to go over the UV ink two times, with healing between. I have used the white only on several females who want to put lover's names on themselves. The tattoo when healed cannot be seen at all, except under black light. This is a real help for covering it up when they no longer want the name on themselves. The manufacturer advises against using normal tattoo ink with the black light ink, as one cancels the other when applied in the same area at the same time. I have two stars done in UV ink on myself. I found the healing time is about double, and the tattoos are rather pale, as I applied them to un-tattooed areas of my forearms. I use these to show to clients considering getting this type of ink. So far the strongest reaction I get is the cost, which is about double a regular tattoo because of the cost of the ink and the extra time needed to put it into the skin, it's very thin and has to be worked a bit differently than regular tattoo ink.

I hope this answers some of your questions. If you have more, please feel free to write. I will answer. Take care, and do come see us if you are in Tampa!

Sincerely,
Lenny Welch - Owner - Addicted 2 Tattoos
Tampa, FL

So...you think you might want a tattoo?

I have a 14 1/2 year old daughter that wants to gauge her ears and I keep trying to make her think, "What is the FIRST thing I want people to think when they see me?" Because, baby, if you gauge your ears then you will NEVER get the chance to recover from the instant judgment that will be passed upon you by most of society that is OUTSIDE your own age bracket.

But this isn't about ear gauges; it's about similar expressions of creativity and individuality.

It is both a Rant AND a Rave. And it's long. I have a great combination going on right now of passion for the subject and total boredom with whatever else I should be doing.

So for what it might be worth to you, here is the same advice I give EVERYONE that's contemplating their first tattoo.

1. Be sober. Stone. Cold. Sober. Period.

2. Research beforehand. Meaning, watch the artist work, check out samples of their work. Make sure their place is clean. If you wouldn't sit down there and eat a burger, leave immediately.

3. If you're going to get something written in a foreign language, have someone of that nationality (someone that you TRUST) write what you want FOR you and bring it to the artist. Alternatively you can have that person go with you so they can translate what you see before you get inked. Otherwise, you could end up with a tat on the back of your neck that you THINK says "I love my mother" but you're constantly getting your ass kicked because it really says, "Your mother's a whore".

4. Make sure you chose something that means something to you, not some trendy thing you're constantly going to have to explain once that fad passes. For those of you old enough to remember imagine if you had...say...Jem from Jem and the Holograms in portrait style...across your back. Yeah. SEE!?!

5. I used to make this "point #4A" since it is so closely related. But about 10 years ago (wow, I'm getting old, I just realized it was more like 15 years now) I decided it is probably THE single most important thing I say to prospective ink recipients so it gets its very own number now. In regards to things that REALLY mean something to you...and this is IMPORTANT: ***never, never never never NEVER NEVER NEVER put someone else's name, initials, portrait etc. on your body to whom you are not related BY BLOOD. EVER. Never. Did I say never? Okay, we covered that.

6. Put it someplace that the whole world isn't going to see it, because later, you may not be so thrilled (now proceed to #7 because it's relevant, I swear).

7. Most people find that once they get "my first tattoo" they either regret it instantly and start wondering "is there a way to get rid of it?" OR they love it and almost instantly start thinking "my next tat's gonna be...." So become comfortable with the notion of having multiple tattoos before you get your FIRST tattoo. Or don't get any at all.

8. Make sure you have plenty of money and a high tolerance for pain. A good tat shouldn't BE cheap, man. You are paying an artist for a permanent piece of art. If that person is doing the drawing for you then it's twice the work of art. If you want a cheap mass production, then by all means, go to the Wal-Mart of tattoo studios outside the back gate of the nearest Basic Training camp and pay $40 for the same thing that FOUR THOUSAND other dudes JUST LIKE YOU have *See caveats before you jump on me about Unit Crests and the like. Anyway, the reason you need to have the money and the tolerance for pain is not necessarily for GETTING the tattoo, it is just in case you fall in the first group from #7. Because, for you folks, removal is an option but it is not cheap, it is NOT pain free and it will probably leave a scar that ranges in severity from "Hm...is that a scar right there? I've never noticed that before" to somewhere in the neighborhood of, "Holy SHIT! Were you NAPALMED as a child!?!" (As a bonus, though, IF you followed the advice in #6, no one ever has to see the scar unless you let them because YOU were smart enough to put your first tat someplace discreet.)

Okay, for the caveats: No, I am not a tattoo artist. Yes, I have multiple tattoos. Nine have been inked but one's a cover up (that's how #5 got its very own number). For those of you sporting the Double A's of the 82nd, or the Head of the Screamin' Eagle or something similar, ROCK ON. That doesn't fall into the "cheap mass production" category it falls into the "means something special to me" category. (For the record, YOUR double AA's, Screamin' Eagles, Ranger Tabs, etc. mean something special to me when I see them also.)

The thing about MY tats though is that like the HR lady said, NONE OF THEM is in a readily visible area. I have none on my hands, wrists, arms, neck, face, etc. I have one on my shoulder (my first one, of course) and the others are basically on my legs. I wear pants, or long skirts or if I really really want to wear that skirt to work, then I know how to cover them to a point where you will never even see them unless I tell you they are there. (For those that care to know how, I'll put that at the very end) My point is, I don't HAVE to cover mine. I'm fortunate enough to make a good living in a field where it's simply not that frowned upon. I'm a computer geek. No one CARES what we look like. Most people are slightly frightened of us even without tats and they barely let us out of the dark anyway. But unless you want to spend your life working with inanimate objects, or you are Blessed to be talented as a clothing or interior designer, or capable as a chef, blah blah blah...then you better LIKE living in squalor because you're going to have slim pickings in the job market because people ARE judgemental. If you have studs in your face and tattoos across your neck and are up against an equally qualified candidate that appears "Clean Cut" the dude may very well be a scum bag, but he'll win because all they see is your adornments.

Being the mother of a teenage daughter these days, though, I WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE with HR lady. You can be a free spirit and you can be an individual without compromising your ability to make a good first impression.

So, to my baby girl, when you're 18 you'll be allowed to do whatever you want. And I will just have to hope that you heed my words and the words of the HR lady and, thus, you make a good decision. If so, we'll go see if CHRIS is still working at FANTASY TATTOO in ORANGE PARK on the corner of BLANDING AND LOCH RANE ACROSS THE STREET FROM ORANGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL and if he's there, then I will leave you in his highly skilled hands and you will be free to get whatever ink you want. But until you are 18 NO INK and NO GAUGING.

And that's my take on Tattoo decisions.

Here's the "free tip" about covering I promised. I once worked for a guy in a pretty small company, I saw him every day, for TWO YEARS and he had no idea I had any tattoos - I only had five back then - until someone told him. First of all, do an allergy test first, just like the makeup package says. Get yourself a Maxx Factor Pan Stick and slather that stuff on over the tat until you can just barely even see it anymore (it's gonna be pretty thick and the stuff isn't cheap but Maxx Factor is the kind that NEVER FAILS to work. You get what you pay for, I suppose). Okay, after you slather that on, feather out the edges so it's not just a big ass circle. Throw on a good dose of loose facial powder so it isn't sticky anymore. Now carefully put your hose on and NO ONE will ever know they are there. This works for me because yes, you will have to put hose on and if you constantly scratch at it or cross and uncross your legs all day long you may have to touch it up (it's makeup, don't you usually have to touch that up?) but if done right you can wear anything you want, even open toed shoes because they DO make hose with no toes, you know, and no one has to know you have them. Now...I wouldn't do this without hose because the makeup would wear off onto your clothes and you'd probably spend a fortune on dry cleaning bills...but for me this works. Getting the stuff OFF, is a trick in and of itself so here's the follow up: Get yourself some cheap ROLL ON deodorant. Old School style, wet ass, roll on deodorant with the roller ball (like Tussy or whatever's cheapest) and a big tub of cheap ass baby wipes to go with it. And grab some moisturizer while you're there. Okay, shake up the roll on and slather THAT all over the makeup until it starts to get wet. Use the baby wipes to wipe off. Repeat as necessary. Then moisturize. Deodorant has a tendency to dry the skin out.

My response:

Hi there my love,

Well, she makes some valid points. I constantly have to tell parents to be the parent and tell their "children" that getting tattoos and piercings is an adult decision, and "children" should not be allowed to make this decision for themselves. But, so many parents today refuse to stand up to their underage children and put their foot down on following through with their parental decisions. I've told you about the grandmother who brought in her 9 year old granddaughter who was pestering grandma for a navel piercing. We adamantly said "NO". First they aren't old enough to make that decision, second grandma should grow some balls and third, they almost always end up with an infection because they are not supervised in their care of that piercing. They are children, they will always will play with that new piercing with dirty fingers, cause we all know children do not wash their hands as much as they should. That's why they're always getting sick!

I've not had a contagious disease since going into tattooing full time, because I wash my hands at least once an hour and never, never make finger contact with eyes, nose or mouth. That's what tissues are for. I hope you take my advice and stay well this winter. Thanks for the great article. I think I'll post it on my web site.

Talk to you soon,

Love Mom

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