On Sept. 1, a tattoo and piercing shop called Eminence Ink opened in Storrs Center.
Though the shop is new to Storrs, the company has been running for over 10 years. Its main store location is near Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, CT.
Opening a shop in Storrs is “something that we’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to do,” said owner Fame Montalvo, who also works as a tattoo artist and body piercer at Eminence Ink. “For maybe 15 years we wanted to be able to be on campus with UConn.”
According to Montalvo, a significant factor in deciding to move to Storrs was the surrounding college environment.
“There’s so many students from all over the world,” Montalvo said. “The amount of students that have come in during the first month is amazing.”
Many of the shop’s customers are students who have little-to-no prior experience with tattoos and piercings, Montalvo said.
“There’s been a lot of first-timers, a lot of students that have been dying to get their first piercing or their first tattoo,” Montalvo said. “Or, [students who] didn’t have a great experience with another shop [will] come in and check us out.”
Montalvo recommends that prospective customers focus on eating and staying hydrated on the day of their appointment to prevent nausea.
Montalvo also emphasized that tattoos, unlike piercings, cannot be removed easily.
“The main thing is to just understand that if you’re coming for a tattoo, it is permanent,” Montalvo said. “It’s something that you really should think about.”
Currently, the shop accepts walk-ins and is first come, first served. The hours of operation are 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday. It is located at 1232 Storrs Rd.
More information regarding services, prices and artists can be found on the website.
