As the former founder, owner and operator of the first licensed tattoo shop in the State of Texas, I can tell you there is too much misinformation, here, to begin addressing the bulk of it. Tattoos have been around for thousands of years. The craze in the US hit into high gear in the mid-80's, as better/safer "inks" were developed, along with precision tattoo machines that could do the job without overloading the skin with inks that would blob over time, giving that "old guy with the blobby tattoo" look, years down the line. Single needle work became more popular, and artists capable of putting on photo realistic pieces began to gain in popularity. In part, with my advice, and my lobbying efforts in the Texas House, laws were drawn up to protect tattoo clients, and make sure shops followed procedures to protect everyone involved in the tattoo process.
People get tattoos for as many reasons as there are people with tattoos. Very, very few whom I met, in my fifteen years of pushing ink, got their pieces to draw attention. Most tattooed folks, at least the ones I knew who gave serious thought to getting their high quality work for high quality prices, had no agenda, other than to wear a piece they liked, a piece that meant something to them. I tattooed world-class musicians, billionaires, and Oscar winning actors. All were cool, all were highly intelligent.
Tattooists made great money, for many years. Some, at the very top, still do. However, many tattooists never gave much thought to non-competition clauses when they took on apprentices. As a result, shops started popping up on every corner, in the mid to late 90's. When I opened my shop, I was the third shop in town. When I called it quits, I was one of forty-seven shops, above and underground. You can only slice the pie so thin before it's not worth eating it.
I WANT mine there forever!
