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Q: I’ve wanted a tattoo ever since I could remember, but the thought of pain is stopping me. Is it going to hurt?

A: We have been told that our artists have a “gentle hand.” But as you are aware, pain is relative – some women can handle 20 hours of childbirth and some women can’t! Some guys can walk on fire and some whine they get a papercut!  Everyone has a different tolerance for pain. Some people describe the feeling as scratching or a pin prick on their skin: if the pain was all that bad, people wouldn’t be coming back for multiple tattoos!

 

Q: Are Tattoos Safe?

A: People have been getting tattoos for years, but by safe you are really wondering if you will get an infection. Let’s put it this way: if you get your tattoo done in a reputable shop by a reputable artist who follows the guidelines established by New York State’s Health Department, then you won’t get an infection from anything done in the shop. We are one of those shops and welcome the Health Inspectors to take a look at our work areas willingly. The REAL issue lies in how you take care of the body art AFTER you leave the shop. We give you very specific instructions for care of the new artwork but, the responsibility is yours once you leave our shop.  

 

Here's some additional info we'd like you to know about our safety precautions:

We belive in using disposable needles and disposable ink tubes to minimize the risk of cross contamination. Each needle and tube is brand new and sterilized by the manufacturer. We proudly use Kingpin and Eikon needles, the best in the tattoo industry. We dispense ink into single use containers and dispose of any left overs.

     *All surfaces are disinfected with Cavicide between use. Cavicide kills the HIV and Hepatitis B viruses within 20 seconds.

     *All of our piercings are performed with disposable needles and best-in-class jewelry.

      *East Coast Ink is authorized to tattoo and pierce by the County of Erie Health Department.

     *All health and safety regulations are closely followed.

 

Q: If I have an idea in my head for a design, how can I turn my idea into  a great tattoo?

A: We have 3 artists on staff that will take your idea and create a custom design. There is of course a fee for the artwork, but not only do you wear it forever on your body, we have you take home your original design so that you will never see it walking around on the beach!

 

Q: What kind of a tattoo should I get – and where should I put it?

A: This is a decision that is all a matter of personal preference. We suggest that you find something that is meaningful to YOU! If you want to pay a tribute to your Mom, brother or dear friend, we can take your idea and create a piece that will honor them. If you want to have a piece that reflects your inner feelings – well, we can help you find something like that too! A word, a saying, even scripture can be put almost any place on your body. Yes- we did say ALMOST any place.

Bear in mind that in certain types of employment, tattoos are restricted from appearing beyond a short-sleeve - and in some professions, tattoos are restricted to the point of having to be able to be covered by clothing. Also, please use your greatest discretion. Our artists do not want to be put in an embarrassing situation on your behalf; we create enough of those on our own!

 

Q: When is the best time of the year to get my tattoo?

A: Ok, you’ve been on the beach all summer and seen all the beautiful bodies with tattoos and you have been thinking about it for a couple of months. Well, wait no longer because fall, winter, and spring are really the best times of the year to get that body art done. Why? During those hot summer days, you skin takes a lot of abuse from the sun exposure, tanning and swimming. These are all things you need to avoid after getting a tattoo. So, if it’s October or December, snowing or raining, STOP in to our shop and hesitate no longer!  Now, don't think we're discouraging you summer sun worshipers from getting a tattoo in the middle of July - heck no!  We like to eat and enjoy a concert or two as well and the only way we can do that is if you all still keep knocking at our door - - so come on in and we will still give you the best body ink this side of the Mississippi no matter what time of year it is.

 

Q: My friend just bought a tattoo machine and wants to practice on me…should I let him?

A: Stop and think for just a moment – are you sure this guy is your FRIEND? Please, not just because we want you to come to our shop, but consider using a professional tattoo artist who has been properly trained, knows all the precautions to take to have a safe, clean environment, and is a REAL artist. Read the answers to the next question and we think you will change your mind about making the biggest mistake of your life. (We have had the “opportunity” to fix far too many of the tattoos done by best friends. Do yourself a favor, don’t do it!)

 

QDo I need an appointment?

A: Here’s what we recommend: Appointments are ALWAYS a good thing. It means your artist is setting aside a specific time to devote to the artistry required for a perfect piece just for you. We don’t let other people just slip in 15 minutes before and make YOU wait. If you have an appointment and we know you are coming, YOU are getting our attention. It’s usually best if you want a custom design to come in, discuss what you want and set your appointment. We WILL be ready for you ….. BUT if you decide that you just want to stop in and see if you can get some time in the artist’s chair, please understand that you may have to wait a few minutes - and at ECI, you will be entertained the entire time you are there. We have some great personalities in the shop, and if you like watching a little bit of the “tube” we have that too!

 

For those people who DO make an appointment, we appreciate if you could arrive a little bit (15 minutes, maybe??) early so we know you ARE going to keep the appointment.  If you aren't in the shop when the clock ticks YOUR time and you haven't called to reschedule, please be aware that we are going to take whomever IS in the shop waiting to get their tattoo or piercing or permanent make-up done.  Unfortunately, you lose your spot in line!  And if you haven't given us the courtesy of a "heads-up" call to reschedule, the next time you want to MAKE an appointment we are going to require 50% down payment on the tattoo price to hold your spot.  Sorry fans, common courtesy - what the heck did Momma teach you?

 

Q: How much is my tattoo going to cost?

A: We can’t get much more straightforward than this: you get what you pay for. Sure, there are a lot of people out there tattooing at really cheap prices or worse, using your body to "practice.". We do cover-ups on that type of artwork on a daily basis. At East Coast Ink, we believe that the tattoo you want is an expression of art on your body.  We won’t rush through a tattoo just because you only want to pay a very small fee. Please don’t be that disrespectful to our artists. Look for quality – and be willing to pay for it.  Our rates are very reasonable because we want people in the Buffalo and WNY region to be able to express their "inner artist" - check around, you'll find we have the BEST prices and are putting out GREAT artwork for our clients!

 

QShould I tip my tattoo artist?

A: Tipping is a very nice gesture...but let's talk about it this way as well:  if you give the server at your favorite local restaurant a tip for great service, then you know when you come in the next time, she (or he) is going to take care of you and give you a great dining experience.  If your bill was $18.97 and you had a $20, you wouldn't say "Keep the change" and consider the $1.03 their tip - - - or at least we hope you wouldn't!!!! (Word of Caution: you may never be welcomed to that restaurant AGAIN – - just saying :-).  Apply that principle to the artist who just put a permanent piece of artwork on your body - You came in with a picture in your mind of a piece of art you want to on your body for the rest of your life, you have enjoyed being a piece of "canvas" for your special piece of art, and at the end of it all, you truly love the result – it’s even better than you expected!!!   The tattoo cost covers the art supplies just used on you artwork .... the tip is your compliment to the artist - - kind of like saying a great big "thanks" to your own special Leonardo DaVinci  - make sense?

 

Q: Why should I pick your artists? And WHY come to your shop?

A: Our artists have been professionally trained in the skilled art of tattoo application, drawing, shading and the like. We have been licensed by New York State – and we take cleanliness VERY SERIOUSLY!  Oh sure, there are always going to be naysayers out there, but consider this: has that person been tattooed at the shop or are they just running their mouth?  If they have NEVER gotten a tattoo at our shop, then throw their opinion right out the window! After that, we encourage you to stop in, see our clean, state of the art shop, talk to our artists, see if the person who puts that very special piece of artwork on you is a REAL artist and a fun loving character – or somebody you wouldn’t want to meet in a “dark alley!!!"

 

Q: I came down with a cold - is it OK to still come in for my tattoo?

A: If you have an appointment, we would prefer that you reschedule – for TWO reasons.

First, our artists are real babies when they are sick, and we wouldn’t want you feeling badly that they had to stay home for 3 or 4 days so that they don’t pass the germs on to the rest of their clients. Those germs and bacteria can be really contagious and we don’t want to be the ones spreading that stuff around.

The second reason is that when you aren’t at 100%, your body isn’t able to heal properly. After a tattoo, you skin “scabs” over and begins a healing process. Your body needs its strength and a ton of those little white blood cells in order to get everything back to normal.

The best thing to do is call us to reschedule your appointment (716-730-0088)!

 

Q: Is it OK to go tanning or lay out in the sun after I get my tattoo?

A: It is really tempting to do all those things that make you feel great and give a little bronze to your skin but we don’t recommend it at least until the tattoo has healed.

 

Q: OK, I’m ready – where exactly are you located?

A: You can find us at 1414 Millersport Hwy, Buffalo, NY 14221 ... in the Town of Amherst,  WNY region and VERY close to the University of Buffalo. The building is at the intersection of Millersport Highway and Flint Road in the Santora's Pub Plaza and across from the Marriott Hotel.  OUr new location is SO centrally located that we are OFF the Youngman Expressway, 15 minutes from Lockport (to the North) and Cheektowaga (to our South).  If you feel like you need to stay for a week's worth of ink, there are several hotels in the immediate area (Red Roof Inn, Marriott, etc) AND if you're hungry while your honey is getting their ink, there are quite a few restaurants within walking distance that we can highly reccommend as well.... all in all, we love it here!  

 

Shop hours are:  

Sunday: by appointment     

Monday: 1 pm to 9 pm,      

Tuesday - closed,      

Wednesday thru Saturday: 1 pm to 9 pm.  

 

And PLEASE, if you need to ask about scheduling an appointment at another time - we can usually accommodate an early schedule if we don't have to run Granny around for her chew!

 

FAQs

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