5 stars for the tattoo and 1 star for the customer service. The lady at the counter and the tattoo artists were so cold and rude I had to straight ask if it was a problem that I wanted a tattoo. I would have walked out but my Grandfather just passed and I wanted a memorial tattoo for him and it had been the plan all day. I guess tattoo people are to cool for skool. Ron did my tattoo and was fairly cool and patient about color changes and placement. You could tell everyone there had somewhere else they wished they could be but my tattoo came out well and I like it alot.
Review Source:I got a dermal piercing on my sternum from Tom here. At first I was super nervous and didn't know what to expect and he didn't seem to be that much of a chatter but once we got into the back and laid me down for the piercing, we both warmed up and Tom is a fantastic person. He insisted in letting me know how the processor was going to happen and by doing so it helped calm my nerves. Not only that the piercing went by so quickly and smoothly I was shocked. My piercing has healed wonderfully and I couldn't be happier. He did a fantastic and I definitely will come back here to get a piercing or tattoo.
Review Source:A friend recommended I go to this place for my first real piercing (other than ears), so I put my trust in her and went in yesterday evening to get my right nostril pierced. I was pretty nervous with it being my first piercing and all, but Tom, the guy who did it, was super chill and just a really nice dude. He made me super comfortable and I had a gut feeling he'd be great at doing it. I'm pretty OCD but he put the piercing in the perfect place and to my surprise, it didn't hurt at all. I'm thinking about coming back here in the next couple weeks to get my nipples pierced, and I'll update then. But yeah, this place rocks and Tom is great!
Review Source:I'm a mom who is very concerned about her daughter's health and well being - even though she's old enough to pierce anything she wants on her own body, she still invites me to be there for moral support.Today it was her belly button. Last year it was her nose.
I've found Staircase to be very good. Paul did both piercings. The procedure was sterile and quick. My daughter and I left feeling happy and relieved. I have to admit, I think she looks pretty good with those stones in odd places.
I went into Staircase earlier to get a hoop for my nose just to change it up a bit and the piercer (Tom?) that helped me was so rad! I went in right before closing like an asshole and the guy still set all his stuff down and stayed late helping and explaining things in detail... I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm stoked that good customer service still exists! I got my nosed pierced there 2 years ago by a different guy who was also super friendly and professional. I highly recommend this place :)
Review Source:Got my nostril piercing here. It was the first non-ear piercing I've ever received and everything went really smoothly. Paul is an awesome piercer and if I ever wanted another piercing, I'd go back to him in a heartbeat. He let me know everything he was going to do, he answered all my questions, and he was funny too. They were fairly priced and carried some pretty high quality jewelry. Had a great experience and was really satisfied by the time it was all done.
Review Source:I went into staircase tattoo to talk to someone about the tattoo I wanted... I wanted a quote/lettering tattoo with some stars. My artist Gio listened to what I wanted and drafted up a design. It was exactly what I wanted and he helped with his artistic expertise. For my first ink he made me feel at ease and helped me with the direction of my tattoo. I got it on my ribs one of the most sensitive areas and it was surprisingly mild pain. Gio was professional and very concentrated on what I wanted. I am super happy with my first tattoo and will deffinatly go to Gio in the future. Thankyou Gio!
Review Source:I've gone to Staircase a couple of times and never been unsatisfied. Â The artists are friendly and professional and it is a very relaxed atmosphere. Â I'm not someone who is exactly covered in tattoos, so it is nice to go in to a place like this and not get treated like you don't belong. Â My wife and I walked in on a Friday afternoon and both got small tattoos done by Ron and were very happy with his work. Â He was friendly but professional and the tats came out just as we asked. Â He was thorough and made sure we were pleased throughout the process.
Review Source:The guys here were fine, not especially friendly or helpful. I tried to work out my idea with my artist but he wasn't interested in being creative or throwing out any ideas. All I got was a small star on my foot, and he warned me the lines might blur together a little because it was small (about an inch across). I didn't think that made sense because I've seen very thin detailed lines in tattoos before but I went ahead with it. The tattoo, is fine, they gave me good instructions to take care of it, but the lines are very shoddy and uneven thickness. It's really not good quality tattoo work, and I'm baffled as to why someone with experience cannot simply draw even lines. Shouldn't be that hard. I've since gotten much better tattoos and I know what good quality work is and the guys as Staircase do not perform to a decent level. Unfortunately I don't remember who the artist was, but my friend had the exact same experience a few months ago. The owner was her tattoo artist and she got an outline of California and the lines are also not consistently thick and are blurred in places. She also thought the employees were mean.
Try San Francisco or Berkeley for really good experiences. I didn't even go back here for a free touch-up, since they did such a shoddy job the first time.
I've had two things done at Staircase, and been very impressed with both, both in terms of the staff and the quality.
In 2011, I got my eyebrow pierced. They did an excellent job explaining aftercare, and everything was sanitary. I've had no problems with said piercing, I'm happy to say!
Just today, I got my first tattoo, and they did an AMAZING job. I believe my artist was named Tom (I'm bad with names, it could be the Ron mentioned in some of the other reviews). He was very nice and understanding, especially considering that it was, as mentioned, my first tat. And the tattoo itself looks even better than I'd expected! And, like my eyebrow, he made sure to explain how to care for my new tattoo.
I'm honestly not sure where people are getting the impression that the workers at Staircase are snobbish assholes, because in my experience, that's not true at all. Definitely a good place to get tattoos or piercings done, for just about every possible reason.
If you plan your day right this place is by far one of the most comfortable and welcoming parlors in town. Each artist has books of their styling and are willing to work with you. You will pay but it is equal to the talent that greets you. The piercings are done with no clamps usually, they are fast so less painful, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. That tattoo artists love talking one on one with serious inquiries. I highly suggest this place to anyone interested in a pleasant piercing or tattooing experience.
Review Source:I haven't gotten any piercings or tattoos done here, so am only speaking from customer service experience. Â
I stopped in almost a year ago to ask about getting jewellry for my then-14g-lobes. Â The girl at the counter said they didn't have 14g in stock, that it "wasn't a common size", but that she could order the jewellry that was in the counter (at 16g) for me in the 14g size. Â
She had me write down my name, cell phone number, and the type of jewellry I wanted. Â She said either she or someone from the store would call me in "a few weeks to a month at the most" to let me know when I could come get the jewellry.
It's been almost  A YEAR, and I never got a call.  I am not impressed with the customer service here.  Maybe it's different if you're actually getting something done here, but my experience was not a good one.
I just got my 4th, largest, and most meaningful tattoo done at Staircase by Ron. I'd been thinking about it for roughly a year and had spent months designing it to the best of my [poor] artistic ability. It included a tiger and a tabby cat. Specifically, the tabby I grew up with, so it was really particular.
I chose Ron because I really liked the feline tattoos he had in his art book. It was completed in 2 sessions. I gave him my sketch a few days ahead of time, and when I went in to get it started, he showed me what he had done to clean it up.
It looked AMAZING. My tiger was alright, but after Ron fixing it up a bit, it was BEAUTIFUL. And for trying to draw and shade in a specific tabby cat, he did an AMAZING job. I left the coloring of the tiger to his discretion, since he knew more about coloring tigers than I did and it looks better than I could've ever imagined!!!!
Ron was really friendly and helpful through the whole process, and I felt like he was really respectful about fixing up my drawing without changing anything fundamental. He was really good about checking in during the process and letting me know how to keep the color best afterwards.
Everyone around was really friendly too. I felt totally comfortable participating in random conversations as I laid there. All in all, I had an absolutely wonderful experience at Staircase and would highly recommend them!
If you're looking to get anything feline done, I'd point you to Ron. He's wonderful and I'm so happy he was the one to work with me in putting this piece of artwork on my leg forever.
Wonderful ambiance; a very cool setting to get a body mod. The shop is clean, all of the artists are meticulous about keeping things hygienic. Everyone is knowledgeable and friendly, happy to answer any questions you may have.
My two labrets, septum, and nipples were all pierced by Thomas. He's very thorough with making sure everything is aligned pleasingly with your anatomy, and is very quick with the piercing part itself.
Gio did my first tattoo a couple days ago. I designed a flower that I wanted to frame my ladybits with (HELLUVA place to get your first ink - ouch!), and he did a beautiful job! He mostly specializes in graphical art, but is quite capable of producing realism. Excellent shading skills.
The process was about two hours; he worked efficiently and was surprisingly gentle considering my vulva was being repeatedly stabbed with an ink-loaded needle. He let me take a break a couple times to regather my sanity as my girlyparts were transformed into an orchid. I'm so happy with my tattoo! It looks amazing! Would recommend Gio for any first-timers for sure.
Went to Staircase last week. I wanted cherry blossoms around an existing tattoo. Â I Â selected Ron from the portfolios because I liked his work. Left my deposit, came back at the appointed time. Ron talked to me about the design and placement to be sure it was what I wanted. Once he started working, he checked in here and there to make sure I was comfortable.
Ron's work reflects a commitment to the fundamentals and an attention to detail that make the difference in a mediocre tattoo and a good one. I am delighted with my new tattoo. I would recommend Ron whether it is your first time or your twentieth.
I got my second tattoo done at Staircase by Jessica about a year ago, maybe a little over a year. I had an idea I had been brewing in my mind for a long time, but drawing is not my strong point. I explained it to Jessica and a week later she had come up with a drawing that was more then I could have imagined and I loved it. Two sessions, about 6 hrs, and maybe $500-$600 later, I had the most wonderful tattoo I could have asked for. The blue colors popped, and even now, people who see it comment on how awesome the colors have come out and stayed. The lines were perfect, and the healing was easy and quick.
The front street location is where I got it done. It is very clean and well kept. The "attitudes" people keep talking about, I did not see that, I was treated very kindly and was very impressed by Jessica and her talent. She was fun to talk to, but also let me just read my book and distract my mind when I wanted to. Plus, she played awesome music the whole time..extra plus! I think the attitude may come from people just coming in wanting a quick pre drawn tattoo they see on the wall, which is fine if you like that, but I could see that becoming very boring when you want to create new unique pieces to represent the person and their artistic talent combining. But if that's what people want, that's what they can have.
I am, of course, getting to that point where I want more and I refuse to go anywhere else and hopefully can get in with Jessica again. To prove my point even more, I moved back up to Humboldt County last summer ( about seven hours away) and I will drive all the way back to her just to make sure I have a clean, professional, lasting tattoo. I highly recommend Jessica and staircase!
Got my industrial done here back in November of 2010. Waited a while but it was worth it. Signed some papers and Paul did the procedure. He measured the size and pointed out that my ear was perfectly sized for the bar they carried. He marked the "X's" on my ear and had me lie down on the reclining chair. Two pushes and it was done. Got the run down on the cleaning, got a container of non-iodized salt, and I was out of there. I don't plan on getting any more but if I do, I'd get it here.
Review Source:I was first pierced here in 98. Went all in (for me) and had both nipples pierced. The piercer was great, explained everything, was careful to line everything up so they matched and hung the same. Ya it hurt (the second one more) But hey. I was letting someone push a needle through my nipples.
After care and instruction worked well, Â never had a problem, healed great.
In the years after that I often went there for new jewelry both for my nipple piercings and ears. They were always very helpful and changed them for me free of charge.
After some xrays required removing them (in 2009) i went back the next morning to get them put back in after I couldn't get it. Didn't work, oh well , not their fault. I let them heal completely and went back in for new / old piercings.
The new piercer was great, no problems no complications - with the Piercing through scar tissue or after. everything healed up great. I happy i redid it, i missed them and things look back in order.
Just before I got the piercings I had James recolor an old tattoo that had faded. I know many tattoo artists dont like working or repairing others crappy work, but James did it without hesitation and did a great job. Thanks !!!!
I went to Staircase for my very first tattoo the day after my 18th birthday. I was thankful they were open on a Sunday so I came all the way from San Jose to get it done. When I got there the place was spacious and clean, I was very impressed. I met Gio and told him about what I wanted. He seemed very unimpressed and bored the entire time I spoke with him and seemed annoyed when I asked him to adjust the stencil a bit. During the tattoo, he was very gentle but also very quiet. The tattoo came out great =]
All in all, it wasn't an amazing experience but it wasn't a negative one either. I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt. He's a nice guy, maybe he was just having an off day?
:::edit::: after this, I did get more work done somewhere else (in SF) and I REGRET not coming back to Staircase. :(
One of the worst ones needs to be redone (the lines bled into each other and it's just this massive mess) Â and i'm HEAVILY considering driving the 3 hours to get it fixed by Aaron. The ONLY one who had it done right the first time.
I came in here in 2008, but didnt use yelp then. But now trying to showthe appreciation and thanks people deserve in the working world, i figure why not give my props here and now!
So for the like of me i can not remember the name of my artisit, I saw him once, i just remeber he had cool pants with sushi on em!
anyways, he was super chill and very friendly! took a picture i had and made it perfect size and re created a few things i wanted adjusted. This was my first tattoo and an 18th birthday gift.
he was very sweet and talked to me the whole time asking how i felt and if i was ok. even offered me a break but i trooped thru!
long story short and a few years later i still get compliments and asked all the time what it means and where did i get it done. I have another tattoo that i got not to fond of at a different shop (that i will actually write a not so great review on after this...) but I always tell people that Staircase is my fav place ever!!!!!!!!!!
if you are reading reviews to determine whether you wanna go or not...dont think about it, GO!!!
Doug Love is the man.
I have been plotting and planning a large piece for my back for about two years now. Suddenly last week I felt like I HAD to get this done this weekend. I had a few recommendations for artists in the area but they had all moved on with no forwarding information to be had. So, I hopped on Yelp to see what I could find.
Originally, to be honest, I was a bit turned off by Staircase, primarily from the response of the owner to negative yelp reviews. I say this being a business owner myself, so I get it, but what my concern was I did not want to get my work done in a shop that had a huge attitude. But for whatever reason my path led me to Doug at Staircase so I took a deep breathe and set up a consult.
I explained my concept, the meaning behind it and visually how I wanted to convey that. He seemed to pick up what I was putting down and I felt comfortable enough that I made an appointment for just a few days later.
Because I wanted the piece to work with the curves of my body (its across the left side of my back) he drew freestyle with a surgical marker a rough outline. Even though it was rough I could def see his vision and I loved it!
He then got to work...I'm sure your wondering, did it hurt? Of course, ITS A TATTOO!! But its not unbearable. There wasn't anything that made me want to run away, and Doug was great at making conversation to make the time go by faster. There wasn't a single moment where I felt nervous or uncomfortable with the process.
After about 2.5 hours the outline was done and I am thrilled with the results. Its is BEAUTIFUL and everything I wanted. I can't wait to go back and start the shading!
So experience at Staircase was far and above my expectations. Everyone was really friendly and the place is SUPER clean. I also liked that the stations are semi private, many places its like a barber shop with everyone in one place..I liked having our own space, because for me getting tattooed is a very private and personal experience.
Thanks Doug, you rule! =)
Ah - what can I say about Staircase? On 8/20/2008 I decided I was going to take a trip to Santa Cruz with my neighbors, and that I would walk-in or make an appointment for a tattoo while I was there. I usually get my tattoos at Guru in San Jose, but I'd heard wonderful things and gotten many glowing  recommendations for Staircase, and decided I wanted to give them a chance.
I had a very clear idea of what I wanted: a dormouse peeking out of a teacup, surrounded by the words "Feed Your Head." I wanted them to be in the style of a classic late 1960's concert poster - the kind made for Bay Area venues, such as The Catalyst and The Fillmore, that might have been used for a band like Jefferson Airplane, from whose song "White Rabbit" the lyric I wanted was taken. I had examples for all three: the dormouse, the teacup, and the poster style.
As I recall, I found their premises clean, well-kept, attractive, and was I very encouraged by the fact that there were clearly stated and visible rules in multiple locations. However, when I had finally gotten the attention of the person who was presumably responsible for greeting customers, and explained what I wanted, I was told in a rather bored and non-commital voice, "I don't think any of my artists would be able to get into something like that today." I asked if there were other tattoo shops in the area that might  be more open to my design and was told, "No." The conversation never advanced beyond that point - I just left.
I wasn't argumentative. I was on a fair budget, but I had enough money and I wasn't hunting for a deal, intoxicated, dirty, smelly, rude, or unwilling to take suggestions on what would make the tattoo concept I wanted better. I had other body art and piercings readily visible, so I'm fairly sure there was no assumption made that I was new to tattoos or did not understand their permanence. I do not know what, other than sheer snobbery or laziness would motivate a receptionist or tattoo artist who presumably wants to make money, to tell me absolutely no one in the shop could "get into" the design or think of a better one for me.
I can't think of a time, other than at Staircase, where the receptionist was so lacking in customer service skills, (or perhaps other shops and artists with whom they are on good terms?) that they could not take the time, after making the statement that their artists couldn't "get into" it and not bothering to explain beyond that, to recommend a different tattoo shop in the area that might be able to handle a person's needs.
I don't have the heart to give an attractive, well-kept shop less than two stars, but had the rejection of my request come with a sincere and reliable recommendation for a different shop or artist, I think I'd have given them another star, even having walked out without what I wanted. As things stand, no suggestions were made, no alternatives given, and no help locating a shop that might have artists who could "get into" the design I wanted. That's particularly ironic, since upon reading this Yelp page my impression of the owner is that of someone who has an answer for everything, and usually one that lays the blame back at her unsatisfied customers' feet.
All the same, I know when my business is not desired, and so I looked up other shops in the area and went to Lovedog Tattoo on Soquel Avenue. An artist named Woody was more than happy to hear my ideas, look at my examples, and create a design based on my desires. I love it, and it's still one of my most heavily commented-on and asked-about tattoos by other tattoo lovers, music lovers, local concert lovers, and Alice In Wonderland/Through The Looking Glass lovers alike. That's speaks pretty highly of it, for a concept nobody at Staircase could even "get into," I think.
So Staircase and I have somewhat of a love hate relationship, I got two of my four tattoos (the two larger ones) done at Staircase and I can never deny that their work is beautiful pretty much every time. Â I was tattooed by a guest artist from Florida and Gio and both tattoos are brilliant and turned out better than I could imagine. Â
However, the tattoo experience, for me, is a very large part of the entire process of receiving a tattoo. Â Since it is something so personal and close to ones heart, the attitude and demeanor of the tattoo artist means quite a bit to me. Â Out of the three shops I have been to Staircase, I have to say, has consistently provided the worst personal experience. Â Many of the tattoo artists often assume that it is your first tattoo and therefore know nothing about the permanency of tattoos. Â As a result they will, at times treat one as if they are lesser or somewhat of a joke who just wants a tattoo just because with no meaning behind. Â This know it all attitude has been enough for me to advise friends to go to different tattoo shops in Santa Cruz. Â
In the end, if you are looking for just purely a tattoo  without the personal experience Staircase is the place for you and will produce very very good work.  However if you want good work and more personable people, I would advise you to pursue a different shop. Â
If you are looking for an awesome piercing experience and amazing piercing artists Staircase is the place to go in Santa Cruz!!!
better than i remember! Walked in, right up to the counter and asked for to get pierced and she start processing everything right away! I was still in the system from 4 years ago! :) The girl was totally friendly and sweet..
My piercer; Tom - was so patient with me answered all my questions and made me feel really comfortable. I walked out of the piercing room laughing and smiling.
Bottom line: go there to get your piercings done.. Some think they are pricey.. but hey I'd willingly fork out an $5-10 for the peace of mind I get when i go there. Will be back!
Got my first tattoo done here. I had Gio and he was great. Very gentle and professional. I brought 2 more friends here to get their first tattoos too. They too had Gio and had amazing experiences. Whether the design is simple or complicated, everything always came out beautifully. Highly recommend this place to anyone looking for some new ink! :D
Also - for those who complain about their pricing or customer service...I've noticed that Staircase is kind to you if you are kind to them! You're treated like a child if you act like one! The pricing is very reasonable considering they are doing PERMANENT work on you in a quick and timely manner at that!!
I had a failed piercing done at a crappy place years before, so when I decided I wanted to try it again, I went to Staircase. I went with a big group of people. Two more of my friends got pierced with me, and 4 others came for support.
I took another friend with me and she was so busy having a hilarious chat with the piercer, that the piercing went by so quickly.
But he LISTENED to my concerns and he gave me great advice. Even though he had to pierce through scar tissue, I got the results I wanted.
Because I had a great experience with my piercing, I decided to get my first tattoo(s) here. I got both of my wrists tattooed at the same time. Since I have dark skin, I was worried about color but the artists really know their stuff. My tattoos came out great. Even now, 8 years later, I still get tattoos and people are surprised that I got them so long ago. I've gotten other tattoos since, but these are still the best ones.
Went to staircase last week to get my nose pierced on both sides. It was very impulsive and I was on my lunch break.. I just decided to go for it! Staircase is only a few blocks from my work and so it was the most conveinient place for me to go to.
They eneded up being able to get me in really quik which was great because I only had an hour lunchbreak.
The entire staff is super friendly and welcoming right when you walk in the door. I was pleasantly with the general vibe in the the shop.. You just feel comfortable the moment you walk in.
Everything is super sterile and professional, yet all of the employees are incredibly friendly and rad. You get the best of both worlds.
I ended up having Tom as my piercer. Tom is the shit. He really knows what he is doing. You can tell he's been doing it for years... I think piercing is like a second language to him.. I could tell I was in good hands.
He was really quik and made sure I made it back to work on time. All in all, I would say I couldnt have had a better experience getting pierced. I have had many piercings in my life. Over thirty probably, and this is by far the best, most proffesional, pleasant experience I have had thus far.
If you're gonna get pierced in Santa Cruz, Staircase is the ONLY place to do it!!! I reccomend Tom!!
THANK YOU TOM!!!!! YOU ARE THE MAN!!
These people are totally amazing. The shop is absolutely clean, professional, and relaxing. I walked in today and was immediately greeted and felt totally welcome by the girl at the counter. I went in unsure, but knowing that I wanted to pierce my face. And let me tell you it became the least impulsive 'impulsive' thing I've ever done, because those people really inform you about everything and make sure you become knowledgeable about what you're getting yourself into. (like how you probably shouldn't get random seamen into a healing piercing wound, but how to fix it if you do...)
After having several troubling experiences at other piercing parlors (including but not limited to a 30 minute nose piercing and then the piercer telling me that it didn't work and to come back 'whenever it healed') I was a little freaked out. But Rosey, my piercer was amazingly funny, smart, and competent.
I feel like Staircase must spend a million dollars a year on surgical gloves, every time they touched anything or cleaned any one particular thing, the gloves came on, came off, and a new pair came on again.
Rosey listened to everything I had to say (including some ridiculous stories about self-piercing) and did everything I wanted and more. I had no idea that I could pierce my nose so quickly and barely any real pain. This experience really made my day. I felt so amazing afterward that I felt like I needed a cigarette. If you want an amazing experience get Rosey to pierce your face.
I got my first tattoo at the Ocean St location by Gio! When I arrived I have to admit, I was nervous. But everyone was so great and I didn't feel 'intimidated',or anything.. by anyone. I liked the way I was handled as a customer :) . Â Gio's station and the shop in general was clean/sterile and everything I expected it to be and more. He was awesome, the tattoo came out great and I was happy to have this be my first tattoo experience!
My husband also got a tattoo here but at the Front St location. His was more complicated than mine as it involved extremely straight and sharp lines. (For those of you wondering it was the Radiohead bear logo). We were referred to Jessica as she is the best at that, and boy, was she! I look at it from time to time thinking, 'WOW such clean, straight lines and precision'! Besides her talent, she was very nice&friendly. It was a good experience for my husband's first tattoo as well.
To sum it up, I would recommend this place to anyone getting their first or not first tattoo. I am definitely coming to Staircase Tattoo for my next. The prices were very fair, worth every penny.
So owners response taken into consideration & yet still disappointed. You don't get my point as to what I was addressing in my 1st review. When i walk into any shop for anything I expect to be acknowledge by someone, anyone for that matter-I don't care whether your title is a piercer or cashier or tattoo artist or 'too good 2 acknowledge the person that gives you $15 dollars for crappy service yet a quality piece of jewelry, as an owner of a business I wouldn't think that is acceptable? I agree that you sell quality jewelry there, but I wasn't knocking that I was criticizing the fact that I paid $15 for service that was unaccomadating, the piercer for the record looked at us prob 5 or 6 times, any place I've worked if I make eye contact with a potential consumer of my product I'm serving-I would be not a very well trained employee in customer service to not say something to make that consumer feel more like a customer. I feel like if you didn't get the customer service point in the first review, maybe the words "quality of service" would spark a different fuse? Thanks for responding anyhow, always nice to know the owner is respectful.
PS. I updated this review yet didn't change anything in the 1st half.. yet I gave the lady an extra star... she (the owner) is responsive to the unhappy customer, which in turn is almost a rarity now days! Thanks for stepping it up a notch...if only your employees had the same attentative attitude & yes I believe eye contact is acknowledgment of coming thru a door... but a customer standing while seemingly being avoided by an employee is still considerably disquinshable towards the "I don't particularly care for you right now" attitude which is why I threw the word 're tard' out... & if you feel my review was crude by using such words imagine how the silence sounds towards your customers that walk in & don't get spoken to & walk out...and tell people how negative their experience was... I know this cause since I wrote that first review my friends & I have tested my theory.
It's been over 5 years since I got my anti-eyebrow pierced at Staircase. But in 12 years and over 30 total piercings I've gotten in many different shops and states, my Staircase piercing remains my most pleasant piercing experience.
The VERY attractive and friendly Paul pierced me, after talking me through the process, helping me choose jewelry, and making me very comfortable. It was almost completely painless, and I lay that primarily on Paul's expertise.
It sat beautifully, and while the jewelry WAS a bit expensive, it was 100% worth it. Next time I'm in Santa Cruz with a little cash to blow, I think I'll be returning.
I went with a friend who wanted a piercing. She just wanted her ear done and I did want a new nose stud, so I figured why not go along.
Somehow, I went from going along, to buying a stud to getting my lip pierced. Hmm.
Tom was our piercer and he was great. He went over every thing with us, talked with me about which side I should get, what jewelry, etc. Super nice guy. He did the piercing very fast as well, did not hurt at all.
Why four stars then? When I bought my nose stud it was SO long. My piercing is in a weird spot that I need it to be short or it sticks right out of my nose. I was told they could not shorten it in the store, so with my handy wire cutters I did it, then filed the sides down so no shape edges would cut my nose. I can't completely blame the store for this, I can see why they wouldn't want to cut them (someone could easily say the inside of their nose got cut up or something), it was just a little inconvenient for me.
Regardless of that, if I ever get another piercing I will for sure go back to Tom.
I have lived here for a decade and never stepped inside until today. Clean store, friendly customer service and honest opinions/advice. Â Lots of places to sit and lots of different options when it comes to piercing accessories/tattoo styles! I have had lots of friends get quality tattoo work from here and been super happy. My friends have gotten multiple piercings.
Today I went in as a moral support cheerleader for a fellow yelper who had a piercing emergency. After looking at the piercing it was decided it was either going to have to get removed via a doctor or they could twist and pull in the shop... Â
Even though we ended up leaving, I got a better sense of Staircase and its artists. Will definitely be back one day!
i went back here cause, fml, my nose ring came off when i was drunk & i have no freaking clue how to put it back in. i finally gave up & went back so Paul the next day so he can place the hook back in. had to sign some paper work again because we had to go into the back room where everything was oh so clean & sterilized. it hurt way more than when it was getting pierced.
sadly, it got infected :[, but atleast its back in & it was free of charge.
7/5/10
Received from the owner/worker once again:
"not degrading clients at all, just giving our side as you get to give yours. sorry you find it rude but i find most bad yelp reviews are by finicky uninformed first timer type people. its ok to have a bad experience sometimes. it happens. deal with it and move on. i hate this site and dont really care what the outcome is. i just like to share my opinion as well as you get to share yours. i also dont give a rats ass how many tattooers you know, and am thrilled you found cheap tattooers to give you more crap off the walls. take care! hugs kisses and pats on the head."
My full scale portrait style, yellow vietnamese traditional flowers, my mom's full name is named after up my thigh and side begs to differ about being un-original.
The bleeding bruised stiched up 3-D looking heart in a green puddle of blood that was designed by me and an artist begs to differ
The beautiful script done by marks of art on the inside of my arm is not found on any tattoo shop wall.
Coloring done by a famous artist who is featured in tattoo magazines.
A piece to be done in the future by the most popular famous shop analog in san jose.
SO ON AND SO FORTH for all the 7 tattoos i received after.
Businesses are about their clients.
I originally said nothing offensive whatsoever.
How is 3 stars, clean, knowledgeable, give them a try review considered bad?
But you went on to basically barrage me with insults here and in private message, that anyone is welcomed to read because i still have them. Learn some customer service. And grow with your business. Or just don't advertise your place at all. Take your listing off yelp if you don't care. Coz otherwise, Its the internet, A RATING REVIEW SITE, i'll post whatever i want. YOU get over it. Seriously its been FIVE MONTHS and you're still trying to message me?
rating finally reduced to one star for the incessant childish behavior i am receiving from the owner for months now. I kept it a nice 3 star for a long time even after your name calling, but no more.
I hate Staircase because:
1) A couple years ago I got a second piercing on my nose and they did an uneven job. The piercer said my previous one was done improperly, but never had a problem with it and this one gave me constant discomfort and was pierced diagonally in my nose. I ended up taking it out, what a waste of $45.
2) After taking it out, I went back to Staircase to buy another nose piercing. I wanted a clear stone and was used to having the two piercings (i.e. a lot of crap on my nose), so I wanted a considerable sized stone. The guy selling them to me told me over and over I wanted a smaller stone and that I shouldn't buy the large one, so I took his advice and ended up taking out my second nose piercing because I hated the ring so much and couldn't afford another one.
The man who pierced my nose was nice, but other than that I was unhappy with my overall experience.
Final update:
I received a message from the owner and I greatly appreciate that she took time to do so. It doesn't entirely change my experience of course, but i just wanted to reiterate that both she and I are entitled to say what we would like in both reviews and comments. Obviously not everyone will be satisfied with every experience and all reviews, even good ones, should always been taken as objective.
I got two tats at the Ocean street location, by Gio and Teresa. I like them. The employees are helpful and know what they're talking about.
There's a shop on Front St with the same name... I think it's changing to Santa Cruz Tattoo Co???? They get zero stars from me. There were 4 employees, 1 was busy doing a tattoo and when I asked them questions they said I'd have to come in and talk to an artist... that's what I was trying to do! Anyway they have a $100 minimum, and the one I got at Staircase from Gio was only $70.
I had my Medusa pierced here by Paul. It was probably the best piercing experience I've had in the Bay Area... Even though he knew I'd been pierced many times before, he talked me through everything he was doing. He was very quick and the discomfort was very minimal. It has been about two weeks and my piercing is healing up incredibly well.
I have finally found a good piercer to go to! Not to mention that the facilities were extremely clean and sanitized - we waited for ten minutes while everything was being sanitized (a good thing to wait for).
I will definitely be back here for more piercings. Thank you Paul!
Staircase is simply...the bomb dot com. I have had three tattoos done at Staircase (two by Chris and one by Tim), and all turned out absolutely amazing. I had great support by both artists, who were really into getting the art just right and then were super awesome during the actual process. The free touchups are very reassuring, (not that I really needed any), and I just love the feel of the place.
Planning on going back there for my fourth!
It's expensive, but totally worth it. After all, this is going to be a part of you...so why try for something cheap?
-got my 2'nd piercing from here
-i tend to get pierced different places for different stories: monterey, vegas, berkeley, san diego, huntington beach, santa cruz
-my first piercing from here was a while back like 2003? and my bellybutton piercing is crooked *sigh*
-paul did the deed this time and he was great...dood, i so noticed the gucci. i tweeted that too.
-i decided on the cutest piercing evar!
-he commented on my tokidoki saying his sister is into it too and i pointed out inferno is my fav cuz they're all vampires thehhee
-i wanted to tip him but i had no cash and they didn't have an option on the cc receipt so i told him a yelp review instead :)
-everything about the place is cool, clean and organized
=WHEN I WANT TO GET HURT LOCALLY..........
I have extensive tattoo work and one piercing done at Staircase. Â The staff are friendly, professional and great artists. Â There's a reason why they win the local Best of Santa Cruz award year after year--its because they excel at what they do.
I have had work done by Gio and Paul. Â Though I have other piercings, the one by Paul is the only one I have never had problems with. Â The experience was great--he explained the whole process. Â The process was extremely sterile as well, which I appreciate for both Paul's and my own health.
Gio is wonderful as all the artists there. Â I never fail to get compliments on my body art he has done. Â I have had strangers approach me at the farmer's market wanting to take pictures. Â As soon as the tax return rolls in, I'll be back in his chair again getting more art.
And to the comments about cost--yes, they aren't on the inexpensive side. Â But frankly you get great art when you pay for great art. Â Given the quality of the art I think its well worth it.
I will also say that its one of the places I feel completely at home and the staff are great. Enough said. Â I only hope all the people I recommend them and Gio to, follow through and get the quality of work this shop creates on a daily basis.
I cant vouch for the entire shop, as I've only been worked on by Teresa, but I imagine they are all on a similar level if they work under the same roof.
She did a great job on a chest piece that was very important to me. Steady hands, no more discomfort than is necessary. Very clean station and very reasonable with pricing. Its been several years since I got my tattoo and I haven't been back to see her since my last touch up. I really should swing by.
Thanks again Teresa.
I went here yesterday to do a walk in for my tattoo to see how much it is going to be. They do the tattoos by the hour which their our rates are very reasonable. Â My artist, Gio, did a very efficient job too and my tattoo was somewhat detailed and in color no less and well my tattoo took 50 minutes to do and did not charge me for the hour, he could have but did not. Â Anyways he did a great job on mine, I got a dinosaur and my nickname tattooed on my arm which at some places would have charged me $100 dollars extra. Â Anyways he was very friendly and nice that I ended up giving him a 30% percent tip. Â I highly recommend this place.
Review Source:WARNING: CONTAINS PG-13 MATERIAL.
Alright now that thats cleared up, I came here today on a whim to get a new piercing that I have wanted for about a year but was always so scared to get: my nipples. We walked in and were taken aback by the space and beauty of the shop. We were greeted by the handsome gentlemen at the counter and were told that the piercer would be right back. As we were waiting we flipped through the artists' portfolios and were pleasantly surprised by how good the work was. The artists were also ready and willing to talk to us about our ideas and who would be best to do what we were looking for. The piercer was very friendly and welcoming (I wish I had gotten her name) and helpful. She made the less than painless experience more bearable for me. It costed exactly as I expected: $100 for the pair. I would give this place 5 stars but they were out of sea salt which was a big bummer. I could definitely see myself going back for another piercing or a tattoo in the future. :]
I went for my 5th tattoo at Staircase yesterday, at their Front Street Location. Â My artist was Jessica, who is back after a leave (check their blog; she does have an AWESOME portfolio, but you won't find her reviewed here). Â
Because my 4th tattoo was badly botched, I was very nervous about finding just the right person to do what I planned to be my largest and most elaborate tattoo. Â I did months of research going through portfolios on different websites. Â I finally settled on Jessica because of her use of color, and this GORGEOUS peacock feather she did on one client's shoulder.
I got a "tramp stamp," Â and I have to admit, it hurt more than any other tattoo I have had. Â Jessica said the lower back is bad, the upper back is not as painful. Â Well, we'll have to see, because I am definitely going to have her do a "cover-up" of my botched tattoo
The music was a little hardcore for my taste, but I am old. Â If you are not a metal head, bring your iPod! :)
I am definitely going back to fix my botched tattoo!
I got my nose pierced here about a month ago by Katrina (sp?). Â (So far so good!) Â
She was super nice. Â I walked in without an appointment and she got stuff ready immediately. Â They have a pretty good variety of jewelry to choose from. Â My plain sliver nose stud (including the piercing itself) cost $45--which I think, comparatively, is fairly cheap.
If I ever decide I need another piercing, I would definitely go back.
Update rating to 1 star based on snotty reply from shop.
elitist attitude.
I've lived in this town my whole life and this is a shared opinion of many locals. I've had work done at other areas here in SC and in San Fran and have been very happy.
Let me also say that I have friends who have had work done by Theresa and she is an amazing artist. If you can past the "too cool for school" attitude of the rest of the shop
I got my first tattoo at their location on Front St. on my birthday in 2008. I got exactly what I wanted from Andy, who was friendly, professional, and did a great job on my little ankle script.
I also got my left nostril pierced at Ocean St. by Katrina, she was nice and comforting (especially when my boyfriend almost passed out from seeing me bleed). It's been two months since I got my piercing and I love it.
Both locations are clean, staffed by cool people, and even though this shit is draining my wallet, I'd go to Staircase again to get more.
I've had three pieces done here each of which has turned out awesome and continues to look great years after they were done. Tim has done my last tattoos and he did a great job on both. The work looks great and his rate is very reasonable considering the quality.
Everyone at the shop is very cool and down to earth and won't intimidate you when you head into the shop.
The place is totally clean and safe. I totally recommend staircase to anyone in the Santa Cruz area looking to get a tattoo.
I happily drove 15 hours to go see Teresa...as another reviewer pointed out; she is an ARTIST. Teresa has an eye (and a hand) for fine detail and she brings her skill as a painter to her work as a tattoo artist and it shows.
The shop itself is very clean, and they follow universal precaution standards to a T.
While I was there I also picked up some jewelry at a great price.
I just got my first piercing. Ever. Â I went in with a girl friend who was getting her tragus pierced.
Since this was my first time, naturally i was flipping balls. Â Needle-phobia doesn't help either. Â I swore i was going to piss my pants ( I really had to pee). Â The piercer, Katrina, was really nice, and definitely helped calm me down (she hid the needle from my sight. unnecessary but thoughtful). Â She was able to answer all our questions, which was definitely a plus.
The place is clean, pricey, clean, and worth the money.  You know you're getting  a quality piercing without a $hitty gun.
if i ever decide to get another one, i'd definitely do it here. A+
I got my first tattoo here last year. i love this place! it was very nice and clean. the people who work there are really cool, they made me feel welcomed and not like some big nerd walked through the door! its a little far for me, i live in san jose, but it was so worth it!! the guy who did my tat was Tim, he did a really good job and made me feel very comfortable. i will be going back in a few months to get a few more tats done by Tim!!!
its a bit pricey though but i think if something is going to be on hyour body for your whole life you better make sure its the best!
About two hours into my four hour session with Teresa, I lost some of my reserve and started getting fidgety.  Like, real fidgety.  She had been drilling my back with the tattoo machine for what seemed like forever and I was starting to run out of stories to calm myself with.  You see, getting a tattoo is an experiment in self-denial.  You have to continuously deny yourself the natural, selfish desire to indulge in the pain pumping along the major pathways of your nerves, and must instead figure out a way to let the pain flow through you.  It's like being an electric ground, except imagine you're in a faraday cage suit (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFaraday_cage&s=5fec34c90bbfddfcfeebf6d869b9ecf9e5a89ac9ea82cebd9e18a5649ae1a9c6" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/…</a>) and instead of electrons you're being bombarded with....EXCRUCIATONS.  And if they find a kink in your armor, zomg they will fuck you up.
So I've been in this chair for two hours and the pain is really getting intense. Â It's not so bad on the longer needlings, but every time she cleans my back with that antiseptic and starts drilling again, the pain is just invasive. Â Just...rude. Â It feels like swimming around in a clear-water shallow sea on some tropical paradise island and then scratching the shit out of your flesh on some goddamn coral or something. Â The kind of pain that makes you want to hit things. Â So I'm sitting there starting to think "man, I don't know if I can get through this whole thing in one sitting," and my heart is racing and every time she starts inking again, the machine pricking the flesh above my spine at the speed of a hummingbird's wings, I feel a burst of anger surge from my groin to my brain stem and almost involuntarily, my right leg tenses and starts kicking the ground.
"Dude," Teresa says. Â "You're never gonna get through this unless you give up. Â Just give into it. Â Let it go." Â A pause. Â "Pretend like you're getting raped in prison."
The second two hours were much easier.
--
About a year ago, I hung out with two old friends from Santa Cruz at different times in a weekend, and both of them had recently had half-sleeves done that I really liked the look of. Â It turned out, by sheer coincidence, they had both been tatted by Teresa at Staircase.
Several months later I was spending some time scouring the internets for artists particularly skilled in botanical work and Teresa's stuff came up again. Â Seemed like a pretty clear indicator.
It took me about 6 months, from the time I first called Staircase to the date of my appointment, to get things rolling. Â Such is the way with popular artists, but it was well worth the wait. Â Teresa's work is top-notch, the shop is clean, lively and fun, and the inconvenience of having to wait so long is well-worth having the extra time to develop an idea.
Thank you so much, Teresa. Â For the time, the advice and the ink.
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/j9C-fsdyUpPVDczuytj4EQ?select=xT-txqieqwrwdaddeNCdZg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/j9C-fsdyUpPVDczuytj4EQ?select=KivlVvCagJI4u9MUmKrIaA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/j9C-fsdyUpPVDczuytj4EQ?select=iBiIjguVGFqC_ICLHs77xg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
When I was attending UCSC I cheated on my hometown piercers and went to Staircase quite a few times.
Their selection of organic plugs is fantastic.
Most of my lobe jewelry has come from there.
I also got a vertical surface tongue piercing done at Staircase. Â I was the piercer's first subject with this kind of piercing. Â I did a lot of research and went in to talk to him about it. Â He said he would do his best but had no guarantees. Â Three years later I still have it and it has never given me any trouble whatsoever. Â The placement was perfect and there are no signs of surfacing. Â I have recommended quite a few people to the shop who haven't seen a tongue piercing like mine.
I am taking away one star because it is a bit pricey and just not quite up to par with my favorite bay area shop.
Ah Staircase.... the place I got my first tattoo.
They were really accomodating as I knew what I wanted but couldn't find the exact drawing. So I described it to my tattoo artist, she drew it up in like 10 minutes and I was like "OMG. You read my mind. That is EXACTLY how I pictured it!!!"
She was really nice while I sat in the chair and got inked away. Really friendly and we chatted throughout the whole process. Â
The one thing I really liked about Staircase is how clean the place is. When you wanna get a tattoo, you want to make sure that the place is sterile like a hospital. Â
Maybe when I feel like visiting the old college grounds, I'll stop by Staircase and get another tat....
have two tats and both gotten here. Â they are really the best, my tatts have not faded and the quality is amazing, let alone the skill of the artists. Â my husband had designed my tatts and they matched them perfectly as well as create sick tatt for my sister in law from scratch, just the idea she had and they brought it to life. Â will only get my tatts here, Â very professional and worth every cent. writing this review makes me want to get another one! :)
fyi - they don't accept appointments, they open at noon and you show up and then get scheduled in with an artist. Â you can view the artists portfolios as well as tatt designs of course.
It's funny to read the people that gave Staircase bad ratings. If you notice it's their first time probably even walking into a tattoo parlor. I can just see it. "Hey, I am bored.. I want to get a tattoo.. I have no idea what I want?! (looking at the flash art) I want that Winnie the Pooh or that Tasmanian Devil!" These young girls are upset because they made the wrong choice in a tattoo/piercing and now their peers are making fun of them. In return, they blame the shop and the artist.
When is Yelp going to launch a website that the business gets to review the consumer. Now that would be entertaining!
After yelping tat places I went here last year to get my first tattoo. Initial impression was very nice place, well kept and friendly staff. While I flipped through the font books the dude(name to come) started sketching my friend's design. In no time he was done and she headed back for her ink, while my other friend and myself made a brief visit to the Jury Room. We only got to our 2nd cosmo before my bandaged friend came running through the door. Speedy service indeed! So off I went...I didn't get anything intricate or difficult by any means, just initials but the dude helped me decide on which shading/colors would look best and it didn't hurt one bit. You will definitely shell out some extra cash if you choose Staircase but in this case you get what you pay for, a sterile environment and quality work. I am very pleased with my tattoo.
Review Source:Staircase owns a chunk of my body-quite literally because I've gotten 3 of my 5 tattoos there. The artists never cease to amaze me with their drawing talent. My first tattoo there, was an improvised tribal drawing on my left shoulder. He did such a great job with the drawing, shading, coloring and everything else. The next couple of times, I went to the same tattoo artist, who helped me redraw an original tattoo that I wanted.
They're friendly, very knowledgeable about their craft, and will give you sound advice about any question you can possibly have about tattoos and piercings. Kudos goes out to them too for not charging people on every little thing they can- my friend went there to get her nose ring fixed and the guy did it for free =)
Only kind of bad part is that they're a little on the expensive side, but I think it's totally worth what you pay them. I'd rather pay a higher price for something that's going to stay with me for the rest of my life!
These people are fantastic. Knowledgeable, safe, clean, and really nice. I've had my tongue pierced here. Twice. (I took it out when I moved to Japan to teach elementary school, seemed like a good career choice. Of course then I got back and decided that I wanted it again.) Both times, the piercers were totally cool and a great blend of professionalism and personality.
I've been through the door of my fair share of skeevy tat parlors (and have turned on my heel and left just as many), and it is wonderful to know that places like Staircase are out there.
This last summer I wanted to have a tattoo of a horse put on my arm. I was searching everywhere on the web asking friends and was just not satisifed.. Then I came across Staircase and browsed through the different artists.. There was the type of horse I was looking for. So I called and actually went in and spoke with Aaron and he was so nice and easy to talk to. I made the appt sent him a bunch of pics of my horse came in and it is PERFECT!!!!! He talked about color or not and we opted to go with the shading/black and no color and like I said it is Perfect.. The process was a little over an hour and really painless. The healing took about 3 weeks and really it did not peel or get irritated at all.. So a definate GREAT place to go........ I am planning on getting another very soon.....
Review Source:Walking into Staircase I felt slightly intimidated, but felt immediately better once I talked to someone. Â I had been set on getting my tragi pierced forever so I told the girl behind the counter what I wanted. Â Paul came out and took a look at my ears. Â He told me my tragi were very small and he could pierce them, but they would look weird and the jewelry would be poking in my ear canal. Â He also showed me a picture of a girl who had her very small tragi pierced so I knew what he meant. Â I was very disappointed but understood where he was coming from. Â I just couldn't leave without a piercing! So I asked for a suggestion and Paul told me I should pierce my rook and showed me a picture. Â I instantly fell in love and went for it.
I like that the piercing room was back out of the way and completely closed off. It felt a little sterile but it was comfortable nonetheless. Â I got my rook pierced in a very safe, hygienic environment. Â It was a little pricey, but if you want good jewelry and healthy piercings it's worth it.
I'm planning on going back for my next piercing.
I got my ears pierced here today. Â They were staffed by wonderful nice people and provided clean and professional service. Â It was great! Â
I kept bugging the employees with questions about piercing and guages and tattoos and inks and procedures and prices and they answered all my dumb questions with smiles and genuine (or really well acted) interest in helping me learn about the arts (which I had zero knowledge of). Â They didn't rush me, everything was laid back, and they had great faith in the product and service they offered and matter-of-fact explanations for why they didn't carry other types, brands, etc. Â Good people.
Plus the redheaded guy with the blue eyes was really nice to look at. Â I wonder if he has a girlfriend...
I had my first piercing back in 1998 right here at staircase. I was a college student freshly out of the clutches of her right wing parents. All the kids at Bible College were getting pierced. I got my tongue done and then my nipples. (Piercing I could "hide" from bible college officials and my parents) HA! Little did I know....?
Anyways..I'm not a bible college student anymore. In fact I'm a happily married graphic design student now. That means that I have free reign over modifying my body however I please.
Two weeks ago my sister in-law was in town for a visit. We opted to pay a visit to my husband (her brother) in Santa Cruz where he works. We had to kill time. So off to Staircase we went. I started with a nose piercing. I had my nose done many years ago and had to remove it. I remembered pain and LOTS of it (not at staircase, in Vegas). I was so surprised at literally zero pain that I experienced. I felt comfortable and my piercer (Tom, I believe) was funny and interesting to talk to. My nose looks FABULOUS!
Later that evening when my husband got off work, he got SUPER jealous that I got pierced and decided he wanted a tattoo. Then I got jealous and decided I wanted a tattoo too. (Can you just feel the maturity in our relationship?) I got two stars on my forearms. For the life of me I can't remember my tattoo artist's name. He was awesome. He suggested some color to go along with my lonely black stars and gosh they look GREAT!
Thanks, you guys are AWESOME!
FYI: Be sure to bring cash for tip if you are paying with your CC. I felt so bad when i went in with just a CC. You can't add tip to the CC balances.
Piercings here are fairly expensive, but you get what you pay for in this area more than most. The default surgical steel jewelry is good quality, autoclaved and internally threaded.
(The entire shop is non-latex, too, which i love. It's like going to an all vegetarian restaurant; i never have to worry about accidental exposure.)
I've had two piercings done here, one was so unusual that the piercer had never even heard of having it done. The other was uncommon and delicate. Both were handled wonderfully and professionally.
These weren't my first piercings, so they didn't lead me step by step through the process, just the standard, 'deep breath in' which tells you you're about to get stabbed. (Also, try wiggling your toes. It really does help.)
I don't have any tattoos, so i can't really give a valid opinion about the quality of the art they do here, but it's my go-to place for body piercing on the west coast.
I finally did it. Â I went into Staircase on a Wednesday afternoon and they had some time to squeeze me in w/out an appointment. Â Five stars for Gio, total sweetheart and good tattoo artist. Â It was my first tat, so naturally I was a little nervous. Â He set me at ease w/ his mellow and humorous demeanor. Â I'm really happy with my tattoo. Â I've been to this shop a few times for my piercings and to sit w/ friends while they got their tattoos. Â I knew this was the place I would go when it came time for my own ink; the shop is very clean and that says a lot, being that I'm a total germaphobe... Â I highly recommend Staircase.
Review Source:What would a tattoo parlor be without pretentious know-it-all stuck up artists and staff? Well, at least more enjoyable.
I would suggest this place over any other in the south bay for piercings (never gotten a tatt). Great selection of jewelry, and they keep a database of all their clients, which is helpful for upgrades and makes it easier in terms of paperwork upon return.
Despite their noses so high in the air they can smell god's ass, this is a really clean, safe, legitimate, trustworthy and time-honored establishment. Its great because their attitude is what sets them apart from the scummy headshop-cum-parlors on telegraph avenue and Pacific avenue that are just crawling with scheming under-agers and body modification groupies. This place is more grown-up, and serious (in a good way).
I've gotten 2 piercings there, and all my jewelry from there. They only buy "Anatometal" products, (this is where their snobbishness comes in handy)-- they are serious about quality, dependability, and consistency. Their front door is hilarious, stop by just to read it.
Their website reads:
"WHAT WE DON'T DO:
1) Drawings for tattoos not done in our studio.
2) Answer the phone before noon/ after 8pm.
3) Quote a tattoo over the phone. If you live out of the area please send us a picture via email, and be sure to include a phone number. See our contact page.
4) Allow anyone under the age of 16 in our studio. Â -Period- Staircase Tattoo is a place for adults (his includes infants of any size). Â If you are 16 years of age and want to get a piercing done, you must have a parent with you, proper identification including a birth certificate. No one under the age of 18 can get a tattoo in the state of California, so please don't ask.
5) We ask that anyone wanting a piercing be in our studio by 7pm.
(If you have read this far, we at Staircase thank you.)" They are serious.
*SHOP HOURS: Noon -l 8pm, everyday, Phone: 831.425-7644*
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.staircasetattoo.com%2Fpiercing%2Findex.html&s=2dfc6b9056bf1895968ce4d87ee9cd9aaafbff7c8821d415bd885d9a80d395fc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.staircasetatt…</a>
Just to give you an idea...
I had a piercer named Tom and he was really nice and informative about the process. It was my first time getting pierced and I got the typical navel piercing. They pierce with internally threaded jewelry and surgical steel for better healing.
To calm myself down, I talked to Tom about how long he's been piercing to where he lived etc. So I got to know him enough to trust that this guy knows what he's doing. They do sterilize their equiptment. For those wanting to buy body jewelry, they also carry a variety of interesting specimens.
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