I recently came up with an idea for a tattoo that really struck me and was looking at shops in Champaign-Urbana when I came across Typecast Inc. I had seen the sign advertising "Tattoos" sitting outside of Murphy's Pub for a couple of weeks. I was curious about the place, but couldn't seem to find any information online. I finally found Justin (the shop owner) on Facebook, as well as the shop's Facebook business page. I made a point of looking at all of his work and was really impressed by the quality and ability shown by the tattoos in his portfolio. I had never gotten a tattoo before and was a bit nervous about the whole process so I called the shop and asked if I could come in to talk.
When I got there, Justin was in the middle of working on someone and was really busy because he was running a special that day for University Appreciation Day. He made a point of greeting me when I walked in, but remained focused on the customer he was with until she was through. During my time there, a bunch of people walked in, and there was a lot going on, but Justin was completely focused on his work, while making sure everyone in the shop felt welcomed at the same time. Once he was done working, he came up to me and I told him about my tattoo idea and where I wanted it. He was completely receptive of the idea, and recommended a different placement than I wanted in order to avoid blown-out lines. He asked me if I'd ever been tattooed and was genuinely interested in how I was feeling about the whole process. When I told him I was a bit nervous, he invited me to hang out and watch him work. He didn't pressure me to get anything right away. The longer I hung out, the more comfortable I felt with the shop, his practice, and him as an artist and individual. I made an appointment to come back a few days later, and he told me he'd do the tattoo at the same price he had offered that day on the special. Unfortunately, I got sick the next day and when I called to cancel the appointment, he was totally understanding.
The next week I called on Monday afternoon and asked to make an appointment for the next day. He remembered my idea, and the original price and was more than obliging. When I came in the next day, I was nervous, which he noticed. He was super friendly and really helped keep the atmosphere relaxed. He explained to me exactly what was going to happen, asked if I wanted music and was joking around before he started working. He made sure that the placement I wanted was correct before he started and really took his time to make sure that everything was done well (even though my tattoo is small). He also took time to make sure I knew exactly how to take care of my new ink and told me that if I had ANY questions, not to hesitate to call, even if I thought it was a dumb question.
Ultimately, the experience I had with Justin at Typecast was absolutely everything that your first tattoo experience should be! He's a funny, down to earth guy who takes his craft seriously and is incredibly clean, efficient and professional. He also clearly cares about his clients and their ideas and wants, while making sure the tattoo you're getting is something that you will enjoy for the rest of your life. After he finished with my first tattoo, he even referenced the second tattoo idea I had mentioned briefly to him at our initial meeting! I highly recommend Typecast Inc. and Justin!