Eastern Missouri Tattoo Hotspots

I visited and took pictures of almost twenty tattoo shops in St. Louis and St. Charles county over the past few days to try and get as many pics as I could for this blog! I hope you enjoy!

Cousin Paul's Tattoo Co.

Laura Bonfanti has been tattooing for 20 years. She opened up Cousin Paul’s about six months ago. She and her co-workers, Greg and Jeremy, used to work at TRX Tattoos until Laura decided it was time to strike out on her own. Her dream was almost dashed just as soon as it began, however, as her grand opening was delayed over two months because of the neighborhood’s zoning committee. She had done everything right to their standards and was ready to go but was illegally blocked by people not ready for her special kind of awesome. The neighborhood thought a tattoo parlor did not meet their level of propriety. Even in this day in age some people still look down on tattoos, and I will never know why. The trio eventually got the shop open and now give their customers some of the most kick ass tattoos you’d ever see!

            The name Cousin Paul’s is something very close to Laura’s heart. She got the Paul part after her grandfather. Even though he was a military man (he actually fought in World War II) he did not have any tattoos. Was not a fan of them at all actually, but he was a fan of his granddaughter. He loved and supported Laura all the way in her career as a tattoo artist. Which transitions well into the other half of the name—Cousins. To her that term is just synonymous with the word family, and family is the most important thing. Family is why we get out of bed in the morning and go to work. So why not name your business after the reason you’re doing it? That’s what Laura believes. We could all learn a thing or two from her.

            Cousin Paul’s is located on 4530 Hampton Ave. St. Louis, MO 63109. You can get a hold of them at (314) 875-9075. Ask for Laura, Greg, or Jeremy.

Motorcycles in Heaven

Jeffrey Alan Chandler was my cousin and an all around amazing guy. He got his first tattoo when he was just a teenager and he did not stop until his body was completely covered. His two favorite things in the world were tattoos and motorcycles. One day Jeff was in a horrible motorcycle accident. Unfortunately the accident took away his leg. It did not, however, take his spirit. His prosthetic leg was actually a Harley Davidson design. He made jokes about being a foot shorter. That was just Jeff. Nothing seemed to break him.

Jeff had lots of kids that he loved very much. His two oldest were twins; Zach and Lexi. Zach and Lexi had a younger half sister, not related to Jeff in any way. On weekends when Jeff would pick up the twins he would see little Tori just left behind. Jeff started bringing Tori with them on weekends and he never looked back. Tori became his daughter and there was nothing more to it.

Jeff passed away a little over a year ago. He spent a week in a coma and passed once he was taken off life support. He was a very important man in my life and I miss him very much. Jeff was the kind of guy that didn't only love someone because they were related but because they deserved to be loved. That is just the person he was. I am of course not the only one who misses him. Tori misses her father more than you could possibly imagine and she got one of his tattoos to honor him.

The Big Apple and the Big Ben

Ben Dollschnieder got this tattoo for a few reasons. He was spending a week in Baltimore with his brother, Nathan, and Nathan's roommate, an aspiring tattoo artist. The trio met up with some more family members in NYC and spent an entire week getting to know the city that never sleeps.

Music has been such a large part of Ben's life since he was a kid. He's played numerous instruments and been a part of even more bands. This quote by Bob Marley reminds him of the sanctuary that music brings him.

He also never wanted to forget the trip with his family so Nathan's roommate gave him a nice little reminder. Getting the tattoo may have made him pass out in the bathroom where he chipped his tooth on the sink. But he still think's it was worth it.

Sherri's Wings

Sherri Rocklage went almost forty years without getting a tattoo. It wasn't until her divorce that she finally decided to do something she'd always wanted to. Get a tattoo. She was kind of afraid to get something too big and in a place people could see because of her job at the time. Thus she decided to get something tiny. She now believes that tattoos have lost their rebellious nature and are becoming commonplace enough so she has plans to add on to it to honor her late cousin, Jeff.

Austin-house 5

For Austin Oakes, Slaughterhouse 5 was one of the first books he read just for fun. The one phrase featured in his tattoo, "So it goes," is said multiple times in the book. The quote reflects the general them of the book, that life is transient and fast, and what happens in the past will stay in the past. Tragedies we experience are just another chapter in our lives. It's something that resonated with him a lot when he first read it, and even more so when he went back to the book years later.

The King of Chicago

Justin Hefner was born and raised in the city of Chicago. He grew up watching the Bears, the Bulls, and, most importantly, the Cubs. Baseball was something he loved growing up because of the way it bonded him and his Dad. Even after his family moved to St. Louis he still remained the biggest Cubs fan you'd ever meet. Back in 2011, when the Cardinals made it to the World Series, Justin was so convinced that they didn't stand a chance against the Texas Rangers. He was so cocky about it him and I made a bet at the start of the series. The terms were that if the Cardinals lost I would get a Cubs tattoo; however, if they won, then Justin would have to get a Cardinals tattoo. And of course everyone knows his this story ended....