Tip Top Tattoo
Back to the Present.
Today was to be my last day at AWR.
Instead, my client woke up with a fever and had to reschedule.
After packing up the last of my things from the shop and bringing them home.
I turned my energy into reorganizing the garage.
I thought I had finally set everything up so I could find what I needed when I needed it…
until this winter when PGE dropped an emergency meter service upgrade out of nowhere.
That meant pulling all the bikes out, shifting boxes and shop furniture so Bruce could work his magic.
It’s been a couple of months and today was finally the day to dig in
and reorganize the mess inside of my garage.
I’m happy to say I cleared the way so I can pull my turnkey bike out whenever I need her now.
She had been turned into a saddle stand and packed tightly into her spot with furniture from Fortune.
She’s free again.
Which brings me to my departure from AWR
to the new comforts of Tip Top Tattoo.
Adam Craven ( the owner) and Quanie are the talented resident artists there.
It’s a true motorcycle-friendly shop—
Adam parks his bike right out front and plenty of folks roll through.
The shop sits right in the middle of the vibrant street life
off Milwaukie and Bybee.
Lots of foot traffic, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, a theater
and one of my favorite sushi spots just around the corner.
I’m hoping this move will help re-stimulate my clientele base,
being back in my own neighborhood and in the SE area again.
I wasn’t sure where I would end up after closing Fortune.
Jason gave me a soft landing spot to regroup and rebuild my composure.
I’m deeply thankful for his friendship and support—he really is a magical wizard.
If there’s a path ahead for us to work together again, I hope it happens in this lifetime.
Well, the Tattoo Gods kept making me drive past Adam’s place,
even though it wasn’t on my normal route.
It’s close to home.
When I finally decided to actively look for another shop.
I took the chance and asked if I could come work with them.
These days I’ve been working a side job that takes up most of my time during the week
just to keep the ship afloat.
I tattoo whenever clients are committed to their appointments.
I thought maybe I could juggle a couple of shops and ease my way back into being a full-time tattooer.
After all, it’s all I’ve ever done.
But I’m still too afraid to make the full jump back in right now.
I’m waiting to see whether the economy fully emplodes
or starts moving toward something new and favorable for all of us.
Right now, shit is scary for a lot of folks I know—myself included.
Thank you to everyone who has given me the confidence to keep going
and has let me do my ART.
It’s all I want to do to make a living.
It gives me a sense of purpose
and the deep satisfaction of constantly expanding my mind and heart.
Come See Me at Tip Top Tattoo
Come check out the cool artwork on the walls, pick some flash,
or bring your own ideas and we’ll make it happen.
Thank you. With Love, Mikki
