You won't find any inebriated college students commemorating Spring Break with an indelible memento at Anthem Tattoo Parlor this March.
"We absolutely won't tattoo anyone who's been drinking," said Anthem artist Mike Mehaffey. "Or anyone under 18."
Mehaffey and fellow Anthem co-owners Dave Kotinsley and Rob Barnes adhere firmly to this policy not only for obvious legal reasons, but also out of respect for their craft.
For the bearded, heavily-inked trio, tattooing is as much about the collaboration between artist and client as it is the final product, if not more so.
Between the three of them, their experience includes rigorous apprenticeships, art school and a combined thirty years of tattooing in Gainesville.
Kotinsley was working out of a one-man studio dubbed the Tatt Shack in the back of an office complex parking lot on Sixth Street before teaming up with Mehaffey and Barnes, reputable artists he knew from the Gainesville tattoo and music scene.
The men bonded over a mutual desire to further hone their artistic merit and technique and provide a unique, "one-on-one" tattoo experience. In January of 2007, they opened Anthem at 102 SW Sixth St.
The parlor is named for Ayn Rand's novel about "freedom and the world's inability to diminish the human spirit," said Kotinsley.
Along with newcomer Micah Moran, the three founders create expressive art that appeals more to tattoo collectors than people looking for "industry souvenirs."
"We're not going to tattoo [designs like] weed leaves," scoffed Kotinsley.
They are simply artists trying to run a business, he added, not entrepreneurs trying to make a buck tattooing.
Unlike some local parlors that rely on gimmicks to draw in clients, Anthem's reputation is built on service and quality.
Kotinsley said the Anthem employees make their own tattoo machines, secret-recipe inks and even needles, and always remain up-to-date on safety protocol and sterilization. They have no patience for tattooists who can't fix their own equipment.
"It's like a guitar player who can't tune his own guitar," said Mehaffey.
Mehaffey even designed a care package for freshly tattooed clients: a Chinese takeout box stocked with lotion, sanitizer, thank-you note, and care instructions. And a fortune cookie.
The package reflects the guys' love for all things kitschy.
The walls at Anthem are plastered with band posters, stickers and watercolors by the parlor's artists. Amid the artwork are shelves lined with tacky memorabilia like boar skulls and an imitation Christmas Story leg lamp.
Most of the parlor's bizarre adornments are gifts from satisfied customers that act as conversation fodder during long sessions.
"When you're tattooing someone they'll ask, 'Why do you have a battle axe on your wall?' There's a half an hour [story] right there," said Mehaffey.
Each artist also has his own personalized "studio" area.
The parlor's cozy yet professional ambiance is certainly no gimmick.
"Anthem is an extension of my person," said Kotinsley. "We put our heart and souls into this place. I wouldn't leave it to anyone who isn't us."
