Darkside Tattoo — Establishment at 190 Main Street, East Haven, Connecticut.

Quick, very positive visit/piercing experience review with a lot of detail follows hereinbelow.

I needed to change a metal piece of jewelry to a nonmetal retainer for an upcoming MRI. I tried but couldn't do it myself. I needed a professional.

Now, I know from experience that it might be quick but would certainly fill a time slot. I know from experience that a piercer doesn't just randomly have spare time to talk to everyone who walks in with questions requiring a detailed answer. Hence, I wanted to SCHEDULE a time to consult, which might utilize a full time slot, and hoped to schedule a possibly adjoining appointment for the switch.

Great first impressions! The receptionist who'd initially booked my visit was VERY professional, at an uncluttered desk. She was quite friendly and got me right in. Then, we had had to reschedule due to an expected blizzard (that never came). I screwed up, arriving on the new day but old time (now three hours early). On this sunny Saturday, the piercer was booked until my new appointment time (for which I inadvertently double-booked). She looked at the schedule, but openings couldn't immediately jive with my own. Again: this was due to my own carelessness, so I couldn't be mad at all. I was, however, working around the MRI schedule. Knowing Darkside's reputation for high standards, I didn't want to risk a different shop. What to do... I didn't complain though I knew I would neef to reschedule the MRI with metal remaining in my ear. The receptionist kindly consulted with the piercer as to when I could reschedule, and they were able to, due to a cancellation, find an opening right near the time at which I'd inadvertently shown.

The piercer was friendly, warm, and professional. Her station was clean and had a door. (I don't know if this has become industry standard. As a former receptionist in a tattoo shop who'd heard tons of complaints about a mere curtain, this is a BIG plus in my opinion.) Since I still needed to switch the jewelry and had brought 6ga PTFE, which I though they might not stock and which I'd had the vendor autoclave, she was able to painlessly change a flatback, internally-threaded plug that hadn't budged for a good seven years.

She frankly answered my delicate (I hope!) questions, and I felt good about my trust in their reputation. I am delighted that this small business is WELL on its way back to the top!She also, after I showed her the two tattoos on my hand and wrist that Sean O'Hara, the owner, had done years earlier, brought Sean (from what I hope was a break and not a big interruption) to say Hi. While they are delicately executed, they are but a drop of water in his sea of hundreds (at least) of multi-visit customers getting multiple huge tattoos spanning a multi-decade career. Keeping in mind that I wasn't a memorably stunning woman when I first went to Darkside, I was thrilled with the genuine recognition in Sean's eyes.

Where my family used to live, businesses near the Center of the city - not even a smaller town like our current home - complained bitterly about the "threat" of a potential tattoo studio. The area surrounding, and clientele entering and leaving, were neat and the people certainly were polite and not what our former home feared would hurt their businesses. (Actually, families shopping fot Easter dinner were frequenting the family bakery within the same plaza, none of whom seemed to feel the need to shield the children!)

Darkside's ample parking is within a clean lot, and centrally located near the historical Town green. The kind of business / tattoo shop its neighbors would never contest. I honestly feel Darkside Tattoo is the kind of business towns should welcome because they offer the quality product and excellent service any municipality can boast. I am so glad my trust was on target.

Locals might remember some bumps over the years but baby: Darkside is back.