4061 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15224. We are at the intersection of Penn and Main next to Constellation Coffee.
We are largely appointment-based and each of our artists works on a different schedule, ask your preferred artist for their hours. Typically at least one of our artists will be in the shop every day between 11am-6pm and will be happy to answer questions if you call or stop by.
Unfortunately the parking situation near the shop isn’t the best. Penn Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood is zoned residential (1 hour without a permit) for parking even though it’s a busy business street (blame the city, not us). That being said here are some options:
Penn Avenue past 40th street and lower (a couple blocks away, towards Downtown) is not a permit area and it is OK to park there any time.
Penn Avenue near the Children’s Hospital (a couple blocks away, towards East Liberty) is metered parking, you can pay with card or an app and add more time as needed via the app. There is also a parking garage at the Children's Hospital that isn't too expensive.
Mondays thru Saturdays you’re OK to park in a permit area for one hour. If it’s after 6pm or a Sunday you’re OK to park in a permit area for as long as you’re here. If it’s Monday-Saturday daytime and you want to take your chances, Pittsburgh Parking Authority rarely tickets on Penn but they do more frequently on the hill going down into Lawrenceville towards Butler Street. If you prefer, we are happy to let you move your car or move it for you every hour so you don’t get ticketed.
We have one guest parking pass available and if it’s not in use you’re welcome to use it.
DO NOT PARK IN THE SUNOCO LOT ACROSS THE STREET. They are very aggressive about towing.
We do not offer piercing services. If you are close by (Lawrenceville area) check out Six16 Body Piercing down the street from us at 4417 Butler Street, they are a piercing-only studio.
We only tattoo folks who are 18 and over, no exceptions. Some shops will tattoo 16+ with parental consent but we do not.
We are currently appointment only. For a same day appointment you can call the shop at 412-709-6623 to see if any of our artists are available.
The short answer is yes! A cover up tattoo can make an old tattoo or scar far less noticeable than before. That being said, not every tattoo or scar can be fully 100% disappeared by a new tattoo. Each cover up situation is unique and what is or isn’t possible for a cover up will depend largely on what is being covered (the size/age/darkness of an old tattoo or the size/age/consistency of a scar will affect this). We are more than happy to discuss your best options with you for your next cover up, and we can be honest about what will / will not work for your specific situation.
Yes, feel free to bring a friend/partner for support. We just ask that you limit it to one person.
We are a small shop and kids and pets are a health and safety risk, please leave them at home when you come for your appointment (registered service animals are OK).
We follow industry standard guidelines for blood borne pathogen safety and take every necessary precaution to minimize cross-contamination. We use disposable (single use) needles, tubes, gloves, and other supplies for every tattoo. We wrap or cover equipment and surfaces for every tattoo. We sterilize each workspace thoroughly before and after every tattoo. If you have any further questions about sterilization procedures, feel free to ask an artist.
$80 for very small pieces. This is to cover the cost of high-quality disposable supplies as well as time spent setting up, breaking down, and sterilizing equipment and work stations before and after your tattoo (for very small pieces, this is often a much longer process than the tattoo itself). That being said, most tattoos start at $100 or more.
Our rates vary (between $100-$150 per hour, needle-to-skin time only) depending on the artist and how quickly they work. Some of our artists take deposits in advance to hold your appointment and then use that deposit towards the price of your tattoo. Ask your artist for details on their pricing. Consultations are always free.
Some of our artists take cards or Venmo/Paypal and some are cash only, ask your artist what their policy is. There is an ATM located at the gas station across the street if you need it.
It's normal to feel a little apprehensive before getting a tattoo! Don't drink alcohol the night before, eat something substantial the day of (don't come in hungry), and stay well hydrated in the 24 hours before your appointment. Plan to take it easy the day of your tattoo (before and after). Wear something comfy to your appointment that allows easy access to the area to be tattooed and that you wouldn’t mind if it got stained from ink.Please bring a photo ID to your appointment and be sure to check with your artist about their preferred payment method. Most of our artists cannot accept credit cards and prefer cash, there is an ATM at the gas station across the street for your convenience.
Each artist has a different policy on cancellations and rescheduling. Please email your artist ASAP so they can open up your appointment time for another client.
We offer 1 free touch up within the first 6 months of your tattoo appointment (some limitations apply — we do not touch up high impact areas such as fingers, feet, etc. free of charge).
We do not have a full time counter person and often times we are all tattooing and unable to answer the phone! Please email info.gypsytattoo@gmail.com if you are unable to get a hold of us. Because tattoos are visual in nature and we often have a high volume of clients to schedule, email is generally most ideal for booking appointments. Depending on the nature of what you're looking for we may ask you to email us or stop by for a consultation anyway if you phone us.
We are constantly getting a lot of emails and answer each one carefully in the order that we receive them. Sometimes this means that a response can take several days. We appreciate your patience.
There are many reasons your artist may suggest you see another artist for your project! While we try our best to see as many clients as possible, we may not be able to help everyone. The tattoo you’re requesting may not be the preferred style your artist works in, their books may be about to close leaving them with limited space in their schedule, they may be unable to fit any additional large projects into their schedule, or they may not be able to accommodate a specific date or time you’re requesting. We all put so much thought and effort into every tattoo we choose to take on so please understand that if we are not able to take on your project it does not mean your idea is not beautiful! We work to create an environment where everyone is excited and we are able to put our whole hearts into the beautiful tattoos we create with and for our clients!