Our Story

Steel City Tattoo Shop was born in 2024 — not in comfort, but in chaos.

Our space once belonged to a failed attempt at a tattoo shop — a dream that was wiped away by the aftermath of COVID-19. The building sat vacant in the heart of Monessen, a town still reeling from a struggling economy and years of forgotten potential. Most people wouldn’t have seen an opportunity here — just another empty storefront in a fading city.

But we did.

We saw a chance to rewrite the narrative. To breathe life back into a space that deserved more. To create something authentic, lasting, and raw — the way true art should be.

Opening wasn’t easy. We launched with limited resources, during one of the most uncertain times to start a business. For months, we barely made enough to stay open. But we pushed through — tattoo by tattoo, story by story. We hustled for every client, poured our passion into every piece, and made it our mission to prove that resilience, creativity, and community can spark something powerful even in the hardest places.

After countless days and long nights, the shop slowly started to grow. Word spread. Clients returned. The once-quiet space began to buzz with energy and potential. Our small spot — once a shot in the dark — was now a space for others to learn, create, and thrive.

Today, Steel City Tattoo Shop proudly empowers new artists and apprentices to grow under the guidance of our vetted artists. It’s become more than just a tattoo shop — it’s a foundation for the next generation of artists, a place to rise, rebuild, and remember why we started.

We didn’t just open a tattoo shop.

We reclaimed our city.

And we’re just getting started.