Tattoo Parlor Business Plan

Tablature Tattoo, to be located in Greenwood, New Jersey within a centrally-located major route strip mall, will be launched in 2010. The business will be founded and run by Jake Hunt, an experienced tattoo artist, and his wife, Julie Hunt, who has retail administrative experience. A second tattoo artist will be hired to expand the options for customers and to make better use of the company’s resources. The business will provide color tattoos both from original designs by the artists and basic public domain designs. Original designs which are considered the best by the artists and the customers will be printed onto t-shirts, posters, and other resale items and sold through the shop as well with Tablature Tattoo branding and signatures by the artists. Customers will include both those new to tattoos and tattoo collectors, all predominantly between the ages of 20 and 40.

Company Ownership

The business is established as a limited liability partnership between Jake and Julie Hunt with 51% ownership by Jake Hunt and 49% ownership by Julie Hunt.

Start-up Summary

Start-up expenses for Tablature Tattoo are limited. Licenses and permits include a building permit for renovation on the space, business licenses, health department permit, occupancy permit, and signage permit. Business cards and flyers include enough business cards for two years for the two tattoo artists and flyers advertising the grand opening to be distributed and posted in the area. Insurance will be secured from Tribal Ink-surance or another tattoo shop insurance provider. This offers liability of $500,000, property of $10,000, and additional insurance for the landlord. Rent is for one month for renovation of the location prior to opening. The location will be in a strip mall in Greenwood and will feature an open space for reception, waiting room and two tattoo stations, a sterilization room, a small office space, and a single bathroom. The owners will seek a space requiring minimal or no renovation to achieve this layout. 

Computer software includes a basic calendar/scheduling program, inventory program, and accounting software (basic QuickBooks). Website development is for the creation of a basic website and grand opening advertisements include small ads in local papers in the weeks preceding the opening. Tattoo supplies include chemicals (sterilizers, antiseptics, disinfectants, ointments and soap), paper products, linens, towels, gloves, and skin marking supplies (thermofax, stencil paper, pens, skin scribes).

Assets required include the cash needed to reach cash flow break-even. Start-up inventory includes the inks and dyes needed to stock the store for launch. Other current assets includes a security deposit for the shop location.

Long-term assets include signage for the exterior of the shop, reception area items (a reception desk, chair, laptop, credit card reader, cash register, phone), tattoo station equipment (two tattoo chairs, mirrors, lights, tool box, sharps container, covered trash bin), waiting area furniture (loveseat, coffee table, two binders for flash art), a sound system (speakers and iPod dock), a digital camera, office equipment (printer/scanner/copier, phone), and sterilization room equipment (ultrasonic unit, autoclave, sterilization pouches).