Logan Ink: A look into the tattoo shops and culture in Cache Valley

People get tattoos for different reasons.

It could be to express freedom, to remind themselves of religious beliefs or a loved one, to satisfy an addiction or to affiliate with a group.

Megan Hartgraves, a junior dual-majoring in English and psychology, has two tattoos. One on both wrists and another on her foot.

“Growing up in Texas, everyone has tattoos,” Hartgraves said.

When she turned 16, her dad asked her if she wanted to get a tattoo.

The first tattoo she had done on her wrists is scripting that reads, “Blessings come with patience.”

Hartgraves was raised in the First Baptist Church in Texas where she learned about the eight different fruits of the spirit.

“I realized in middle school that the fruit of the spirit that I lacked is patience,” Hartgraves said. “(The tattoo) is specifically put on my wrists, so I will see it every day. Even when I pray.”

Ryan Cox, a junior majoring in business finance, has a different opinion about tattoos.

“I don’t like them,” Cox said. “Without the right design, tattoos don’t look good.”

Cox also said he believes that only younger people — ages 16 to 25 — get tattoos.

“Once you get past 25, I feel like nobody really gets them,” Cox said.

While Hartgraves and Cox think differently about tattoos, they agreed the tattoo shops in Logan didn’t get a lot of business.

“Being from Texas, I would assume tattoo shops [in Logan] don’t get a lot of business,” Hartgraves said.

Similarly, Cox said, “I think outside of Utah (tattoo shops) probably get business, but I haven’t been to one, so I can’t really say.”

According to the owners of Logan tattoo shops, they see enough business not only to keep the shops afloat, but to keep them busy.

Uncle Sam’s Tattoo Shop gets most of its business from college students, said Sammy Lofland, the shop’s owner. It is the only tattoo shop in Logan that claimed to get most of its clientele from this demographic.

Uncle Sam’s has only been in Logan for a year. Lofland said he decided to settle down here because there is a lack of competition with only two other tattoo shops located in Logan.

For the other two local shops, the business isn’t coming from the 18-25 age group like Uncle Sam’s shop and like Cox said.

The two shops that have been in Logan the longest, more than five years, tattoo an older demographic: the working class.

The owner of Sailor Jim’s Electric Tattoo, James Zehna, said, “Most clientele is middle-class working,” which is the same demographic for the third tattoo shop, 1896 Electric Tattoo.

According to Statisticbrain.com, this clientele is to be expected. In America, 36 percent of people ages 18-25 had at least one tattoo while 40 percent of people ages 26-40 had at least one tattoo.

After five years in Logan, Zehna said he is just barely starting to get more college-aged clients in his shop.

Both Sailor Jim’s and 1896 have a loyal clientele and also focus on bigger, custom tattoos that usually require more than one visit to complete.

“I have regulars I see at least once a month from Salt Lake,” Zehna said.

Nate Burch, owner of 1896 Electric Tattoo, said 30 percent or more of his clients come from out of the state.

“I feel very grateful that there is enough of a client base,” Burch said.

Even though Logan could be considered a very conservative area, tattoo artists are finding their niche.

“We have integrated into the community without too much fuss,” Zehna said. “Ninety percent of our clientele are people we would go have lunch with.”

1896 hasn’t had a problem integrating into the community either, Burch said.

“Tattoo’s popularity will run regardless of a lot of outside influences,” Burch said.

Burch became a tattoo artist after graduating from Utah State University because he liked being tattooed so much.

“I’ve always wondered what my tattoos have seen and where they are going,” he said.

— whitlewis7@gmail.com