Miami Ink Tattoo Shop

From LoveToKnow Tattoos

When you think about the Miami Ink tattoo shop, you most likely conjure images of Kat Von D and The Learning Channel’s hit reality show. However, there is more to this shop than a hit show or a breakout star.

Miami Ink – The Show

TLC is known for its career-infused dose of reality shows. Miami Ink was a show that debuted in July of 2005 and lasted for four seasons. The show itself was based on 305 Tattoo, a shop located in Miami Beach, Florida. The name of the show came from the area in which it was set. Miami Ink tattoo shop was eventually born out of the forthcoming success of the show.

Miami Ink on TLC was so popular that it led to several spin-off shows. LA Ink featured the now highly famous and recognizable Kat Von D who appeared on seasons one and two before being fired. Rio Ink and London Ink which aired in their respective countries.

Reality TV is not known for being overly unique, but Miami Ink was able to pull a rabbit out of the hat. This surprise hit featured some very talented artists including the owners of the shop; Ami James and Chris Nunez. The show followed the staff interactions as well as the clients who would explain their stories and their motivations as to why they were getting a tattoo. The show had its final season in 2008 when Chris and Ami decided to decline an offer for a 5th season.

About Miami Ink Tattoo Shop

The recognition from the television show created an incredible buzz for the famed tattoo shop. This success created a need for expansion to properly sustain their livelihoods. The location that was originally named 305 Tattoo and then, thanks to the show’s success, changed to Miami Ink has since closed its doors. The location that was Miami Ink is now strictly a retail location for the DeVille clothing line.

Although the Miami Ink tattoo shop has since closed, there is no need to fear missing out on the Miami Ink experience! The same artists you loved to watch from the show are still in business and that business is also thriving. They have even opened up their own lounge across the street.

The New Shop

The new location is larger than the previous one. The artists needed a larger workspace in order to better suit the amount of clients they have been getting since the debut of the Miami Ink reality television show. The new location is a walk-in only establishment so it is first come, first serve. The name of the shop was changed (for unspecified reasons) and is now called Love Hate Tattoo Studios. They wanted to remain local and faithful to their original customers and new fans, so they are located right up the street from the old 305 Tattoo shop.

The Address

The current address for the Love Hate Tattoo Studio is:

1630 Washington Ave. in Miami, Florida.

Contact Information

If you would like to ask about rates or just keep up on the news of the shop, you can contact the studio in the following ways:

Phone Number: 305-531-4556
E-Mail Address: lovehatetattooinfo@yahoo.com
MySpace: lovehatetattooshop
Hours of Operation: Noon until Midnight each day

The Artists

305 Tattoo, aka Miami Ink, became famous in the world of tattoo for one good reason - great artists. The work that the shop was (and still is) putting out was more indicative of fine art than what many people have associated with tattoos in the past. The artists that are assembled here are very good with all styles of tattoos, but they excel in portrait work. The artists from the Miami Ink show are all still present at the shop, but they also bring in guest artists from time to time.

The lineup consists of:

Ami James
Chris Nunez
Darren Brass
Chris Garver
James Hamilton
Yoji Harada
Tim Hendricks
Janos Masz
Morgyn Pennypacker
Jose Santiago
Luke Wessman

Final Thought

Getting inked by artists that helped revolutionize tattooing is potentially a great thrill. Expect the cost to be top dollar for their work, and it may be a good idea to call the shop for their present pricing so you won't be caught off guard. They may currently only take walk-ins, but nothing is ever set in stone, so look over their site for all of the latest information.

The shop handles many styles of tattoos from full sleeves and lower back tattoos to the very popular "urban" style. Whatever you want done, this talented group of artists can do it for you in a quality that you will be proud to show everyone.