BUSINESS HOURS:

Monday-Thursday 12pm-8pm
Friday and Saturday 12pm-9pm
Sunday- By Appointment Only

We named our studio Counter-culture for a number of reasons. Tattoos are more accepted now than they were say, 20 years ago, but can still keep you from getting a job, or will influence the way people feel about you, usually before they even get to know you. Some people just don't understand the commitment. The idea of tattoos being permanent makes a lot of people really uncomfortable.

We combined a tattoo studio and mixed martial arts gym into one business because we felt that people that have the discipline to make a commitment like heavy tattoo coverage would also be interested in something like a fighter's lifestyle. Training to fight is a serious proposition, just like getting tattooed. The idea of our gym/tattoo shop is to have a place where people who don't care what the rest of society thinks or does can feel at home. It started and continues to grow because the hard work and kindness of our friends, families, students, and customers.

We are also proud to have ended up in East Pittsburgh, the place where modern Pittsburgh tattooing got its start. Electric Ave. was home to the tattoo parlor of Bob "Moose" Rutter, and his first shop was in a small shoe shine parlor. He eventually moved and opened Bodyworks tattoo in Penn Hills. "Moose" ended up passing away in 1997, and was one of the modern day legends of the Pittsburgh tattoo community.

We have tons of flash and designs for clients to look at, but we encourage people to be creative. We really like doing tattoos that haven't been done a million times before. You can bring in your own artwork, or we can draw something for you. Walk-ins and appointments are welcome.