PS. Artwork album coming soon!

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To anyone who has gotten tattooed or is considering getting tattooed, the right location means everything. Finding the right tattoo shop is the difference between a prized anatomical ornament and an inky wreck less salvageable than the Titanic. In an industry with so much demand, there are going to be a lot of tattoo shops, but only a select few that actually deserve your money. Find the right shop and you’ll have a partner for life. Find the wrong tattoo shop and you’ll have a burden that takes twice as much money to get fixed.

Portland presents just such a conundrum. Tattoo shops have always been a part of the urban hub, but here “where the tattoo ink never runs dry” the shops are in a particular abundance. Where to go? Which shop is good? Which shop can I go to where I won’t have to risk amputating my arm in Requiem for a Dream fashion?

Well, worry not, ink hound! There are a couple tattoo shops in the Portland metro area that stand leagues above the rest in quality and care, and I would be glad to introduce you to them.

Adorn East
2535 SE Belmont St.
Portland, OR 97214
503.232.6222
Hours: Sun-Wed (12-6pm), Thur-Sat (12-8pm)

In the simplest of terms, everything at Adorn East is amazing. The staff there, comprised of body piercers and tattoo artists alike, are warm and receptive upon entering the snugly situated shop. There is an integrity about their approach to business, an evident commitment to art and the happiness of the client that you notice immediately upon working with them.

Of course, we don’t go to tattoo shops only to feel comforted and well received. What of the artists and the quality of their art? Let’s put it this way: would I have gone to Adorn for every one of my 10 tattoos (6 of which were with the same artist) if their quality and expertise were even slightly in question? Definitely not.

Every one of my inked additions has been carried out at the practiced hands of Adorn’s professionals. My last 6 have been handled by Jesse Enz specifically (and I can’t sing his praises enough). The masterpieces he has composed out of my simple ideas are astounding; all the artists at Adorn share a sense for pleasing the client, often times knowing what we want more than we ourselves do. Between their almost preternatural intuition and their dedication to top-notch art, Adorn East really is the best tattoo shop Portland has to offer.

Adorn West
9217 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy,
Portland, OR 97225
503.292.7060
Hours: Daily (12-8pm)

You’re probably thinking me some kind of joke right now. “His two top choices are the same shop. What gives?” Well, they are two different shops, owned by the same company. If quality is at its peak with one company (and that company isn’t Wal-Mart), why go to a lesser choice? Everything I claimed about Adorn East applies to Adorn West as well, with the same commitment to quality and clientele threading through the two-storied tattoo shop.

The only reason I personally do not go to Adorn West anymore is because of artist loyalty. I like to work with Jesse Enz, who is only available at Adorn East. Each tattoo artist has his or her own proclivities, but that does not mean to say that one is superior or inferior to another. Quality is a constant at Adorn West as at Adorn East, and you really can’t go wrong with either.

For the next time you’ll be getting a bit of ink, peruse through Adorn’s artist portfolios at their website. Get a feel for who fits you best. Whether you’ll end up at East or West, you’ll get the best service in Portland.

Rodney, you rock and we love you too!

Original post here.