Today we’d like to introduce you to Thaddeus Curry.
Hi Thaddeus, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Toye Shop Ink was opened in October of 2014 by myself and my wife Shikila Tucker Curry. I know that’s a weird name for a tattoo studio, right? Well, the name is actually a part of my middle name and what my family still calls me to this day! We are now in our eighth year of business and it has been a ride! We’ve gone from being a no-name studio into being one of the top-rated studios around. Of course, that rating came with a ton of late nights and early mornings, sacrifice, and dedication; in short, we killed ourselves to push this business as far as it has come, but that taught us to be grateful for what we’ve built and never take it for granted. When we decided to open the studio, it was one of the scariest things I’d ever done and that’s including going over to Iraq and Afghanistan! I quit a comfy six-figure job in order to follow this dream of mine so my nerves were always on edge throughout the process. After months of looking for a location, then dealing with zoning issues and battling with DHEC (Health Department), I was ready to close up shop and go beg for that job back (hahaha), but my wife convinced me to keep pushing through. Our first month in business we did a total of 3 tattoos (the entire month!). From there my wife worked on our website and we found different avenues that allowed the studio to gain more attention and slowly we grew. Now I’m able to book myself out for three to four months at a time and the studio still has enough traffic that other artist can book themselves up as well! Just making it this long in the tattoo industry is a major accomplishment in my book!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road at all. One of the biggest challenges was the financial aspect of things. After being denied for a loan by several banks I decided to just use our own funds, pulling money from my savings to get things going, and boy was that nerve-racking! Building a client base was also a struggle. At the time I wasn’t a “known” artist, I was just another tattooer in a sea full of tattooers and I was a black tattooer at that. When you’re a black tattooer it seems, you have to be 10 times better than everyone else just to be considered on the same skill level, I mean I’ve had people look through my portfolio and love the work, be eager to book a session then see that I’m black and they can’t find the door quick enough. Their loss though. Through it all though I do believe all the obstacles and challenges helped to mold us into better owners.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Well, I’m a tattooer or tattoo artist. These days just about everyone has at least one tattoo and if you’re in Lexington SC you’ve probably seen one that I’ve done! I would say my style is more of an illustrative realism style, I love using bold colors and lines, but still giving the artwork a realistic feel to it. I’m not sure if I’m known for anything, but hopefully it’s for my bright colorwork. I’m most proud of the fact that I’m able to tattoo every day, make a living from it, and see my work on someone’s skin! It’s really wild when you think about it and I take that very seriously. I always want my clients to get the very best from me, now I’d be lying if I said I always got it right, but I do give my best on every piece I do.
What matters most to you?
Giving people a great product matters most to me. Not only does this bolster the reputation of the studio, but it makes people feel good! At the end of the day that’s what a tattoo is supposed to do, make people feel good in their own skin while allowing them to express themselves.
Contact Info:
- Email: Toyeshopink@gmail.com
- Website: Toyeshopink.net
- Instagram: Toye_shop_Ink
- Facebook: Toye Shop Ink
Image Credits
Brandon Tucker
Shikila Tucker-Curry
