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BUSINESS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | MAY 30, 2018
Business
@AhwatukeeFN |
@AhwatukeeFN
www.ahwatukee.com
Ahwatukee’s first and only tattoo shop finds open arms BY ALLY RICHMOND AFN Staff Writer
A
hwatukee is rolling up its sleeves to a new and unique establishment: Wookie Style Tattoos. Wookie Style – the first, and only, tattoo parlor in the community, at 4142 E. Chandler Blvd. – is owned by husbandand-wife team Terry “Wookie” and Barbi Hoffman. The Chandler couple chose to put their new business in Ahwatukee because they “love the vibe” of the area and felt that they “had the potential of being welcomed here,” Barbi said. Wookie is an Arizona native and has been in the tattoo industry locally for over 25 years. He has also been internationally recognized on the convention circuit. “Wookie has been drawing his entire life,” his wife said. “He grew up poor, so pencils were his toys. He sold artwork for money as a kid, and when he grew up he met a gentleman who loved his artwork and knew how to tattoo. He invited Wookie to apprentice under him. Turned out Wookie was better at tattooing than his mentor.” After an injury ended his career as a mechanic, he decided to focus all his attention on his art, continuing his professional apprenticeship under another full-time artist. Wookie spent 21 years as the lead artist at the original Club Tattoo in Tempe
(Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)
The staff at Wookie StyleTattoo includes, from left, James Patrick, owners Barbi and Terry Hoffman and Sway Alvarez.
and just recently broke out on his own in 2016. He opened his first shop in a small space inside Independent Motorcycles, but when he was approached by other artists who wanted to work for him, he and Barbi made the leap to Ahwatuklee. “Wookie has a loyal following of clients he has been tattooing for over 25 years,” she added. “Now they’re bringing in their children and even grandchildren to be tattooed by him – all of age, of course. He has regular clientele that travel to Arizona from as far as Germany just to be tattooed by him.” Barbi has been in the banking business since college, but when her husband decided to expand, she joined his shop,
doing the accounting, bookkeeping, promotions and marketing since opening in February. They were joined by two other artists – James Patrick, who has been tattooing for 17 years, and Sway Alvarez, a seven-year veteran of tattooing. Wookie Style Tattoos defies the tattoo parlor stereotype. It is not dark and dingy, nor is it covered in “you pick it, we stick it” designs. Instead, Wookie and Barbi seek to create a clean, family-friendly environment centered on creating amazing art and putting the customer first. The shop itself is designed to be inviting. With cutouts in the wall, the space is open and airy. The décor includes pictures
of the artist’s previous work, as well as various “Star Wars” books, figurines, and plush. Wookie’s love of the series is what gave him his nickname. The welcoming ambiance really does invoke a family-friendly environment, uncommon to most tattoo parlors. “Everyone around here has wives and kids. We want to be a place where people feel comfortable bringing their family,” Wookie says. They also show this family-oriented attitude through their limited hours. By being open only on weekdays, the couple can spend more time with their family. They try to stand out in a highly competitive field. “Our artists consistently strive to further their artistic abilities by reaching outside the traditional boundaries, also competing at conventions across the country and internationally,” Barbi said. “Even though each artist has their specialty, they are experienced and well-versed in all styles of tattoo artwork. They are also OSHA-certified in bloodborne pathogens – an optional certification in the state of Arizona). We maintain immaculate workstations and utilize all disposable materials, versus other shops that sanitize and reuse materials. Moreover, the pair strives to put the customer first in all their exchanges. See
TATOO on page 35
(Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)
Ahwatukee tattoo artist Terry "Wookie" Hoffman has been plying his craft for 25 years and creates some elaborate body art at his studio at 4142 E. Chandler Blvd.