BUSINESS 28
SANTAN SUN NEWS | JUNE 2–15, 2018
Chandler couple open Ahwatukee’s first tattoo studio BY ALLY RICHMOND Staff Writer
Ahwatukee is rolling up its sleeves to a new and unique establishment run by a Chandler couple: 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
Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer
The staff at Wookie Style Tattoos includes, from left, James Patrick, owners Barbi and Terry Hoffman and Sway Alvarez.
in Tempe 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 See
TATTOO on page 29
Having a Total Knee Replacement Soon? 4 Simple “Pre-hab” Exercises You Can do Right Now to Help Speed up Your Recovery After Surgery! By physical therapist, Shaheen Siddiqui
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n our last article, we talked about some simple tips you could use to prepare your knee for a replacement. We mentioned that it is important to keep your quads strong and your knee flexible...but how is this done? Here are 4 simple exercises that will do just that. For flexibility, try these: 1. Hamstring Stretch: To perform this stretch, stand at the base of your staircase, or you can use a stool or low chair instead. Place your heel on the stair or stool, and gently hinge forward at your hips, until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold this for 30-45 seconds. 2. Heel slides: Laying on
your back with your knees straight, gently bend your knee, and bring your heel toward your bottom, as far as you can go comfortably. Then straighten it. You can do this one 10 times, 3 sets. To strengthen those quad muscles, try these: 1. Straight leg raises: Lie on your bed with one knee straight and the other bent,
then tighten up your quad or thigh muscles, then lift the leg in the air, about 10-12 inches off of the bed. 2. Seated Knee Extension: Sit at the edge of your bed or a tall chair, so your legs can dangle. Slowly kick your foot out in front of your body, straightening your knee as much as you can, then bring it back to starting position. As long as you are able to tolerate these comfortably, you can do 3 sets of 10 reps. If you have any questions about how to do them properly, or any other questions, please reach out to me via phone or e-mail! Best of luck! Shaheen Siddiqui, MSPT shaheen@crossroadsopt.com
Shaheen Siddiqui, MSPT Physical Therapist
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