New Sovereign Arms Tattoo Co. is a 'nice and classy tattoo shop' for East Hills neighborhood

Walls painted in subtle, warm hues complement the dark wood paneling, floors and freshly painted copper-toned tin roofing inside the newly renovated 974 Cherry St. SE storefront, now home to Sovereign Arms Tattoo Co. 

"I've always liked the look of old, dark wood," says Gareth Hawkins, owner of and artist at the new East Hills tattoo parlor, which he opened just last week alongside fellow artists Ryan Stout and Matt Pike. "It's classy and comfy – those are probably the two descriptors I'd use for it." 

The old, classic parlor vibe that creates the shop's interior makes a lot of sense with the art on the walls, a style which the artists describe as "turn of the century, American tattooing" and "World War II, sailor-style tattoos with a hint of Japanese influence." 

Hawkins, who is an East Hills resident, says he started apprenticing in Grand Rapids about 15 years ago, working at various tattoo shops including Mos Eisley's and Wealthy Street Tattoos, among many others. 

"I decided that after 15 years of being in this, I'm not getting any younger," Hawkins says. "I love this neighborhood, I own a home in the East Hills area and so this place came open and it's all been kind of fortuitous." 

Since Sovereign Arms Tattoo Co.'s soft opening last week Tuesday, he says they've seen a pretty steady stream of clients come through for tattoos – thanks in part to faithful clients who followed them over to the new shop, but also because of the walkability of the area surrounding the storefront, which sits directly across from Grand Rapids' oldest restaurant Cherie Inn and the East Hills fixture Marie Catrib's. 

"I've been consistently tattooing every single day, which is fantastic for a new business," Hawkins says. "I've had a lot of clients follow me over, Ryan and Matt are the two guys who followed me over, too, they have a great client base, they're great artists and great people to work with so we've managed to have a steady stream of people coming in and new people coming in off the street. The traffic in this neighborhood is fantastic for walking."

Whether it's pre-drawn and selected from an artists' collection hung on the wall of the store's modest but cozy lobby or custom-made based on a specific concept or idea brought in by a customer, Hawkins says any ink done by Sovereign Arms Tattoo Co. artists will be original, simple and timeless. 

"We're a nice and classy tattoo shop. We do solid, classy tattoos that will last you forever and that you'll be very happy with," he says. "We do good work."

To learn more about Sovereign Arms Tattoo Co. or stay updated on upcoming events for its opening, check the shop out on Facebook here.

Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor