9 Lives Tattoo

Super awesome tattoo and piercing parlor. Artists are all super cool and friendly, as is the owner and his dog, Artemis!Brandi is my favored artist. Shes inked me 4 times this year and has been super professional, friendly and CRAZY talented. Rates are highly reasonable and availability is good. Treat her right!Shop has no dedicated parking, but the garage close by has reasonable per hour rates if you are getting a larger piece done.Support your local amazing tattoo artists!

Loved my experience here. Erin was amazing. She did a touch up and extension of a tattoo I got about 6 years ago. The process was super easy to sit through, and the end result was fantastic. I plan on coming here for any other work I have done, and will be recommending her and this shop to others. Also, they have a dog! How cool is that? While he was there he kept coming over for pets. 🥰

Amber was great. I had been struggling to find an available local artist for weeks. The stars happened to align when I called here for the memorial tattoo Id been wanting. Would come here again in the future.

Pandemic info: The shop is always very clean and sterile, pandemic or otherwise. They require masks for everyone, and are very thorough with cleaning and sanitizing after every client (and changing out equipment, which is standard procedure). You can feel confident about being tattooed safely there any time. Do not (seriously dont) bring anyone else to your appointment right now. I totally get wanting a friend with you for your first tattoo, but we are still in a pandemic, and they wont have anywhere to sit anyway. Make sure you make an appointment!Ive been trying to figure out how to start this dang review for ages now, so I figure I might as well just jump right in: I wandered into 9 Lives a few years ago knowing what design I wanted on my skin, and that was about it. I had no real plan for any other details. I did check out reviews here before I went in, but thats as far as I got. I met Kristian briefly, chatted with him, set up an appointment, and the rest is history. Hes been my go-to artist since that day. Honestly cant say enough good things about him or the shop. We hit it off, and its been really awesome ever since. Hes very talented, but also the kind of humble where he doesnt think hes as skilled as he is (which is goofy and endearing). He is my tattoo partner in crime, and he is really fantastic at taking my crazy, half-arsed schemes/ideas, and turning them into seriously awesome tattoos. I dont always have a clear idea of what I want to do, and he takes what I talk about and runs with it. I have loved every single tattoo hes done for me. Every time he does a new one for me, I walk away going this ones my favorite!!! (Theyre all my favorite haha)One of the best things about him is that he is up for doing whatever tattoo I come up with. He has never once said that my ideas are silly (even when some of them are obviously goofy) or refused to do any because theyre not his style. At this point, I have a few tattoos that were his idea (by which I mean I asked him to pick something cool to put on my body, and he came up with something awesome). I trust him implicitly, and it has paid off every single time. He is a really amazing dude who is fantastically talented. I view it as an honor to have tattoos that he came up with on my body.I also want to add that I have a full body tremor (its not nearly as bad as someone with Parkinsons though, to give you an idea). I cant imagine having to tattoo someone like me (my body isnt the best at being still), but he never complains or gives any indication that its in any way more difficult to tattoo me than someone who doesnt shake all the time. Hes not heavy handed, and for me, I can usually sit for a few hours without needing a break (I have a decent pain threshold though).Tattoo life pro-tips: Tip your artists, people! I always tip generously because Kristian is awesome, but also because he puts up with my aforementioned goofy schemes and wonky body. If you are newer to being tattooed, I recommend having more of an idea of what you want. Not because he cant do it, but because we have built up trust and I have enough tattoos that Ive lost count of the exact number. Yes, your tattoo is going to hurt. No two ways around it. He will tell you when a specific body part is definitely going to hurt more than the average tattoo, but everybodys pain threshold is different. Ribs are the most painful tattoos I have ever gotten (thought I was fleshy enough there, I was not and needed several breaks), and I have actively avoided having any done on my feet because feet are a notoriously painful spot to put a tattoo. Dont go to an appointment if you arent sober, be respectful of your artist and the shop in general. Dont try to haggle on the price- not only is that rude, but ink is permanent. You get what you pay for, so dont try to cheap out. 9 lives is very reasonably priced

Shawn was great! I went in yesterday for my nose and lateral labret. He explained everything wonderfully. 10/10

Been here a few times and have recommended people as well. Raquel is awesome and made all my sessions easy and the end results are fantastic!

Raquel is my freaking girl and I ADORE HER! The shop is clean, dope and inviting. Everyone there is so sweet and has a phenomenal sense of humor. I have never gone there and not laughed. Ive been seeing Raquel Ruthless for about a year now and will not ever let another tattoo artist touch me. We have a connection and work really well together, she never disappoints. So far shes done my three fates tattoo and my bees on my knees. Im going back to see her in March 2022 to begin work on my sleeve. With 9 Lives, youre getting what you pay for. Quality work done by the most talented individuals. Every artist there does insane work, so no matter which artist you choose, youll leave there happy. They have a little bit of everyones portfolio posted directly on the 9 Lives website and setting up appointments is a breeze. You will definitely have to wait to get in to see an artist there but I promise, its worth the wait.

Love this place - clean, affordable, welcoming, very professional. Have had three tattoos from Kristian so far and he is the best. He does great work, was awesome to work with and help me figure out tattoos, and was so accommodating. Cannot recommend this place enough!

I cannot say enough great things about 9 Lives Tattoo - and more specifically, about Kristian. All around great guy, incredibly talented artist, and willing to work with you until your tattoo - and the placement of it - are absolutely perfect for you. Highly, HIGHLY recommend!

Raquel is the best ❤️ she did my sunflower tattoo and Im hoping to return to her for more florals!

Amazing experience. Clean, professional and very accommodating. Kristian is extremely talented and takes extra time to make sure you get exactly what you want. Will be coming back for all future work as well as recommending to all my friends and family.

Brandie is amazing....she took my idea and turned it into something meaningful and beautiful. She did a great job and was just an absolute joy to sit and talk with as she did her thing. This was my first tattoo and probably my last but if I ever change my mind I will see her out. The whole place was clean and queit...the staff was nice and fun to be around. I will highly recommend Brandie & 9Lives to anyone that asks and lots that wont. An all around fantastic experience.

Very clean! My daughter and I got tattoos together from Kristian. He was a lovely person to talk to while he worked. His work was great and he was quick! We werent in a hurry so that was just a bonus. I look forward to going back to him for more😃

Raquel does excellent work. She is an artist in the truest since of the word. She gave me just what I wanted while also suggesting improvements. She also is a very pleasant person to spend 2 hours with.

This is one of the most welcoming places Ive ever been. Shawn and Erin are both so nice and Im beyond happy with the work theyve done for me.

I have gotten two tattoos from Raquel and she is fantastic. Not only is she extremely talented, she is also very engaging which puts you at ease and makes the session fly by. I will only get tattooed by Raquel and highly recommend her services.

Highly recommend Kristian. He’s done some great tattoos on myself and my partner! Very welcoming environment too.

Im biased because Im friends with Shawn and Kristian, BUT, objectively speaking..I love this shop. Im one of those horrible tattoo clients that will drunkenly text their artist at 2am with yet another tattoo idea I probably wont get, and Shawn was always the best about it. I got my first matching tattoo with my cousin here, who I also helped turned into a devout 9 lives client. Ive recently started working with Kristian, and despite several annoying instances of having to move appointments on my behalf, we found a last minute appointment that worked (pictured) and Im constantly daydreaming about my next appointment. Love these guys! Long live 9 lives ‍

Great facility super clean and nice staff. Brandi is a great artist be sure to ask for her. She’s done a bunch of my ink and always welcomes me not just as a client but a friend as well.

I had a great experience at 9 Lives yesterday! Kristian was very patient with me as I kept changing what I wanted. He was professional, interesting, and most importantly did an incredible job on my tattoos. I’m sure it was boring for him as I got super simple tattoos and he’s used to doing incredible art but he made me feel comfortable and did not judge. The shop was super clean too. Overall it was a great experience and I will be back soon!

I didnt go in yet have a appointment set but Amber was very helpful and very informative aswell as sincere I look forward to my appointment yall should give amber a raise she is a great person 😊

A highly recommend seeing Shawn at Nine Lives Tattoo for all your piercings. I got my flat helix pierced at a different shop and the piercer has used the wrong methods and materials to pierce me. I ended up having my ear grow over the back of my piercing (due to a micro back the piercer had used). I was in so much pain. I called Nine Lives Tattoo and Shawn stayed late just to assist me. He was great at evaluating what had happened and explaining what the other piercer had done wrong. He kept talking to me to distract me from the pain as he removed the piercing and even gave me a stress ball to hold on to. He was so professional and friendly. Once my old piercing has healed, I am going back to Shawn to get it redone and for all further piercings. Thank you, Shawn! I cant express my gratitude enough.

5.5 stars for Brandie. she completely nailed the design i wanted and worked very efficiently / professionally through the whole process. she was also great at helping me get the confidence i needed to go through with it - this was my first tattoo so i was a little nervous & had no idea what to expect. do yourself a favor and rule out any of the 1-star salty dramatic troll reviews and judge the place on their art & from the people who actually went through with the experience that are all leaving 5 stars.

The piercer is super unprofessional. I showed up for my appt and the door was locked. I called the studio a few times and no one answered. I got an email 15 mins after my appt saying he was walking his dog and the door is open now. Completely wasted my time.

I couldnt have had a better experience! I visited the shop a couple of weeks beforehand to speak with someone about getting my first tattoo. Andrew was very professional and put my mind at ease during both my consultation and appointment. He took the time to create the perfect design and placement for me. He also gave some great design input based on his experience but was very respectful of my vision as well. Andrew is an awesome conversationalist which really helped with distraction and pain management. Super reasonably priced too! I will definitely be back in the future to get some more work done. Especially if I will again be greeted by Artemis the dog and enjoy watching The Office in the lobby while my design is drawn out!

This is by far my favorite tattoo shop that I have ever been to. All the people there are great artists and super nice. Doug always does excellent work and is extremely fairly priced for his level of talent. Though Ive never been pierced here, I know friends who have and Shawn does a great job. Its very clean and they always work with you.

I had got a belly piercing at a different establishment. I had the piercing for 6 months and the site was just getting worse. I finally decided to take it out. I reached out to the original place I went but the same piercer was trying to charge me $15 for the $20 piercing to be removed. I called 9 Lives to inquire how much they would charge and the guy told me if he didn’t have to use any extensive usage of tools then it would be donation based but if he did it would be a charge. I took my chances because they were closer to my home. I went and the guy removed it in all of 1 minute. He also took the time to educate me on why the piercing was likely $20, methods to help effectively heal the wound, the type of jewelry that is safer, and the kind of quality I want in my future piercing/tattoo establishment. I would highly recommend this place. Again, thank you to Shawn Finley!

Excellent customer service and pricing. Kristian drew up lots of creative designs for me before I decided on a perfect one and never rushed the process. Another parlor across the street said he can’t spend time helping me decide and that I should know what I want, so I left. If you’re getting your first tattoo, I totally recommend this place!! Very easy and comfortable experience. Not surprised they average 5-star ratings!

Theeeee best parlor ever. Dope environment. Knowledgeable staffTatt by Andrew. Septum by Shawn.

Got my ears pierced here. Shawn was great: he was kind, and informative throughout the whole process. I then took the piercings out too soon, and they started closing up. He was worked with my schedule and got me a rush appointment to save my piercing. Great place, would recommend.

Erin was very professional and really turned my idea into an awesome design! Ink looks great too!

I got my industrial pierced at a different establishment a couple months ago. Getting it pierced was an okay experience while the after care was not. I was told to do something that isn’t recommended for a new open wounded piercing. Not only was I given misinformation, I wasn’t given specific information. I was clueless with a new piercing. After a couple of weeks passed, I noticed bumps appearing. I dmed my original piercer and informed him about the problem. He told me to come in but he’d be working on a tattoo. When I arrived, a gentleman who was not my original piercer took a look at it, but barely. He looked at it for 5 seconds and told me to clean it .. I kept cleaning it every day, twice a day, as recommended, and no change. I dmed my piercer again and he left me on seen. I originally wanted to go to 9 Lives but I wasn’t able. Yesterday (Friday), I looked up reviews on 9 Lives, and read all of Shawn’s. I emailed him when I was satisfied and he got back to me within the next 20 minutes. I asked if he was available any time next week to take a look, and he asked if I was available to come in Saturday (today). I went in, the place was absolutely gorgeous, nice, and clean. I waited for about 2 minutes (not even) before Shawn came and got me. We went back into a room, which has major privacy, and he gave me so much useful advise that I was not given from my original piercer. He made me feel very comfortable, he answered all of my questions, and I left with more knowledge and feeling confident about what to do. I will definitely be returning to 9 Lives if I want more piercings later on in the future. Thanks Shawn!!

Very good service and a very good tattoo. But also if youre under 17 you HAVE to bring your parent back and all the information back even if its on file already and even if you already got the tattoo. One of the tattoo artists doesnt respond to emails.

Kristian did such a lovely job. I got a tiny rose on my upper thigh and it was my first tattoo. He made the whole experience super comfortable and he’s hilarious. I highly recommend this shop. My friend and I are super happy :-)

I was a walk-in on a Friday at 5:00 P.M.-ish for piercings. Shawn was very helpful, professional, and definitely helped me relax. He was upfront about me feeling a lot of pain and made sure I was alright when he was done with each piercing, not just straight onto the next. 12 out of 10, would recommend!

Brandie messed up my finger tattoo (3 small dots) & the tattoo is blown out. I contacted her several times, most of the time no response. I went in 2 months after to show her, & she argued back & forth with me that it had only been 2 weeks until I pulled up email receipts that proved it had been a couple months. She apologized for her work, that she shouldnt have made this mistake after being an artist for 10 years & offered to do another tattoo for free if it didnt look differently in a few months. I emailed her a few months later sharing that it still looks terrible & again no response. 9 months after I got the tattoo now & it still looks terrible (my only option is to laser remove it, so save your time & money & go elsewhere). Pics are 1 month after, 4 months & currently.

Super happy I went to 9 lives tattoo. Ive been told before that since my skin was dark I couldnt have color but Brandie wasnt afraid to use color on me. I love the way it turned out. She also did my fiances tattoo as well. The shop was clean and professional and everyone there was friendly. We will be going there again.

Ive been here for piercings (Sean) and tattoos (Kristian). Nothing crazy, just a tattoo the size of a credit card and my earlobes pierced.Professional, friendly, and they communicate really well to make sure everything is going to turn out how you want it. Reasonable pricing and their sanitizing procedures are best current practices. They treat you well even if youre just getting something simple, and whether its your first or 4th tattoo.After things have healed, if you need a touch up theyre happy to do that.

Best Ever! Kristian is the best and Sean comes in on a soft 2nd. Dont go anywhere else!

Made appointment to have another tat. Went several years ago had two tats. They were wonderful. Tat artist Shawn still works there!

This place was absolutely amazing. I got my first tattoo today and the staff at 9 lives were so chill and laid back. Very accommodating, great prices, friendly staff. The work quality was impeccable. They took 4 of us on a walk in basis and we were ALL ecstatic with the outcome.

I visited this shop on 10/17 for the Suicided Awareness fundraiser. I received a heart with a semi colon in it. I love my tattoo.I want to thank 9 lives Tattoo for putting on this fundraiser. No other tattoo shop in and outside of Detroit has done this. The tattoos were reasonable price too. I made sure to tip my artist as well. Brandie is an awesome!Thank you all again! You all are greatly appreciated!

Great experiences chill employees.No complaints

Went in to get my nipples pierced and felt a little awkward about it. But Shawn made me feel comfortable with conversation and did a great job piercing. I felt a little light headed after and he offered water and let me take as much time as I needed to make sure I wasnt going to faint. Would come here again without a doubt.

Had some work done today with Brandie and it was a great experience. The shop is super clean, everyone was friendly, Brandie was super professional and precise. From start to finish I knew I was in good hands. Absolutely love the tattoo, would definitely recommend Brandie and the shop.

I love this place and Christian is the best tattooist I ever met you need to try him

Clean - Hygiene and your safety are #1 when they create all tattoos. Equipment is single use only, so you can rest assured that you are getting all the best.Professional - theyll never try to sell you something you dont want. Theyll offer expert advice, but if you want what you want, youll absolutely get it!Seasoned Artists - Very easy to work with artists with great attention to detail; taking their time to get it just right. The price was so reasonable, especially considering the work they put into the designs.If you have been researching where to get your first tattoo, or if you have lost touch with your previous tattoo artist, search no more go see Shawn, or Christian Doug.Looking to have a piercing? Shawn Finley is your man!! Other *ahem* tattoo shops dont offer these services...

First time getting a piercing. 100% loved my experience and would recommend. Felt clean, welcomed, and everything is professional. I overpaid in cash and the staff called me to give me the extra money back.

Shawn Finley removed a rook from my ear. He was professional and gave me good advice. He was also friendly and flexible on appointment times. I had a great experience and would definitely go back.

Had a wonderful experience here, super chill and clean. Erin rocked out my new ink super fast and its perfection! Thanks, Ill definitely be back!

Erin was amazing! So patient with my design needs, honest pricing, and the artwork turned out beautiful

I got my nose pierced by Sean (sp) March 25th, 2019. The customer service he provided was great. After my nose had healed, I went back to him because I was unable to change my nose stud to a ring. Sean was more than happy to help me with this service at no charge. My nose ring fell out and I went to see Sean two days later and he was more than happy to reinsert my original stud a no charge. Also, he is very personable and professional. I would highly recommend his services.

If you can get past the less than polite attitude by the owner at the front desk youll find a truly cool place! Very clean and the rudeness is almost completely cancelled out by the shops mascot, Artemis ❤️🐕Brandi was so polite, kind and did a fabulous job!

Great experience, Raquel Ruthless took super great care of me. Came out perfect. Highly recommend.Also there was a cute dog named Artemis who is a sweetie.

Brandie was a great artist. I took my daughter here for her first tattoo. Brandie took time to talk her through the process, and took a break when my daughter needed to. It was a great first experience, and I will be going back to Brandie for some more work in the future.

Got a pair of piercings here, Shawn Finely was amazing. Highly recommend!

Got my nose pierced by Shawn. Very friendly and knowledgeable, he made the experience better than I couldve ever expected. Highly recommend Shawn and 9 Lives!

Got my first piercing here. Staff was super kind.

My first tattoo , Andrew took my friend and I right in as walk ins. He gave us good information about tattoos. In and out in 2hrs. He was very cool and fast.He did keep it real with me and said the outline will hurt. Yes it did but not that bad because Im still alive lol 😆

Shawn was very kind and professional. He helped me change out an old piercing and he was so fast and careful. New customer for life!

Best tattoo artist Ive ever known since I lost D-Maniac long ago. Kristian is caring, listens to what you desire, likes to talk to you to keep you calm and comfortable. My son has also adapted to his talent, ambition to be the best he deserves to be, and personable ways of making you want more from him. Definitely will keep going back to feel that good old type of pain no one else can take on lol. I still have a lot of skin to cover. I wouldnt suggest anyone else to cover it with my ideas, thoughts, words and life stories. Thanks K and 9 Lives and shawn too lol. You guys rock!

My artist was nice, but he didn’t give me the tattoo I wanted at all. I told him that it was too big and I didn’t want to go through with it. But, he did it anyways. He didn’t use a stencil, and just used sharpie then went for the tattoo gun and started tattooing me. I am going to have to end up getting it removed. the design was nice but it was nothing like what I came in for. it’s absolutely nothing like the picture i told him. I wanted it small and cute and this is huge and not my style. It is disappointing and frustrating that this artist did not listen to his customer. I would except more from a professional of 18 years.

Very professional shop. Called last minute to assist with my existing piercing and they were extremely helpful. Thanks Shawn!

OMG! So professional and I love how clean it is because I have OCD really bad. Shaun took care of me and my daughter by giving us our first tattoo ever and I got my nose pierced. It didnt even hurt and Im 45 yrs. old. I wasnt scared either because Shaun made the environment very welcoming. Thank you Nine Lives.

Went in today and had a great experience. My sister and I both had Chad doing our tattoo, he was so patient with me!! I wasnt too sure where I wanted my tattoo and he was great about it . I would recommend it and will go back for sure

Andrew, best cover up artist by far. Fast and skilled rolled all into one. Pricing is amazing and fair. The environment is awesome. Just a overall great place to get your ink work done.

Great work and friendly staff. Super clean building. Both times Ive been here Ive been a walk in and theyve had no problem helping me out. Gorgeous tattoos at a fair price.

The artist that did my tattoo was Raquel and she honestly did so amazing. It was my first time getting a tattoo and she did it so well. This was a really good experience and I would totally come here again!

Got my second piercing done by Shawn today! In and out within 20 minutes. Shawn is kind, efficient, and professional. Overall great experience:)

They did an awesome job on my first tattoo in February of 2019

Great staff. Very clean space. First visit was November 2017 for a daith piercing. Great experience. Second visit was for the other daith piercing and nose piercing. Both visits were smooth and quick. Definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a new piercing.

Brandi is a gem! Definitely recommend!

Just got a tattoo done by artist RAQUEL RUTHLESS and I am beyond happy with the results. She did an amazing job and I will be having her do future tattoos for me. Highly recommend her to all.

Had so much fun with Kristian!! Enjoyed my whole experience. Nearly painless.

Raquel was my artist 4 my first tat and she was amazing! Will be back 4 more. Shes a great artist!

Kristian does great work! Im very happy with the tattoos he has done for me. Ill definitely be back in the future.

Brandi did a fantastic job. Very happy with my experience, and am looking forward to returning again soon!

Had an appointment with Kristian today and he was amazing! Great work and a great guy!

I never used him personally but I took my daughter there and she keeps going back so they must be doing good

Clean, professional, friendly. Shawn was fabulous with the piercings for my family. Thank you for your attention to detail and great attitude .

Gotten 5 piercings here, Shawn is an amazing piercer hes done half my piercings and I plan to go to him for the rest of my piercings

Everyone was amazing and kind!! Very professional and the owners were awesome!

Worst tattoo shop Ive ever been to. The service is terrible with no one at the counter, and raquel is extremely unprofessional and rude.

Shawn does my piercings and tattoos! Very professional and an amazing artist. I definitely would recommend!

If you’re looking to get a piercing without scheduling an appointment good look! I’ve been there 5 separate times to get different piercings and their piercer is NEVER there. Even when I’ve called in their piercer seems to be MIA.

Brandie was patient and helpful, and her artwork was amazing! Reasonable pricing.

Got piercings with Shawn. Great work, listened to me and was awesome to work with. :) Definitely getting more piercings here.

Fantastic shop with friendly, professional, and knowledgeable artists and piercers. Great experience with piercings and tattoos by Shawn.

Comfortable, nice decor and great people. Highly recommend

Very talented artists

Getting fair bit ink done and witj what got done so far has healed great and looks amazing cannot wait to get back in and have Doug do some more work

Kristian is the best. Very friendly,professional and his work is second to none. I wont go anywhere else.

Clean, friendly, professional. I will be back for more work with Brandie. She does very good work!

Got my first tattoo done here and they were very comforting about it. Will probably come back for any other ones

Great atmosphere, great staff. Friendly and professional. Raquel is who I go to, but they are all great.

Great place great artists. Be prepared for vulgar and dirty jokes. They dont mean any harm thats just thier kind of humor.

Kristian was great! I highly recommend.

Wow Im always pleasantly happy great place to go

Did an amazing job, love them!

Great shop. Friendly people. Very happy with my art. Thank you Sarah!

Very professional an helpful. Had Shawn do a couple small leaves done on my inner bicep.

Got my first tattoo here. It was a nice and fun experience!

Very professional, clean, comfortable, friendly environment. Shawn is awesome.

Shawn is my piercer and tattoo artist. hes Awesome!

Best tattoo and piercing shop to go to amazing people.

Best place to get ink hands down! Service is amazing and the staff is awesome.

Great service! Great staff! Love my tattoo!

Great attitudes. These guys dont have super BIG egos and are great artists.

Great shop, and a cool environment. Andrew does great work!

Great place..very clean...will definitely be back.

Best tattoo experience. Awesome artists!

Great shop, great people!

Friendly and nice people they explain what they are doing and the cost and how to clean and care for it

Brandi did a cover up for me and with the same design made it even better

Amazing artwork and artists. Wont ever go anywhere else again.

Brandie Koski is an amazing tattoo artist!

Nice clean place friendly staff ❤️😇

Like the convenient location of this place. People are so friendly.

Very professional staff and great work.

Always a great experience with Raquel!

Very knowledgeable and personable, great experience

Talented artists, professional and reasonably priced

Friendly staff, excellent tattoos

Great work. Clean and friendly.

Good work and clean shop.

Super clean, super friendly!

🇺🇦❤️

Nice and clean and friendly

Love the atmosphere!

Love is here