803 Kamehameha Hwy Suite 105, Pearl City Hawaii 96782
Was on a quick work trip to Hawaii with limited free time. Took a chance and asked my tour guide for a recommendation and he immediately said @mahalomartin at Beholder Tattoo was a good friend of his and wouldn’t send people anywhere else. That Monday evening I reached out to him. By Wednesday I was paying the deposit for a Friday morning appointment,. Just hours before my appointment, I asked could anyone in the shop fit my friend in as well, if not no big deal. Rather than ignore the last minute request or treat it like an inconvenience, he found one of his coworkers to fit her in. From the minute I messaged him, Martin was nothing but professional and responsive. . Zero attempt to price gouge just because I was a tourist (unlike a different artist my friend had tried to book with prior to us getting there). Any nervousness I felt going to a shop in a state I wasn’t from, by an artist I didn’t know, went out the window the minute I met him in person. Big smile, immediately introduced himself, complimented my existing tattoos, and made easy conversation. He double checked that I was happy with the design, explained what he was going to do, asked which colors I preferred, got permission before taking any photo or video, asked if I was okay through the process, answered the shop apprentice questions and taught him without patronizing him. I was beyond impressed. On top of that, the shop was clean, every staff member was friendly, the music and conversation was super entertaining, and the overall vibe made me feel like I was genuinely welcome, and I wasn’t just another dollar being made. I felt so comfortable that I almost fell asleep. We weren’t rushed out, we weren’t dismissed as soon as the work was done. There was friendly conversation after, sharing stories, and joking around. As many times as i thanked Martin for his work and hospitality, he thanked me more for trusting him to showcase his work on me. I came home with a beautiful permanent piece of art to commemorate my trip. I’m so thankful. Martin is an amazing artist, and I promise, if I make it back out to O’ahu I will ABSOLUTELY be getting inked by him again. 10/10 recommend!! @mahalomartin @beholdertattoo