Mike DeWulf got a lot of dirty looks when he first opened up his tattoo shop in the middle of Burns Court.
Old people would walk by along Pineapple Avenue and chortle in disgust. Nearby business owners were weary of the clientele the storefront could bring.
But now, about a year after Fruition Tattoo Company opened its doors, those old people and business owners have become some of the 29-year-old’s most valuable customers.
“I’m especially good with older women, the cougars,” he joked as he set up his shop for a full day of inking. “They’re like a sorority.”
It’s easy to see why they would feel more comfortable in Fruition than the heavy-metal-blasting, smoky establishments the phrase “tattoo parlor” brings to mind.
Wide windows showcase painted shirts, shoes, swimwear and hats. The shop’s clean floors reveal surreal murals. Customers can bring food, drinks and friends. Mike, who only has about 10 tattoos himself, has a master’s degree in illustration and fine arts from the Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Fruition’s storefront in Burns Court, a la Zombie Mickey. Photo courtesy of Fruition Tattoo Company.
The youngest person he has tattooed was 18. The oldest? 92.
The 92-year-old was the oldest in a group of about five white-haired women, the youngest of whom was 84. The oldest got her husband’s name permanently etched above her right butt cheek. She gave Mike permission to graze over her liver spots.
Her husband came in about a week later, saying he tried to wipe his wife’s tattoo off with his forefinger and spit.
“He ended up getting a hot air balloon on his upper arm,” Mike said.
Almost finished Medusa. Photo courtesy Fruition Tattoo Company.
Mike said he does not encourage people to get the names of significant others tattooed on them. Once they do, they “always” break up in about three months.
Mike’s wife Barbara nodded in agreement, citing her work friend who got a tattoo of her husband’s name. They were divorced and he moved out of the state within three months.
But the tattoo artist has drawn worse. Much worse.
Photo courtesy Fruition Tattoo Company.
One guy asked for Captain Crunch with fairy wings and an anchor tied around his belly. The guy told Mike he was on shrooms and eating Capt Crunch cereal when it kept appearing to fly away. He wished he could have anchored it down and wanted to memorialize the struggle.
Mike advises against getting such tattoos, especially if its your first.
“You should get something that means something to you, something you’ve given a great amount of thought,” he said. “Will you really like that Pokemon in 10 years?”
He also implores first-time tattooees to take good care of the tattoo after they leave the shop. If not, it could end up looking blurry and awful in about a month.
And don’t start off too big – like getting your entire left rib cage tattooed. Start small, see what you can handle and work your way up, Mike recommends.
Hand-painted shoes. Photo courtesy Fruition Tattoo Company.
Fridays are a good time to go to Fruition, as palm-sized tattoos are only $40 and the owners turn up the music and serve beer.
Every other Sunday, Mike hosts a wine & paint night where he shows groups of drunken amateurs how to paint a pre-picked scene on canvas.
He said even though it’s the most difficult type of art he has tried – he describes it as a cross between sewing and wood-burning on a moving, sometimes crying canvas – he has learned to love the craft.
“It’s gratifying because people will always remember me and when and where they were whenever they look at their tattoo,” Mike said. “They have my art with them wherever they go.”
IF YOU GO: 529 S. Pineapple Ave. | 702-8105
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