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About the Studio
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Walk-ins Welcome
171 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA
Reviews 3/6
KC
ABSOLUTELY READ BEFORE YOU PROCEED WITH THIS SHOP!!!
This is a review for Pete Zebley and Central Tattoo Studio
For those who like short reviews: here are the bullet points:
1. Just because you have a consult, pay your deposit, and show up for your appointment on time- DOES NOT mean that you will get a tattoo.
2. Do not ask for anything remotely out of Pete’s comfort zone.
3. If you want anyone else’s input on the design, be prepared for a resounding, “NO.”
4. His staff lies about the size of the tattoo room so he can tattoo you alone.
5. He has a temperamental personality that could potentially result in your tattoo not being finished.
For those interested in details, please read below:
I met with Pete Zebley at Central Tattoo Studios in mid September for my consult for my tattoo. The consult went ok, but it left me leaving with some slight doubts that Pete could tattoo the specific flowers I wanted. He assured me it would be a challenge but that he could do it. Before I left, he took a picture of my arm. I specifically asked him if he would be emailing me a mock up of the design. He specifically said that he would in a few weeks. I remember this because I requested the mock up due to his uncertainty.
A week before my tattoo appointment, I realized I had not received the mock up from Pete as promised. I sent a quick reminder email to the shop letting them know that I hadn’t received an image and asking when I can expect one. 4 days go by with NO response. Rude, but ok. 2 days before my appointment I emailed the shop again. This time I let them know that I am a little nervous as I sent changes via email and don’t know if Pete got them. I received an email back saying that they copied Pete on the reply and he should get back to me shortly. Still nothing. 23 hours before my appointment I called the shop. The woman on the phone informed me that they do not send designs out because they don’t want someone taking the artist’s work to someone else. I told her that while that made complete sense to me and I respected that, I was told something very different by the artist/owner himself. Also, how is this the first I’m hearing of this and why wouldn’t anyone inform me of this in the multiple emails that I sent? She was not the brightest crayon in the bunch and none of this was her fault, so I let her off the phone with a promise that she would talk to the artist. Pete ended up emailing me images at 9 pm that night. I can tell you I was not impressed. It was clearly images cut out from the Internet and pasted onto my arm. Still believing he was a talented artist and maybe this was his process, I went the next day. I was hoping that by the time we got there, maybe he would have at least one flower drawn for me so I could see that he could actually tattoo it. When my friend and I arrived, the receptionist eventually informed me that I was the only one allowed back in the studio because there is just not enough space. I told her that that was nowhere in any of the information I had been given and could she maybe go ask Pete if my friend could stay as we had driven an hour into the city and she had taken off of work to be with me for the session. She left and never returned. Pete appeared and called my name to come back. We walked three steps up into his studio (which had room for 10 people mind you-so a blatant lie by the receptionist) and he stopped when he saw my friend following me. He pointed at me and said “No, only you.” I said that I thought we were just working on the design initially and I would like her input. He responded, “That’s not how I work,” while repeatedly shaking his head. Weird. My friend graciously left the room despite his rudeness and inflexibility. I quietly told him that if that was his policy and the way that he works, that he should make that clear from the beginning. I said that we had driven an hour to get there and it would have been helpful if that were in the confirmation email. He said that it should have been. I quickly pulled the email up to show him that it wasn’t. Well, that flipped something in his delicate little brain. All of a sudden he gets really aggressive and angry saying, “Well if it’s such a problem, then I’m not doing your tattoo.” My mouth flew open and I said, “Seriously??” I actually thought maybe he was joking because it was such a sudden and extreme a reaction. I told him that I literally just said it wasn’t a big deal and offered him a suggestion to prevent this from happening to future clients. I was not aggressive. I did not raise my voice. I was very peaceful about the whole thing despite the blatant disrespect he was showing us. He replied with shaking his head and saying he’s not doing my tattoo and he will get the deposit back to me. I was about to argue with him and then I realized this guy is not ok upstairs and I absolutely do not want him touching my skin with a needle. I agreed he was absolutely not touching me. While we were waiting for him to make the phone call, I noticed another tattoo artist with his client. He was meeting with her in the front waiting room, WITH HER FRIEND, with an iPad that had her design beautifully sketched out. They were going over any last minute changes together. This is how I envisioned the process and how I was led to believe it would happen. I left totally confused, angry, and appalled that I had been treated this way for absolutely no reason.
Here is my take from this: Pete is obviously a very talented artist but I believe he was sorely underprepared to do my tattoo. I believe he doubted that he could do it. And I believe that he could not own up to either of those things. As a result he was looking for any excuse not to tattoo me. This is a very dangerous personality trait for a tattoo artist.
If you are reading this and thinking about getting a tattoo from Pete: consider a few things:
1. He will only tattoo you alone and his staff lies about the size of the room so he can be alone with you. Trauma victims- this is not a safe space for you.
2. If you want anyone else’s input but his, be prepared for a resounding, “NO.”
3. There is the potential he will not finish his work. My tattoo was to take multiple sessions. Imagine if I had not brought anyone the first time, but the second session I decided I wanted some company….and then he had had his hissy fit and REFUSED TO FINISH my tattoo???? With him, I feel like this is a very real possibility with how temperamental he showed himself to be.
4. Just because you have an ok consult, pay your deposit, and show up for your appointment on time- DOES NOT mean that you will get a tattoo.
I wasted a couple of months on this guy holding my money for no reason when I could have been working with an actual artist. I do believe that Pete had no intention of touching me with a needle when I walked in that day. It is the manner in which he dealt with the situation that is most offensive and disappointing. Producing beautiful art is not always a reflection of who they are as a person as his disrespectful actions spoke volumes that day. I would say if you want anything that isn’t absolutely squarely in his comfort zone, look elsewhere. He might say that he can do it, but when push comes to shove, he’s going to try to make you feel like it’s your fault that he can’t hack it. He shamed himself, his shop, and his art. I am looking forward to finding a serious artist who enjoys a challenge that treats people with respect and care. I am so happy I do not have his unstable and crazy energy on my body for the rest of my life. Do yourself a favor and dodge the bullet that just barely missed me! Steer clear of this shop and it’s owner!
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