BROOKLAWN, NJ—I recently received an email from a friend who turned me onto this shop in Brooklawn, NJ called 12 Oz. Studios. Under their advisement, I decided to take a ride to Brooklawn to check the place out. 12 Oz. Studios gave me the feeling that all customers should feel when entering any tattoo parlor; besides being surrounded by art on the walls, a customer should also get the feeling of neatness, cleanliness and overall professionalism.
Apparently, 12 Oz. Studios, which used to be called Sick Creations, is a reputable shop in South Jersey, whose goal is to bring the best tattoos, body piercing and original artwork to the area. The shop boasts four main artists. There’s Alex Feliciano, who started out as a graffiti artist in Camden, NJ and has worked his ass off to learn his craft as a tattoo artist, there’s also Meghan Patrick, 14-year tattoo vet, Lara Slater and Brendan “Sailor B” Poblocki. All body piercing done on premises is handled by AJ Goldman. As a shop policy, every employee has been registered with the Camden County Board of Health to uphold the highest standards in sterilization along with tattoo and piercing techniques.
Alex told me that, as a shop, they are constantly learning new things, this way they can be loaded with knowledge to educate their customers and all others willing to learn about the tattoo industry. He also said that it helps to know what you talking about because people definitely take you more serious when you do. Upon arriving at 12 Oz. Studios, new customers would have to fill out a form to describe any health issues, of course, this when they ask for your I.D.
The staff at 12 Oz. seemed to be extremely friendly, helpful and, best of all, knowledgeable in all facets of getting ink. Although, a couple of the artists seemed to kind of push their ideas on me, the staff, for the most part, allows you to express your ideas clearly, only interjecting when they think it would be wise to go in a different direction for your sake. I think that’s a pretty good characteristic for any tattoo artist.
12 Oz. Studios is a custom shop with a very creative and diverse group of artists that specialize in different styles giving the customers more options. When you walk into 12 Oz. Studios, the first thing you’ll notice is all the artwork on the walls. Since they’re not a flash shop, they only have a small display of flash art for inspiration. The rest of the artwork on the walls is all custom artwork. Alex kept on reiterating that the shop upholds the highest standard in sterilization. All machines are autoclave sterilized. Each artist uses individual, disposable, single-use needles for each and every customer.
The shop has four individual tattoo rooms (one for each artist), and one body piercing room. Each room is completely private for comfort and health reasons. Alex says that customers are allowed to bring a friend or parent for moral support during their procedure, especially, if they’re under age. The shop’s age policy is that if you’re under the age of 18, but at least 16 years of age, the customer will be required to have parental consent; a parent needs to accompany them during the entire procedure. Both will have to fill out and sign a release form. The parent must also have a valid driver’s license, passport, or military ID, while the underage customer must have a photo ID and birth certificate.
An appointment at 12 Oz. Studios is not necessary, but is highly recommended due to the huge increase on demand for the core four artists. It’s actually suggested that an appointment is made far ahead of time, if possible. They will, however, try their best to fit in any walk-ins, but there’s no guarantee that an artist will be available. Consultations are also recommended and are always free. Alex also told me that the shop requires at least a 24-hour cancellation notice when cancelling or rescheduling an appointment.
Deposits are required for most new customers. If less than the 24-hour notice is given or if you do not show up for your appointment, your deposit will not be refunded or transferred. This seems to be the norm at most shops. As far as prices go, 12 Oz. Studios is pretty affordable and comparable to most shops that I’ve been to. They also charge by the piece depending on its size.
My visit to 12 Oz. Studios was certainly a pleasant one and I am happy that my friend suggested the shop. These guys definitely seemed pretty professional and they obviously pride themselves on cleanliness. If you’re down in the Brooklawn, NJ area, you need to check this place out.
They’re located at 116 New Broadway, Brooklawn, NJ. You can check them out online at 12ozstudios.com. If you’d like to call them to set up an appointment, call them at 856 742 1234 or email them at 12ozstudios@gmail.com. The shop is open Monday through Thursday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Well, I’m off to check out my next tattoo spot! Who knows what state it will be in? If you have a tattoo shop that you want to suggest, please e-mail me the name of the place and whom I should ask for at tim@theaquarian.com.
