A little about us...

Karma Tattoo Studio was opened in 2006 by tattooer "Gentle" Josh Makowski. After working in other local tattoo shops since 1998, he became dissatisfied with the atmosphere and low standard of customer service. In his own words: "I've experienced the "tattooer attitude" so many times. There is so much ego in this business that I want nothing to do with a lot of tattooers. They think they can treat people like crap just because of what they do and how well they do it, and I totally disagree with that. So I got tired of seeing my customers treated with disrespect and that was my main impetus for opening Karma." Armed with the faith that by doing good work and treating customers with kindness and courtesy, as well as the support of his soon to be wife, Christina, he could not help but succeed.

Originally, Karma was the first tattoo shop located in downtown Erie, and opened in August of 2006, at 9th and French Street. "It was a real leap of faith", says Josh, "We made many mistakes and of course are still learning. But I did and still do believe in this business model. Not only that customer service should be more emphasized, but also that the tattooers should have the freedom to live, grow, and explore." By these standards,Josh considers his business a success. He enjoys tattooing, being at his shop, and the people he works with, both customers and the other tattooers. "I'm not trying to become famous. As long as I can support my family, and keep putting out work my customers enjoy, I consider myself successful."

In July of 2010 a local councilman wanted all the tattoo shops out of downtown, leading Josh to look for a new location. "It was a real shame that we had to move the shop. We really liked that location, and our landlord, Craig, was just a hell of a great guy. Epic Web Studios (www.epicwebstudios.com) moved right in to our space, so it worked out pretty good. That whole situation of having to move was really a great example of turning a bad thing into a good one, because we ended up loving our new location just as much. Of course our competition had to move too, and I still consider them too close!" Karma is now located at 4428 Peach Street, next to Sal's Hair Salon, at Miller Ave. and Peach St. The new location has a real home kind of feeling to it that Josh works hard to maintain, "It helps to keep our customers more relaxed and comfortable."

Over the years many great tattooers as well as friends have been made at Karma. Many artists have come and gone. Over the years Josh has apprenticed many artists. "Some apprentices I'm really happy with how their work turned out...others haven't lived up to my high expectations. It's a great experience to teach someone the trade, and have them be successful at it. I learn something new and refine my teaching style every time."

Josh feels that he has paired the current lineup of tattooers down to the strongest that it has ever been. "I hadn't even realized how bogged down we were by some of the negativity that was going on at Karma. Everything is going so smooth now. All of the artists at Karma now, are so laid back and know how to treat people like family. I really appreciate that!" Josh says, "I am so excited about what the future holds for us. I think we're just going to get stronger as a team and continue to inspire each other. Really great stuff!"