What daredevil tattoo does

Daredevil Tattoo is a privately held Manhattan tattoo shop founded in 1997 by Michelle Myles and Brad Fink immediately after New York City lifted its 36-year ban on tattooing. Operating from a single storefront at 141 Division Street on the border of Chinatown and the Lower East Side, the shop employs approximately eight resident artists offering traditional, custom, flash, black and grey, color, fine line, and Japanese-style tattoos to walk-in and appointment-based retail clients. A non-refundable deposit and a $150 minimum apply to all tattoos, with cash-only flash designs priced at $40-$60 (and $20 for the first ten in line) during the shop's signature Friday the 13th events, a tradition running 20+ years that typically serves around 100 customers per occurrence.

The business is structurally differentiated by an on-site Museum of Tattoo History, free to the public, which houses Brad Fink's 30+ year collection of antique tattoo flash and memorabilia from figures including Samuel O'Reilly, Bert Grimm, Cap Coleman, George Burchett, Sailor Jerry, and Charlie Wagner. This cultural asset is formalized through NYC Tattoo History, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit (EIN #81-3387060). Supplementary revenue streams include merchandise sales (the Liberty the Tattooed Lady publication in two editions and the Bowery Tattoo History Map), gift certificates in $100 increments, and guided walking tours of the Bowery led by Michelle Myles through Airbnb Experiences. Celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez joined as a partner in 2014 in conjunction with the shop's relocation to its current Division Street location.

The business model is fundamentally owner-operated retail services with cultural-content adjacencies rather than a scalable technology platform. Go-to-market relies on physical walk-ins, online scheduling via Bookedin, the Friday the 13th event tradition, museum foot traffic, earned media coverage, and Instagram-driven user-generated content. There is no external funding, no software or AI components, no e-commerce platform beyond the company's own storefront, and no indication of multi-location expansion; revenue, headcount, and geographic scope have remained stable since the 2014 relocation.

Name

daredevil tattoo

Legal name

Daredevil Tattoo

Website

https://daredeviltattoo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Daredevil Tattoo operates a Manhattan tattoo shop and on-site Museum of Tattoo History, serving walk-in and appointment-based clients seeking traditional, custom, and flash tattoos. Founded in 1997, it also offers Bowery walking tours, branded publications, and related educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tattoo Services: Core revenue from tattoo services. Walk-ins and appointments with a $150 minimum. Friday the 13th special events offer flash tattoos at $40-$60 for designs, with the first 10 people in line tattooed for $20 each.
2. Merchandise and Publications: Sale of tattoo history merchandise including books (Liberty the Tattooed Lady at $30-$40), Bowery Tattoo History Map ($20), and gift certificates ($100-$500).
3. Walking Tours: Tattoo history walking tours of the Bowery conducted by co-owner Michelle Myles, a licensed NYC tour guide. Tours booked through Airbnb Experiences, typically Fridays at 11am for about two hours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Daredevil Tattoo provides professional tattoo services from a walk-in Lower East Side studio, offering custom tattoo work across multiple styles as well as limited-edition flash designs. The studio is differentiated by an on-site Museum of Tattoo History (free admission), recurring Friday the 13th cash-only flash events, and complementary cultural offerings including published books, prints, and an Airbnb-distributed NYC tattoo history walking tour.

Product overview

Daredevil Tattoo operates as a tattoo shop and museum, founded in 1997 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan after the lifting of New York City's 36-year ban on tattooing. The business combines three core offerings: professional tattoo services delivered by multiple resident artists across various styles; an on-site Museum of Tattoo History housing Brad Fink's collection of antique tattoo memorabilia (free to the public); and a Friday the 13th tradition featuring discounted flash tattoos. The company also offers Tattoo History Walking Tours through Airbnb Experiences conducted by co-owner Michelle Myles. A retail store complements these offerings with publications documenting tattoo history including the 'Liberty The Tattooed Lady' catalog and the 'Bowery Tattoo History Map', along with gift certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Museum of Tattoo History: A museum showcasing tattoo artifacts and memorabilia, featuring Brad Fink's collection of antique tattoo memorabilia focusing on the history of tattooing in NYC.
• NYC Tattoo History

Products and services

• Custom and flash tattoo services Walk-in professional tattooing in a range of styles, including custom designs and curated flash designs, delivered from the Lower East Side studio to individual clients.
• Friday the 13th flash tattoo events Limited-edition, fixed-price flash tattoo events held on Friday the 13th, operated on a cash-only basis and open to walk-in clients.
• Museum of Tattoo History A free-admission on-site museum at the studio showcasing the history of tattooing, intended for walk-in visitors and cultural tourists.
• NYC Tattoo History Walking Tour A guided walking tour focused on NYC's tattoo history, hosted by the studio and sold through Airbnb Experiences to individual tourists.
• Liberty The Tattooed Lady - Original Edition (book) Original-edition printed book about Liberty the Tattooed Lady, sold through the studio's online retail store to readers and tattoo-history enthusiasts.
• Liberty The Tattooed Lady - Expanded Edition (book) Expanded-edition printed book about Liberty the Tattooed Lady, sold through the studio's online retail store to readers and tattoo-history enthusiasts.
• Bowery Tattoo History Map Printed map tracing Bowery-area tattoo history, sold through the studio's online retail store to visitors and history enthusiasts.
• Daredevil Tattoo Gift Certificates Redeemable gift certificates for tattoo services at the studio, sold through the studio's online retail store to individuals purchasing gifts.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Atlas ObscuraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAtlas Obscura featured Daredevil Tattoo Museum as an iconic destination, describing it as having an onsite museum with artifacts from the early history of modern body art.
• WNYCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMichelle Myles appeared on WNYC's 'All of It with Alison Stewart' to discuss tattoo history and the Liberty the Tattooed Lady exhibit at City Reliquary Museum.
• City Reliquary MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaredevil Tattoo collaborated with the City Reliquary Museum in Brooklyn to curate the 'Liberty the Tattooed Lady: The Great Bartholdi Statue as Depicted in Tattooing' exhibit (March 2024-January 2025). Michelle Myles served as curator. The exhibit featured vintage tattoo flash, photos, and artifacts from legendary tattooers.
• South Street Seaport MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichelle Myles presented an online talk about tattoo history through the ages with the South Street Seaport Museum in July 2020.
• Norfolk Tattoo ConventionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDaredevil Tattoo artists participated in the Norfolk Tattoo Convention, with Michelle Myles and Isaac Dekle attending and displaying original Cap Coleman tattoo flash.
• Mariners Museum (Newport News, VA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Mariners Museum invited Daredevil for a viewing of their private 'Cap' Coleman tattoo collection. Daredevil has original Coleman tattoo flash on display at their museum as well.
• Bowery Alliance of NeighborsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMichelle Myles presented a Bowery Tattoo History talk at Grace Church School, hosted by the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors.
• Aachen Tattoo ConventionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDaredevil artists participated in the Aachen Tattoo Convention in Germany. Michelle Myles gave seminars on NYC tattoo history.
• London Tattoo ConventionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDaredevil has participated in the London Tattoo Convention every year. Artists offer tattoo bookings at the convention.
• Statue of Liberty Gift ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe 'Liberty the Tattooed Lady' book is available for sale at the Statue of Liberty gift shop on Liberty Island.
• AirbnbcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMichelle Myles conducts tattoo history walking tours of the Bowery through Airbnb Experiences. Tours meet at the shop and last about two hours, typically on Fridays.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• East Side Ink: Long-established Brooklyn/NYC tattoo shop with multiple resident artists and a similar walk-in-friendly Manhattan-and-tattoo-tourism customer base. Comparable as a multi-artist NYC tattoo parlor competing for the same walk-in and appointment customers in the same media market.
• Saved Tattoo: Brooklyn-based tattoo shop known for celebrity clientele and strong Instagram/social presence. Directly comparable as a multi-artist NYC tattoo parlor competing for the same walk-in tourist and appointment-based custom-ink customers, with similar media-driven brand awareness.
• Three Kings Tattoo: Multi-artist Manhattan tattoo shop with a similar mix of walk-ins, appointments, and event-driven traffic. Comparable as a fellow NYC custom-tattoo parlor with multiple resident artists and strong earned-media presence in tattoo publications.
• Wooster Street Social Club: SoHo-based NYC tattoo shop with multiple resident artists and an emphasis on private-studio experiences. Comparable as a high-end Manhattan tattoo destination competing for the same appointment-driven custom-tattoo and walk-in customer base.
• Smith Street Tattoo Parlour: Brooklyn tattoo shop with multiple resident artists covering a range of styles. Comparable as a multi-artist NYC-area tattoo parlor serving both walk-in and appointment customers with a similar style-breadth offering.
• Cloak & Dagger Tattoo: Long-established NYC tattoo shop with a multi-artist roster and a strong custom-tattoo reputation. Comparable as a fellow NYC tattoo destination with an overlapping customer base and a similar walk-in/appointment service model.

Others

• City Reliquary Museum: Brooklyn community museum that has co-curated the 'Liberty the Tattooed Lady' exhibit with Daredevil. Comparable as a cultural/heritage institution partner rather than a competitor; relevant for understanding Daredevil's museum- and exhibit-driven brand strategy.

Emerging players

• Tattoo Fixers: UK-based tattoo retail brand spun out of a reality-TV franchise with multiple physical locations. Comparable as a brand-driven tattoo retail operator with multiple revenue streams, though geographically distinct from Daredevil's NYC footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/daredeviltattoo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daredevil-tattoo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about daredevil tattoo