Pearl Street Tattoo
About
Pearl Street Tattoo Club is a Pakistani woman-owned tattoo shop in East Somerville built around making everyone feel welcome, safe and respected. The shop openly states its values: anti-racist, pro-LGBTQIA+, anti-transphobic, anti-misogynistic, body-positive, pro-science, disability-inclusive and neurodivergent-friendly. Its owners acknowledge the problematic history of tattoo culture and aim to run a space that respects how personal and permanent the decision to get tattooed is, while supporting their artists’ growth.
Aisha, who holds a Ph.D. in developmental biology, moved from the United Kingdom to the Boston area in 2019 for a job at Tufts Medical as a placenta scientist, and saw the need for an openly inclusive shop as a woman of color in body modification. Arran has tattooed since 2016 in a neotraditional style influenced by comic books, Renaissance paintings, Gothic architecture and skate graphics, with lettering inspired by graffiti, metal band logos and medieval Gothic script.
What to Know
- Arran is vegan and works to keep his tattoo process free from animal cruelty.
- Quiet appointments are available, and the shop asks clients to share accessibility needs in advance since the building has stairs.
- Several bus routes stop nearby, and Gilman Square and East Somerville Green Line stations are a short walk away.
- Cyclists can store their bikes in the shop’s enclosed back garden during appointments.
Is this your business?
Claim it to add hours, photos, a description and a spotlight story.