New Tattoo Parlor Opens In West Medford

MEDFORD, MA — Mike Coleman was hooked after his first tattoo. He was 18 years old and struck up a friendship with the tattoo artist, who worked at a shop in his hometown of Cambridge. Coleman always had a knack for art – before tattoos it was design and illustration, stints in street art and murals – but his passion took off once he bought his first tattoo machines.

He began tattooing any canvas who was game, from kids in his college dorm room to friends and family.

"Right as I started and got the machine in my hand I loved it," Coleman said.

Now he's opening his first shop, Sacrament Tattoo, in West Medford. It's the culmination of nearly a decade of work for Coleman, from apprenticing under the artist who first tattooed him, to garnering a following at parlors in Everett and Salem.

"This is what I want to do. I want to be a shop owner," Coleman said.

He settled on Medford right as the pandemic hit, stalling plans to renovate the High Street storefront.

"After we got the go-ahead to start the renovation in June, it basically took until a month ago to complete the process with getting everything signed off, plumbing, electrical, building and health department," he said.

Coleman feels at home in Medford's business community. The only pushback he's received is from what he called "old school types" – parents and older residents for whom tattoos still carry a stigma. But city officials and those who have visited the shop have been "super welcoming," Coleman said.

And the pandemic has not slowed down his clientele, who are fans of his black and gray, surrealist brand of art. Coleman has bookings as far ahead as October and November and his taken on an apprentice of his own. He has plans to bring on a third artist, but he wants to keep his parlor a "small family environment."

Sacrament Tattoo opened last week at 475 High Street. To celebrate, it will host an Open House/Soft Opening at the studio Saturday, April 3 from 1-6 p.m. Potential clients are invited to check out the space and meet with the artists.