When Kyle Johnson decided to branch out on his own as a tattoo artist, he wanted to break free of the old cliches that come with the profession. So, when you walk into Sarnia’s The Hive Tattoo, don’t expect to hear music blasting with dim lighting and photos of tattoos plastered all over the wall. “My goal was to change the way people think about the tattoo industry,” Kyle explains. “I wanted to make our shop more comfortable for everybody — especially for people getting their first tattoo. I didn’t want it to seem like an aggressive place when people first came in. We have comfortable couches and the whole place is open and clean.”
Indeed, the front room at The Hive Tattoo looks like it would be right at home in Downton Abbey. Kyle started his own business in 2021 and has now expanded with a second shop in London. “I wanted to be a cop when I was growing up, but when I took police foundations in school, I found myself always doodling in class,” says Kyle. “I expressed an interest in doing tattoos, but my parents told me I would never make it a career and I wouldn’t make any money. They said I would be selling drugs out the back door and I would turn the place into a biker hangout. With all the negative, I stuck with it and I’m glad I did.”
Kyle’s first business was in Strathroy with two partners, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the shop closed. Kyle used the downtime to plan for his own shop in Sarnia. Doing tattoos is his passion, but he admits there is a real learning curve when one first starts. “You are a little nervous and shaky on your first few tattoos,” Kyle says. “But eventually you find your groove. On your first tattoo, it’s like you instantly forget everything you have learned, but eventually, you focus on the art instead of thinking it is going to be a permanent thing on somebody’s body. The body becomes like a canvas.”
When it comes to tattoos, Kyle not only talks the talk; he walks the walk. “My parents are not the biggest fans of me getting tattoos,” Kyle says. “They don’t want me getting any on my face or neck. I have tattoos on both of my arms and legs, half of my back and on my full stomach and chest. Just not on my hands, face or neck because I want to respect my parents.”
Kyle and the six other artists at the Hive understand the permanence of tattoos, so when a teenage boy asked for the words Bonnie and Clyde to be tattooed on his face, Kyle refused. He did, however, do tattoos of frogs on a mother and daughter’s rear ends. One of the goals for the shop is to get more involved in the community. “On Mother’s Day, we donate some of the proceeds to the Breast Cancer Society and we do pet portraits and donate to the Sarnia Animal Shelter.” They also participate in First Friday events, and features guest artist for special occasions.”
As a teenager, Tammy Keuchkerian loved to cut and style her friends' hair. She decided to follow her passion and she became a hair stylist, initially working at other salons before opening Indigo Hairworks in 2006. It was Tammy's husband Vatche who encouraged her to open her own salon. It happe
Heather Smith never takes the comforts and opportunities she has living in Sarnia for granted. That's because as the executive director for Rayjon Share Care she has seen the extreme poverty people living in Haiti endure. The charity was started by John Barnfield and Ray Wyrzykowski in 1986. In
Crystal Tilson loved her job at Crock A Doodle so much that she bought the franchise. "I have been here for five years and I purchased the franchise three years ago," Crystal says. "I have always been an entrepreneur and I absolutely love this business. It's a fun business environment and a gr
As a computer programmer, Tyler Yates was always working to help his IT clients. His friend Nick L'Ecuyer owned The Mortgage Wellness Group. I was living in Barrie and my friend Nick met with me about the mortgage for our first home. I was really interested in understanding the numbers. He answ
Corinne Schieman started framing over 25 years ago as a part-time job while her four children were young. With her husband’s encouragement, she spent time working alongside individuals in the framing industry and pursuing her love for the arts. After two decades of hard work and dedication, she is n
Goodwill began nearly 85 years ago as the Family Services Guild, which provided food hampers for needy families. In 1939 they opened The Goodwill on Victoria Street, a retail location and sewing room where volunteers repaired clothing and used goods to raise funds for their programs. In 1959 G
A newspaper clipping from The Book Keeper's grand opening on September 27, 1980 hangs on the wall in Susan Chamberlain's office. The store's history is often front-of-mind for her. The Book Keeper originally opened in Northgate Plaza and has moved to different locations within the plaza throug
Jeffery Park really had no intention of becoming a one-man operation. Yet thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, that is exactly what his printshop is. The owner of Spark Business Solutions had to lay off his staff in order to keep his business profitable. "I have been running a single-man show since la