MANTUA, NJ—I recently stumbled across a fantastic tattoo shop in South Jersey called Evolution Tattoo, which is owned by artist William Webb—no relation to the legendary tattoo artist Spider Webb—and his wife Nikki Webb. They own two Evolution Tattoo locations in South Jersey. One shop is located at 570 Bridgeton Pike, Mantua, NJ, and the other is located at 407 South Broadway, Pitman, NJ, with the Mantua shop being the primary location. So that was the location that I visited since it was a bigger shop.
As I drove down Route 45 in Mantua, NJ, I pulled into an ample parking lot of a strip mall. Smack dab in the middle of the lot is where Evolution Tattoo is located. I walked into very clean shop that was set up similarly to most tattoo shops that I’ve visited with tattoo rooms in the back, and walls of flash art. There was nothing new here as far as shop setup goes. It was pretty much cookie-cutter, but it was the artwork by the four Evolution artists that drew me here.
Owner and artist William Webb opened Evolution Tattoo back in 2001. William’s love of art began as a kid when a neighbor gave him a few comic books. He became so obsessed by the artwork in the comic books that he knew that he had to be an artist. His interest in tattooing came when he turned 21. Bill’s style earned him quite a reputation making him one of today’s top tattoo artists. Joining Billy Webb in the Mantua shop is artists Ryan Lebiedzinski, who’s been with Billy since 2005, Dan Fisher, an artist for Evolution since 2006, and newcomer Vy Nguyen. In the Pitman shop, artist Brian Gormley, who apprenticed under Billy Webb in 2007, is currently the only other artist in the Pitman shop alongside his mentor since the shop is not open as many days as the Mantua shop.
When I asked why would I choose Evolution Tattoo as my tattoo shop of choice, I was told because Evolution Tattoo is a state-of-the-art tattoo studio that truly follows every procedure and precaution necessary to ensure the safety of both their clients and their staff. Each of Billy’s staff members is properly trained and certified to work with blood in accordance with the Gloucester County Board of Health. This is a requirement that Billy Webb has for his employees. The studio is inspected by the Gloucester County Board of Health on a regular basis, and their sterilization equipment is tested for proper function by ATS Laboratory on a monthly basis. All of their equipment is autoclave sterilized. Plus, all needles are new, sterile and disposable single use needles for every client.
Billy and his staff of artists urge that their clients come in somewhat prepared with what kind of artwork they want tattooed on them. The artists will work with the clients before drawing anything out, but they would like clients to come in with what they would like and where they would like it. It saves a lot of time for everyone! They can find ideas these days on the Internet or in tattoo books. Also, when you’re choosing an artist at Evolution Tattoo, make sure you check out their portfolios. Not all artists are the same when it comes to their styles. If you see a portfolio that seems to be the same style of tattoo you want, you can ask to speak to that artist. Most artists have a certain style in which they excel, but some artists can also easily cross over into different genres.
When I asked about the prices at Evolution Tattoo, they told me flat out that their studio charges by the hour. Their going rate is $125 an hour, but a tattoo done in under a half hour is $60. At Evolution, they live by the slogan “Good tattoos are not cheap and cheap tattoos are not necessarily good!” I love this quote! They also say, “A tattoo is a lifetime investment, and you get what you pay for. Why would you want to pay for the same tattoo twice?” It’s so true!
To make an appointment with your artist, a $20 deposit per hour of booking is required. The deposits are to ensure that the artist reserves their time for you, and it will also be applied to the cost of your tattoo. All deposits are non-refundable. If you need to reschedule, you must give at least 24 hours notice, and Evolution will hold your deposit and apply it towards your new appointment date.
If you need to make an appointment or talk to an artist, call the Mantua office at 856-415-7555 or call the Pitman office at 856-256-0090 or you can email Evolution Tattoo at evolutiontattoo@comcast.net. Shop hours in Mantua are Monday through Saturday 1 p.m. till 10 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. till 8 p.m. In Pitman, the shop is open only Wednesday through Saturday 1 p.m. till 10 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. till 8 p.m. If you want to take a look at some artwork of some the artists or some other various goodies that Evolution Tattoo has for sale, log onto evolution.com to take a look or “Like” them on Facebook!
Well, I’m off to check out my next tattoo spot! Who knows what state it will be in? If you have a tattoo shop that you want to suggest, please email me the name of the place and whom I should ask for at tim@theaquarian.com.
