Today we’d like to introduce you to David Brown.
Hi David, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After my military service and some contracting around the world, my wife and I opened Fallen Heroes Tattoo in Colorado Springs, CO in 2016. Along with some incredible artists, I tattoo and take care of some of the behind the scene items, while Brenda (my wife) manages the day to day and front desk team. In only six years, we have been fortunate enough to watch Fallen Heroes Tattoo & Piercing (Colorado) become the largest single studio in the country.
Over the years, we’ve talked with our close friend, Christian Buckingham about opening another studio together, and in 2021 we decided to “pull the trigger”. Christian has owned several successful studios and has been tattooing for over 20 years, so together, we each bring something unique and useful to the team.
None of us wanted the same old same old when it came to the studio. We wanted big, bold and very different and I think we’ve achieved that! Fallen Heroes Tattoo & Piercing (Kissimmee) is massive, has an incredible “vibe” and people from all over are starting to take notice. We get a lot of tourist traffic, but we also have incredible local communities supporting us that appreciate the art that our incredibly talented, world-class team is capable of creating.
We are so excited to see what the future holds for us and thankful that the amazing people of Florida have welcomed our newest location with open arms.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In the beginning, the building was in a “shell” state and it was just the three of us (Brenda, Christian and Me) grinding floors, pulling carpet and tiles, tearing down drywall and all in the middle of summer BEFORE the AC was installed! If you ever want to lose 25 pounds the hard way but in a hurry, come build something with us!
Building ANYTHING during a pandemic proved to be an absolute struggle. We were fortunate enough to have incredible contractors that understood the challenges and “made it happen” despite difficult supply chains, expensive materials and some insane scheduling.
Timelines – Once we set the date for our Grand Opening, it seemed that the stars fell out of alignment, and everything that could come off the rails DID! We had scheduling slips on everything from Signage to Plumbing as several covid restrictions were being lifted and the contractor’s schedules got slam-packed. Fortunately, our guys were able to pull some long nights with us and although it was down to the wire, we were ready to open as planned!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a tattooer, so like most tattooers, I fell in love with the craft of tattooing rather than a specific style. As I’ve progressed, I’ve really become fond of what’s typically referred to as “Neo-Traditional” tattooing. I love the thick lines, bold colors and ability to really push and build upon what I do.
I’ve recently begun working in what I call “Penny Portraits” – Tiny portrait tattoos that have some of the same clarity and definition of a full-scale image. It’s a blast and really requires that you take your time and place each and every touch with absolute precision. This is right up my alley because I move pretty slow as it is and am a bit obsessive when it comes to my work.
Along with tattooing, I love to write. I enjoy writing poetry and penning the poems in Calligraphy. I write and tattoo under my “needle name” Burke Lee. It’s my middle name and a sort of tribute to my mom.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
There’s really just one – I want people to know how special they are to me. I enjoy what I do largely for the interaction with others. There’s a magic in art of any kind in that sometimes… just sometimes, the words we say or the images we draw will make another human “feel” something.
So far, I’m only known for one quote – “When we finally realize just how insignificant we are in the universe, we’ll understand just how important we are to each other.”
Pricing:
- $150 hourly is my current rate
- $100 is our studio minimum
Contact Info:
- Email: db@fallenheroestattoo.com
- Website: https://www.fallenheroestattoo.com
- Instagram: @dirtyburke
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Silverbak
- Other: https://www.DirtyBurke.com
Image Credits
DB in B&G Photo Credit – Janet Randolph All other images – Fallen Heroes Tattoo & Piercing
