What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 2pm - 8pm Wednesday 2pm - 8pm Thursday 12pm - 8pm Friday 12pm - 8pm Saturday 12pm - 8pm Sunday 12pm - 8pm

Ink & Steel

Welcome to Ink & Steel -where creativity hits different. Our original artists specialize in custom tattoos that stand out and hold up.

Whether it’s your first piece or your next big one, we bring your vision to life with bold, clean work.

09/02/2026

🖤 We’ve been a little quiet over here… but we’re back.

August kept us busy with our fundraiser, and now that it’s wrapped up, we’ve got tattoo chairs that need filling.

Chad’s taking WALK-INS TODAY & TOMORROW!

Got an idea you’ve been kicking around? Let Chad turn it into a custom piece. Not sure what you want? Come flip through his flash and find something that speaks to you.

Or just keep telling everyone you “really need a new tattoo.” Your call.

⚡ Walk-ins TODAY until 7:30 PM
⚡ Walk-ins TOMORROW until 730 PM

Custom or flash. Big or small.

Stop thinking about the tattoo. Come get the tattoo.

📍 Ink & Steel | Independence
🔥 Hit Chad up or walk your ass through the door.

08/27/2026

Open availability for tattoos today and this weekend.
We hope to see you soon!

08/22/2026

🚨 WALK-IN WEEKEND AT INK & STEEL 🚨

Chad’s got room for some spontaneous ink this weekend!

🖤 Saturday, August 22: Walk-ins now until 4PM
🖤 Sunday, August 23: Walk-ins after 4PM

And don’t forget — our Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue fundraiser runs through August 31st! 🐾 Pick from the CVPBR fundraiser flash and get some new ink while helping some very deserving pups. $50 as seen. $10 more for color or shading. Custom pet designs available beginning at $60.

Want something different instead? Stop in and chat with Chad about bringing your idea to life.

Ink. Dogs. Good cause. Solid weekend plan. 🤘🐾

08/15/2026

🌧️ GLOOMY SATURDAY? WE CAN FIX THAT. 😏

If the weather is giving blah, come spend your Saturday doing something a little more permanent.

🖤 CHAD IS TAKING WALK-INS 1–7:30 TODAY!
Need a different time? Other hours may be available upon request — just message us!

🐾 Our Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue fundraiser is still going strong! Grab some ink while helping out some very deserving pups.

🎨 Chad also has custom flash sheets available if you’re looking for something different! (These are separate from the rescue fundraiser.)

💉 Feeling stabby? Our piercer will be on-site today too, ready to add a little extra metal to your gloomy day.

☀️ Missing the actual sunshine? FAKE IT.
Don’t forget — we have tanning! We’ve got both a stand-up and lay-down bed, so come get your glow on without waiting for Iowa weather to cooperate.

🌧️ Gloomy outside.
☀️ Glowy inside.
🖤 Tattoos. Piercings. Tanning.
🐾 And ink that helps rescue dogs.

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday at Ink & Steel.

08/11/2026

🐾 YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN KEEPING US BUSY... AND WE LOVE IT! 🖤

Our Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue fundraiser is still going strong through the END OF AUGUST, and we wanted to show off some of the adorable ink that's already walked out of the shop! 👀🐶🐱

Check out some of the pieces we've done so far ⬇️

🐾 FUNDRAISER FLASH
🖤 $50 outline tattoos from our flash sheet
🎨 Add color or shading for $10
📅 Available through August 31st!

But we've had LOTS of you ask...

"Can you tattoo MY dog or cat?"

HECK YES WE CAN. 🙌

For just a $10 upcharge, we can turn a photo of your own dog or cat into a custom outline tattoo! Want to add some personality? Color or shading is an additional $10.

🐶 Dog? Yep.
🐱 Cat? Absolutely.
🐾 Pittie with the world's biggest blockhead? PLEASE. 😂❤️

If you'd like your own pet's profile done, send us a message with a clear photo of your animal and let us know what you're looking for. Give us something good to work with and we'll work our magic. ✨

⚠️ One little heads-up: You all have been AMAZING, which means our inbox has been a little wild! We're currently experiencing a high volume of messages. Please be patient with us—we promise we're working through them and will get back to you as soon as possible.

Every tattoo helps support Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue, so you're not just leaving with some pretty damn cute ink... you're helping rescue animals while you're at it. 🖤

Get tattooed. Help animals. Repeat as necessary. 🐾

Thank you for supporting Ink & Steel AND Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue! We appreciate the hell out of you. ❤️

08/07/2026

☀️ Summer may be winding down... but your tan doesn't have to! ☀️

Whether you're heading back to school, hanging onto those summer vibes, or just refuse to let your glow fade, Ink & Steel has you covered! 😎

We offer both a stand-up booth and a lay-down bed, so you can tan your way!

🔥 Now through the end of September:
✨ Buy 5 tanning sessions, get your 6th FREE — just $30 + tax
☀️ Every Wednesday, tan for only $3! (This does not use one of your package sessions!)

💳 Please note: There is a $6 card processing fee when paying by card.

Don't let your summer glow disappear just because the calendar says August. Stop into Ink & Steel, soak up some rays, and keep that bronze going all the way into fall! 🌴

We appreciate your business and can't wait to see you!

08/05/2026

⚡ WALK-IN ALERT! ⚡

Chad has walk-in availability:
🔥 Wednesday: 2:00–7:00 PM
🔥 Thursday: 2:00–5:30 PM

Looking to get tattooed and support a great cause? Choose a design from our Cedar Valley Pit Bull fundraiser flash sheet, or pick something from Chad's flash collection.

Have a custom tattoo you've been thinking about? Stop in for a consultation while you're here, and let's start bringing your idea to life.

Walk in, get inked, and help save some lives. See you at the shop! 🤘

08/03/2026

🤯 Holy buckets... you all are AMAZING!

The response to our Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue fundraiser has been incredible, and we're loving all the excitement! ❤️🐾

One question keeps popping up...

🐕 "Can you do an outline of MY dog?"

The answer is ABSOLUTELY! 🖤

Since those are custom designs created from your photo, they're priced a little differently than our flash sheet tattoos.

🐾 2–3" custom pet outline – $60
🎨 Add color or shading – +$10

Just send us a clear photo of your furry best friend, and we'll turn them into a tattoo you'll love forever.

And yes-just like our flash sheet tattoos, a portion of every custom pet tattoo will still go to Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue.

📍 Shop Hours
❌ Monday: Closed
🕑 Tuesday: 2 PM – 8 PM
🕑 Wednesday & Thursday: 2 PM – 8 PM
🕛 Friday – Sunday: 12 PM – 8 PM

Need a different time? Special appointment hours are available upon request!

So send us your wiggly pittie, your goofy golden, your three-legged mutt, your drooly mastiff, your grumpy cat, or your tiny chaos goblin. We can't wait to tattoo them (well... their outline on you, anyway). 🐕🐈‍⬛️🖤

08/02/2026

🐾 PAWS, CLAWS & TATTOOS! 🐾

Calling all animal lovers! Ink & Steel is teaming up with Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue for a month-long fundraiser that's the purr-fect excuse to get some new ink while helping homeless pets.

🐶 All August Long:
🖤 $50 outline tattoos from the featured flash sheet
🎨 Add color or shading for just $10
📅 Walk-ins welcome or book an appointment!

The best part? A portion of every fundraiser tattoo goes directly to Cedar Valley Pit Bull Rescue to help dogs in need find their forever homes.

Whether you're a dog person, a cat person, or just someone who believes every animal deserves a second chance, come get inked for a great cause.

🐕 Good tattoos. Good vibes. Good dogs & cats. 🐈‍⬛️

Check out the flash sheet below and let's make August the month we fetch some funds for rescue pups! ❤️🐾

Address

323 1st Street East
Independence, IA
50644

Opening Hours

Tuesday	2pm - 8pm
Wednesday	2pm - 8pm
Thursday	12pm - 8pm
Friday	12pm - 8pm
Saturday	12pm - 8pm
Sunday	12pm - 8pm

Website

http://www.thefirstindependencetattooshop.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ink & Steel posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to Ink & Steel:

Want your establishment to be the top-listed Arts & Entertainment in Independence?