While Carpe Diem Tattoo was just recently established here in Geneseo, many students trust and respect the establishment with their tattoos and piercings. First opened in January 2014 by owner Evan Conklin, it has rapidly gained popularity over the past few years. Located at 118 Main St., the small shop sits right near campus. The shop is newly renovated and welcomes customers with colorful walls and an open layout. Conklin originally owned a traditional tattoo shop in Avon, NY before deciding to move his business to Geneseo. For Carpe Diem Tattoo, the move allowed for more business and accessibility for the majority of their customers.
“We had a lot of clients coming from Geneseo, a lot more foot traffic, so we decided to relocate out there,” employee Joe Gaudio said.
Even though Carpe Diem Tattoo is a fairly new business on Main Street, it has a well-known reputation amongst the other businesses and college students of the community. Many students go to Carpe Diem Tattoo for piercings and tattoos throughout the year.
“We love tattooing the college kids when they come early,” Gaudio said. “When they do the orientation, it’s always fun. All the RAs come through, and they bring everybody.”
Carpe Diem Tattoo and Geneseo students have a bond enforced by business and personal connections alike. One particular experience connecting Carpe Diem Tattoo and the Geneseo community was concerning the death of Matthew Hutchinson—a Geneseo Ice Knight hockey player—in January. The shop created tattoos to commemorate his life, which his hockey teammates, family and fellow firefighters all got. The tattoo depicted wings and a quote from the speech Hutchinson’s father gave at his funeral.
“[It was] very cool of them to let us do that for them.” Gaudio said.
Carpe Diem’s presence on the Geneseo campus is equally as present on Main Street with other businesses. These past few years have cemented their relationship with the other shops in the village. “We all support each other,” Gaudio said. “When it’s slow, we all sit out front and laugh.”
The services offered at Carpe Diem vary from piercings to tattoos, with walk-ins available from Tuesday-Saturday. The cost for piercings vary based on different body parts, and tattoos differ in terms of cost and time. Appointments are accepted over the phone or in person.
As for future plans, Carpe Diem Tattoo intends to continue to remodel and try to make it a better experience for everybody, according to Gaudio.
“Thank you, Geneseo, for accepting us,” he said.