IS IT SPRING YET?? HST news for march 2013

Well! We have quite a few changes going on around HST, and as the proud owner of the studio, I couldn't be happier! It has been a while,(as usual) since I have updated this blog, but I must say, It goes to the back burner when we become so overwhelmed with new clients and returning friends! By the way, A big thanks to all of you that continue to support HST and our amazing staff! I'm just going to put these in order of how they pop up in my head and hope I don't miss anything... 1. My first and longest standing contractor, and good friend of HST and all who visit, DUSTIN HYSELL, has left HST to pursue a new opportunity in Columbus tattooing. He was a great part of the staff for almost six years, and sometimes as an artist, you need to be around new people to feel like you are still learning, and to refresh the old creativity. With that, Dustin can now be found at Fate tattoo. We were sad to see him go, but he remains a friend of the studio, and we wish him all the best in his new venture. Those clients that wish to follow Dustin will be missed, but we welcome and encourage clients that wish to continue collecting from HST to check out our other great artists, and I assure you that you can still expect the best service and tattooing that Columbus has to offer. Thank you Dustin for a being such a stellar part of my staff for so many years, you have my great respect and I and the crew at HST truly wish you all the best. 2. When a position is available at HST for a new member, I am lucky to receive applications from some of the industries best. With that in mind, Please check out our new artists, ERIC ADKINS and ZACK WOLF! We welcome these two powerhouses to the HST crew, and I am sure that you will see why I was so happy to have them as new additions to the HST family. ERIC has a unique, intricate style which looks absolutely fluid on skin, his black and grey work is amazingly smooth, but don't overlook his color work! He is a well rounded, experienced artist that comes to us from one of Columbus' legendary studios, Bodystain! I'd like to personally welcome Eric to the HST crew, and look forward to a long time of having him on staff. PS, a special thanks to the owner of Bodystain, Carmello Albierto(sorry if I butchered your name buddy) for letting Eric make the transition to the HST crew after a long career at Bodystain. ZACK WOLF comes to us from lovely, scenic Dayton Ohio and I could not be happier! His work is both versatile and eye-popping, he can do everything from portraits to new school and everything in between! He has just joined us recently, but we look forward to seeing him be a staple of the HST staff for a long time to come! 3. I have been lucky to have made some of the best friends I have ever had through the ownership of this studio, and it gives me great pride to see them grow and achieve in their live, both personally and professionally. With that, I am proud to announce the marriage of one of my great friends and HST's favorite son, JOEY KNUCKLES! Joey will be tying the knot with his lovely lady on Tuesday and we at HST wish him all the best in his new life! way to go homie!! 4. Periodically, I am lucky to be offered interesting opportunities within the Columbus business community. In the last year, I have used my culinary background to revamp the menus and processes of a Columbus restaurant, owned a food truck, gotten a real estate license, gotten married, and numerous other ventures. All the while the HST staff and our amazing manager, Joshua, kept the studio running like clockwork! I would like to personally thank each of my staff, and especially Joshua for maintaining the standards we have set while I pursue these unique opportunities! I would also like to let all my clients know that I am back (for now) to tattooing full-time, and look forward to seeing you all again soon! I think thats everything for now! Please remember to support those who serve our country and our community, and remember that HST does as well! we always offer fire, police and military discounts to show our support! as always, if you have a charitable function that HST can help make great, feel free to contact me directly (gio@highstreettattoo.com) and we look forward to seeing you soon! Come see why HST offers "The mark of distinction that lasts a lifetime!"

HST news for august!

I know, I know...It's been quite a while since I have posted on the blog; my apologies! As usual, HST is keeping busy, so I have neglected the blog. August is looking great at HST, and with summer beginning to wrap up, it's a great time to come see us and get that new tattoo you have had your eye on! -GIOVANI....As some of you know, prior to being a tattoo artist and the owner of HST, I was a professional chef, a career that was part of my family heritage, and something that is very close to my heart! I recently was offered an opportunity to return to the culinary arts as a consultant for a restaurant company called "The Loose Goose" that is looking to expand its brand in the Columbus market. I take great pride in my cooking, and when the offer came, i was glad to be able to help the Goose re-design its brand to offer clients a more upscale, healthy menu. As this opportunity was something that required my full attention, I have been away from HST for nearly two months. My great thanks to our amazing manager, Joshua, for keeping HST running smoothly in my absence. I hope that every client of HST was taken care of with the same high standard of customer service that continues to set HST apart from the pack in Columbus tattooing. I am glad to say that, having completed the redesign of The Loose Goose, that I am now able to return to my studio, and begin taking new clients again. If you get a chance to check the Goose out, enjoy a great meal in a fun atmosphere, and tell 'em Giovani sent you! I am super proud of the new menu, and hope that you will take the opportunity to see my culinary ability in action! -THE (temporary) RETURN OF JOEY KNUCKLES!!..... That's right folks, it's that time again; our old pal and one of my most accomplished employees, the great JOEY KNUCKLES will be returning to HST august 16-18, and has a few open spots left...If you have work that needs finished, or want something new from this east-coast powerhouse. you can check out his work and book an appointment at www.joeyknucklestattoo.com Well, that's it, we hope to see you all soon, and i promise I will try my best to update this damn blog more often! Thanks for your continued support of HST, we look forward to seeing you soon for "the mark of distinction that lasts a lifetime" -Gio

NOTES FOR THE NEW YEAR!!!

HST would like to thank all our clients for a great transition into 2012! We at HST are hoping the world continues to exist after october, and we have no respect for the Mayan calendar anyway, so feel free to book those appointments, knowing we'll be here to fulfill your greatest tattoo wishes and dreams! To solidify HST as a tattoo collectors destination studio, and to offset the rising costs of doing business, as of February 1, 2012, HST will be raising our minimum rate for tattooing to 100 dollars...For most of our clients, this change will not even be noticed, as we are known for our dedicated clientelle getting large work, but for those new to HST, don't be deterred...100 bucks for something you will have for life is still cheaper than getting maced and shot at over some Air Jordans...Here's hoping your 2012 is off to a great start, and we look forward to serving you soon at HST...

Joey Knuckles in the house June 2-6!!

HST's favorite son, Joey Knuckles, will make his return to Columbus June 2-6! To take advantage of his guest spot and book an appointment, call- 614-294-8888, or email- highstreettattoo@gmail.com.

HST goes metal!!

I know, its been a while since my last post here, but spring is here and we at HST are lucky enough to be super busy! That dosen't mean we can't fit you in for a great tattoo, so don't hesitatate to come see us anytime! In other news, i have been working in secret for about 8 months now as the co-host of "metal shop" on 99.7 the blitz! Our show is dedicated to the heavist of metal, and can be heard sunday nights at 11 or streamed live to any computer at www.theblitz.com!!! I encourage you to check it out! I step outside my usual refined self and release my inner metalhead!! I might even give away some tattoo time for loyal listeners!! On the same note, metal shop will be hosting its one year anniversary this saturday at captain jacks at buckeye lake from 8-midnight with 6 great local metal bands, and plenty of suprises, so get on out there!!! So there it is...check back often and i'll do my best to update more often!!

GREAT GUEST ARTISTS AT HST THIS WEEKEND!!!

this weekend only at HST!  industry giants DJ Minor from Atlanta and Chris Smith of DC invade the studio, and are available for all your tattoo needs!  DJ is big on highly detailed full color work, and Chris is one of the nations best traditional artists!!  for more info, email me (gio@highstreettattoo.com) and be sure to check them out here:

DJ Minor
www.djminor.com
www.facebook.com/djminor78
twitter.com/djminor

Chris Smith

Help us welcome HST's new manager!!!

Please join us in welcoming a new member to the HST staff!  Jimmy Schaub has been our website designer for a while now and is responsible for the amazing HST site!  He is super friendly and personable and has already made quite a difference in our marketing ability...Jimmy will be assisting me with all the goings on around the studio, as well as taking the lead in some of our marketing/charitable event coordination.  Jimmy can be reached at jimmy@highstreettattoo.com, by calling the studio (614) 294-8888 or through his personal business website jmsstudios@gmail.com!  Jimmy is an amazing website and graphic designer, and is always looking for new opportunities to help you grow your business!  We are excited to have him on board, part time for now (wed, friday&saturday) but we look forward to having him on full time starting in early spring!  Stop by and say hi, and let Jimmy set you up for your next great piece of HST artwork!  Thanks for your continued support of HST and with your help, I will continue to bring you more great services and "the mark of distinction that lasts a lifetime!"

HST crew re-joins our friends at Bone Collector 2-9-11

Those of you familiar with the hunting and outdoor world may know the name Michael Waddell...For those of you that don't follow the world of hunting, Mr. Waddell is known as the Bone Collector.  He and his two buddies are privledged to hunt game all over the globe, he has the number one hunting show on cable, and he endorses everything from guns and bows to Bone Collector toothbrush holders!  We were lucky enough last year to be invited by mr. Waddell to the countries biggest sports and outdoor show in Harrisburg PA, where the HSt crew did free Bone Collector tattoos on their loyal fans!  We are proud to have been invited back this year, and we will be hitting the road tomorrow to bring this opportunity back to these great folks!  The studio will be open normal hours all weekend, with myself, Aj and Drew making the trip to Harrisburg...For any of you that are HST fans in the Harrisburg area, please join us at this amazing event!  Just like last year, we will be tattooing the BC logo FREE OF CHARGE!  so come see us if you can, and as always, thank you for your continued support of HST!!
One last thing, please log on to Columbusalive.com and vote for HST as your favorite studio!
http://www.columbusalive.com/live/content/special_sections/bestof/vote/index.html

BACK AT IT...News of the week 2-1-11

Happy February, I hope everyone likes ice!  I'm back at HST after a great hiatus and couldn't be more excited about all the goings on around the studio...First, I'd like to personally extend an invite to everyone to join Gunnar and the HST staff for Gunnars first art show since his return to Cbus...Gunnar will be presenting "Broken hearts and party hats" at the rivet gallery in the short north...The show is a collection of lovely paintings for the unloved and is a celebration of love lost...It will be unique and special, we hope to see everyone there!  In other news, We are currently in negotiation with the Bluestone music venue (formerly BOMA) and The other paper to bring you a unique st. Patricks day party that will include some lucky S.O.B. winning a trip to Ireland!  saty tuned for that, and as always, thanks for all your support, we hope to see you soon at HST!

Its Been a bit...News 1-26-11

As some of you know that have stopped in the studio this month, you may have noticed that I have not been there...I would like to personally thank my staff and all our wonderful clients for giving me the opportunity to take some much needed time away from the studio...You can look forward to seeing me back in full starting Feb. 1, and I hope to see all of you soon...In other news, it looks like the HST crew will be returning to Harrisburg PA, for our annual collaboration with the great Michael Waddel and the Bone collector brotherhood...For those not in the know, these guys are famous hunters, and they thank their fans by throwing a huge party and inviting the HST crew to do tattoos on all their fans!  what a great set of guys and a super good time!  So if you are in the Harrisburg area, stop by and see us, and get yourself a free tattoo, Feb 9-12!  Well, I guess thats all for this week, as always, thank you for making HST your premier Columbus tattoo destination, and we hope to see you soon for "the mark of distinction that lasts a lifetime"

IT'S A GIRL!!! HST is proud to announce our first female artist!!

After 5 years of being a boys club, HST is proud to announce our new addition...Please help us welcome Julie Whittaker to the HST staff!  Julie will be working part-time, by appointment only here at HST...Stay tuned for her contact info, so you can come get some great work from our talented new addition!

HOLIDAY BLOG!!!

Thanks to all that made it out to HST for the historical gallery retrospective... We had a great time presenting our rich tattoo history to Columbus!  special thanks to Rich T and Durb for all the help!

The holidays are upon us, so don't forget how much you will be loved for giving a gift certificate from your friends at HST!  tattoos are really the gift that will be remembered forever!  We are also still selling the limited edition HST pint glasses, $5 each, or 5 for 20... bottoms up!

HST will close at 4pm on Christmas eve, we will be closed Christmas day, and we will be closed New Years eve and New years day...We wish you all the best this holiday, and look forward to seeing you all in 2011!!

Want more info on some of HST's artists?  check out the crews personal websites to get an in depth look at the guys work, fine art and lives!
www.dustinhysell.com (dustin)
www.redcloverink.com(AJ)
www.theartofdrew.com(drew)

As always, I thank you for your continued support of HST!
Gio

A WEEK TILL THANKSGIVING....

November has gone fast!  We have some great things in store for the holiday season here at HST!  First, we say goodbye(again)  to Scott Santee and Cary Alderidge, they have left HST to take on their own venture, and we wish them all the best!  HST will be closed for thanksgiving, and we will close at three pm christmas eve, and we will be closed christmas day...We will also be closed new years eve and new years day....

  DECEMBER 4!  we are proud to have the Ohio tattoo historical society, and our great friend, Rich T bringing you a historical tattoo retrospective!  Vintage tattoo art, equipment and demonstrations, all during the Short Norths famous gallery hop!  Do not miss this one, it will be one of a kind!

As always, thanks for your continued support of HST, and we hope to see you all soon!

HST THANKS TO THOSE WHO SERVE!

A happy veterans day to all of those close to us at HST that serve our great country!  As a small thank you, until the end of the week, any active or retired military personnel will receive an extra 10% off our current military discount, bringing you to a full 20% off any tattoo over $100 from HST!  And don't forget to email me at gio@highstreettattoo.com and put your name in as my soldier of the month!  For those that don't know, I give away one free tattoo session a month to an active duty soldier! (a $500 dollar value!!) all you need to do is send me a pic of you in your gear, or on deployment, include your name and contact info, and I'll draw a name at the beginning of every month until you all come home...  Thank you again to all of those that keep us safe, and thanks for your support of HST!

Communicating with your artists

Just a quick note on communication with any artist at HST...We do our best to answer any and all requests that come to the studio, but sometimes we are simply overwhelmed... I personally get over one hundred emails a day from potential clients of the studio, and I do my best to answer them all, but occasionally, one or two will get lost in the shuffle....I want you all to know that you are valued clients, even if you haven't received your tattoo yet!  If you ever feel that you are not getting the response you were looking for, please feel free to be persistent!  Some of our artists, Gunnar in particular, are traveling constantly, and are so overwhelmed with requests that between tattooing, drawing and trying to get family time, requests will simply not get answered.  If this becomes the case for you, please do not get discouraged, simply email me instead, (gio@highstreettattoo.com)  I will do my best to see that you get the attention you deserve as a potential client of HST...I look forward to seeing you all soon, and thank you for your continued support of HST.

weekly news, nov 5!

this week is weird!  high street tattoo is officially 5 years old, and I couldn't be happier!  We recently renovated part of the studio, we have some exciting partnerships for the new year, and we are as busy as we have ever been, so thanks!!   Due to my having to leave for Colorado tomorrow unexpectedly, we will not be having our gallery hop anniversary party tomorrow...My apologies..We'll party again soon Columbus, I promise.  Also, check out www.theartofdrew.com!  its a new website showcasing the art and tattooing of HST's own Drew Foster!  We thank you for all your support in the last 5 years, and look forward to seeing you again soon!

NEWS OF THE WEEK 10-27-10

Over the last five years, it has been my great pleasure to bring Columbus all of the finest tattoo talent I can find, and it has been quite an experience to work with all of my amazing artists.  One thing that many of you know that makes HST stand out from the flood of studios in the city is our dedication to the client experience; Over the years, we have had a number of managers to greet our clients, and help take care of their every need while at HST, but none have been so valued and so close as our current manager, Craig.  Craig is HST family.  He brought a kind demeanor and a good work ethic to the studio, and was always there to help if ever we needed him.  Clients loved him, we love him, and we wouldn't be the great success we are without his hard work and dedication.  As with anyone that is good at what they do, opportunities for growth will present themselves; and so this has happened to Craig.  He will no longer be a part of the HST staff as of November 1, and let me personally say that he will be greatly missed.  As the owner of HST, I do my best to promote the studio rigorously, and this means that a lot of the time, I have several irons in the fire.  I am also not famous for patience, nor my tolerance for anything but perfection, but Craig has always been there for me, to assist without question, to work without hesitation, so I want to personally thank him for being a key to the great success of HST.  All of the HST staff will feel the loss of this great manager and friend, and we wish him nothing but the best in his new venture!  As a side note, I will be taking over the duties as the studio manager!  I have not had the opportunity in quite some time to be the face at the desk, so this will give me a great opportunity to be in close contact with our amazing clients, and to work to propel HST to even greater heights!  I am looking for a part-time manager, for friday and saturday.  Please be personable, professional looking and acting, and familiar with the tattoo process.

In other news, we hope to see all of you on November 5 for the HST 5 year anniversary party!  It will be here at the studio, and will coincide with gallery hop!  food and drinks will be provided, so c'mon down and help us celebrate 5 years as the cities best studio!
 
  November 4-6 HST will be joined by our new friend, Geof Chisholm from Black Diamond tattoo studio in PA!  He is a great young tattooist, and he will be happy to give you a rockin new piece!  Check him out at www.thisisblackdiamond.com!

Long time HST artist AJ McMillen has a new website with his work and some insight into his life and his creative process...Check it out at redcloverink.com!


As always, thanks for reading my blog, and we hope to see you soon for the one of a kind experience that is HST

Giovani

Some old friends becoming new artists at HST!

I am happy to announce that effective today, HST welcomes back two of our former artists, Scott Santee and Cary Alderidge.  Those of you that have been clients of HST over the years may remember that Scott and Cary were some of our original crew...They had been gone for a while exploring some other career options in the tattoo industry, and have decided to return to HST for a limited time!  Scott and Cary will be working part time and by appointment only, and their schedule is as follows:

Both Scott and Cary will open the studio on sundays, giving you a full seven days of service at HST!
Cary will also work Fridays, and scott will work tuesday and wednesday. There will also be other random days, it will be easiest to call the shop 614-216-5899 for more information, or email our manager Craig at Craig@highstreettattoo.com.

You can also email Both Scott and Cary at their personal emails:
Scott-scott@scottsantee.com
Cary-ctlobotomy@yahoo.com

As with any HST artist, you can expect that both Scott and Cary will adhere to the service standard here at HST, which means that you can expect the same exceptional quality in both art and client service that you have come to expect from all of us at HST!

A thanks and a look at whats new at HST!

So here is my first HST news blog...If you are a client of HST, a fan of our work, a friend, or someone looking to expand your business or social event by adding the services of the HST staff, this blog will keep you informed of all the goings on with Giovani, HST and the staff...

     First off, I'd like to thank Bob Trankey and BT Inc. for doing a great job remodeling the back section of the studio...The new space really looks great, with plenty of natural light, and a great, open feel...Thanks to Dustin, Drew, and Craig for helping out and finishing the job while I soaked up some much needed sun in beautiful Florida!

     9-9-2010-

     The HST staff was invited to attend the Abercrombie&fitch 5k and charity benefit, and we are proud to say that we raffled off $750.00 in gift certificates for an event that raised thousands of dollars for local charities!  We are looking forward to doing some great tattoos on the A&F management and staff!

    9-24-2010-

      HST is proud to have helped raise nearly $1000 along with 99.7 the blitz, for the USO, and the benefit of our brave fighting men and women!!  We are all strong supporters of those who serve, and are very proud to have been a part of such a great event!  Plus, I got to tattoo the legendary Ronni Hunter!!

     10-5-2010

     HST will be hosting our 5 year anniversary party at the studio during the November gallery hop!

     Lots of prizes, free food and drinks, and a great time celebrating all the successes of 5 years at HST!

     12-3-2010

     HST presents A historical Tattoo retrospective in conjunction with Bicknee tattoo supply and the Ohio tattoo historical society.  Our great friend Rich T. will generously open his archive of some of the most unique historical tattoo artifacts in Ohio and present them to the public in a limited engagement at the HST studio...This exhibit will include original vintage flash art, along with antique tattoo equipment, and a pictorial history of Ohio tattoo history.  We will also be doing historical tattoo demonstrations, giving clients a look back in tattoo history.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, that HST is proud to present to Columbus!  Don't miss what is sure to be the most unique gallery show you will see this year!

     Look for new HST promo items coming soon: Pint glasses, Shirts, and some other good stuff still to come!

     Well, that's all the great stuff we have in the works right now, be sure to check back as I will do my best to update this blog as often as we get new info!  As always, thanks for your support of HST, we will continue to bring you "the mark of distinction that lasts a lifetime"

Giovani