Dome-shaped tattoo shop in PIneville cheered for being eco-friendly

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Dome-shaped tattoo shop in PIneville cheered for being eco-friendly
July 4, 2010
BY DAVID DINSMORE
thetowntalk.com

Mel Collier greeted the 82-year-old woman as she entered. Curiosity had brought her to the Natural Mystic Inc. Tattoo Dome.




She was not seeking pricing information for some fresh ink. She was not looking to get a body piercing.

She was there to learn more about the building itself, and she was not alone.

Natural Mystic's new Pineville location has turned a few heads of those driving by its 5420 La. Highway 28 East location -- and of those who have never even seen it.

In March, Mel Collier and wife Lori Collier opened what has been deemed "the world's first eco-friendly tattoo studio," according to several tattoo-centric publications.

"About five years ago, we decided we wanted to build something," Lori Collier said. "But we weren't sure what."

As they began brainstorming about the structure, floor space, location and design of their new building, the Colliers began developing a greater passion to construct something that fit their needs as well as the needs of the world around them, they said.

Of course, the world around them also played a role in their design, Lori Collier said. For instance, the dome shape of the building allows for maximum use of space inside and outside the structure and it makes it more apt to withstand hurricane-force winds.

They began traveling the country and doing research into the design and construction of green buildings, Mel Collier said. They spent three years creating a vision for their new studio and looking for people who could share that vision.

The Colliers employed the services of an architect in Alabama to convert their design and hired John Johnson of New Age Construction in Duncan, Ala., to bring it to life.

Johnson helped them find ways great and small to make their new tattoo studio as environmentally friendly as possible, Lori Collier said.

The exposed duct work circling the main floor of the studio radiates the temperature of the air blowing from the vents, the Colliers said. The dual-return air system also receives circulation assistance through the use of a Big Ass Fans industrial ceiling fan above.
The dual insulated building also manages to house 2,800 feet of enclosed floor space on 1,500 feet of soil, they said. The lumber they used in the construction of the building also comes from fast grow, sustainable lumber sources.




The building uses a mixture of fluorescent lighting and natural light through skylights designed to minimize the amount of air that escapes through windows, Lori Collier said.

From low VOC paint to "no fly" as in the stained concrete floors, the Colliers took into account every eco-friendly step possible in the construction of the tattoo dome, they said. Even the low-flow toilets were an eco-conscious choice.

Their green choices, however, did not require them to sacrifice any artistic touches they wanted for their new studio, Mel Collier said. Artists need an inspiring place to work, and that was the goal of the tattoo dome.

"We wanted our staff to have a good place to work," Mel Collier said. "We wanted something (unique) for our people."

But the dome has also inspired other shop owners around the country interested in establishing their own eco-friendly studios, Mel Collier said. Even before they broke ground, the Colliers were creating a stir among their peers, receiving an award recognizing their dome as the "World's First Eco-Friendly Tattoo Studio" from Tattoo Guru magazine.

"I expect to see more of these popping up around the country," Mel Collier said.

In addition to creating a unique atmosphere and being better for the environment, the Natural Mystic Tattoo Dome has also accomplished the Colliers' goal of raising more awareness about the practicality of building eco-friendly structures, Lori Collier said. The dome gives them a chance to talk to people about how they designed and built it -- not to mention pay half the utility bills they used to pay at their original Pineville location -- to customers and passersby.

Passersby like Mel Collier's 82-year-old visitor.

"She told us it looked like it'd be a great house," he said. "It seems like when someone comes in, they don't want to leave."