'We're a couple of tattoo artists from council estates - now we own our own studio in Shrewsbury and we couldn't be happier'

For the last six years, the business has been based in St John’s Hill, Shrewsbury.

But as the couple’s lease on that premises was coming to an end, they decided to “take the leap” and purchase their own site - in Coton Hill. 

For Joe, who said the industry is “all [he’s] ever known” and who followed in his father’s footsteps to become a tattoo artist, and Cassandra, who began her journey by taking on a tattooing apprenticeship in nearby Wellington, this dream has been a long time in the making.

Speaking to the Shropshire Star about how the business got its start, Cassandra said: “We moved to High Wycombe and moved to Coventry. It's nice to work in other studios and get a feel for how other studios run really, so you can perfect your own.

“And after we'd been tattooing for about eight years, we decided that we would start opening our own place.

“We had kids at the time and we thought it would be a great opportunity to give them something to work towards and to be proud of.”

Cassandra added: “Our lease at St John's Hill was ending, so we decided that it's now or never, and not many businesses own their own property. They're mostly leased.

“We're both from council estates, and we save like anything, just to make sure that if we need to do anything we can, and we thought ‘why not take the leap and do it ourselves?' Because we believe that more businesses should be owned by normal people.” 

The new site in Coton Hill is smaller than the business’ previous base but the support its customers have shown for the business has been “really positive,” Cassandra said. 

“There's been a lot of lovely comments and lots of lovely feedback for us moving.

“We have moved into a smaller site, but it's the fact that it's ours now and there's no risk of the landlord saying 'you're out’, and that's it.

“And we've also got security for our kids as they grow up. They've also then got a property hopefully.”

The business has now been open for a few days - and it’s proving busier than ever. Cassandra said they are fortunate to have such a wonderful team onboard, too.

“We're already really quite busy, so me and my other half, we're booked up until February already, which is crazy.

“We've also got another tattoo artist here as well, and we have a body piercer, and they're both really busy - and they're lovely people, and it's just a really nice environment to be honest.

“We always thought of having loads of people, but sometimes it's just nice to have just really good folk with good hearts working for you.”

Cassandra specialises in watercolour, floral and wildlife designs while Joe takes a more abstract approach with pop culture, portrait and horror-themed tattoos.

Find out more information about Heart & Arrow via the official website and social media channels.