Imagine going to get a tattoo or piercing, then getting your hair cut and styled, indulging in a little retail therapy and checking out some cool art, all under one roof. Finding a place that offers all of this without having to bear the fluorescent lights of the mall might sound too good to be true, but Rocco Dipopolo, owner of East Van Inc., has created just that.
Rocco opened the shop in 2009 on East Hastings before moving to the Drive in 2012, and has developed the space beautifully. Besides serving as a retail store to showcase his East Van clothing line and merchandise, the walls are decorated with a mix of drawings and paintings done by his tattoo artists and pieces from Rocco’s own collection of artwork, many of which pay homage to his neighbourhood and the tattoo world.
And the art doesn’t stop at the walls. His handpicked group of talented tattoo artists can design and tattoo just about anything and, if you’re into piercings, the in-house body piercer has got you covered. Or for those who have unwanted artwork on their skin, they even offer laser tattoo removal.
If you’re still looking for a few body alterations, how about a new hairstyle to compliment your body art? With their in-house barbershop and hair salon, you can do just that.
