Hello I'm George Papastathis (AKA George Papas), born in Athens Greece in 1965. My family immigrated to Chicago in 1968 and I became an American citizen after I lived here for the required amount of time that they used to impose on legal resident aliens with a green card. I Grew up on the north side of chicago and went to Budlong Elementary school for the first 3 years then transfered to Peterson Elementary, graduated and went on to Von Steuben High School.

I kind of stuck out those days, those who know me know what I mean LOL. After that it was a struggle to find what I wanted to do in life since books and studying weren't at the top of my list. Went off to the military for a stretch and came back to land odd jobs till I finally set my target on what interested me enough to learn and do for the rest of my life, Tattooing.

I never had any formal art training, it just came easy for me and with time its become a passion. Worked for a few good shops in the city, my start was at the late Bob Oslons Custom Tattooing around 1989 to 1993 and worked with Bob O. & Guy Aitchisen and a bunch of other good names and then to the other place the late Fat Joes Jade Dragon from 1994 to 2006.

I've been featured on TV, channels 2,5,7, 9, 11, 26, Fox, CLTV, The late Peter Jennings World News, Jerry Springer Show 1995, Jenny Jones(1996), Rock Hard Video with Mark Mensching a couple of times, Chicagos Greek channel, the Nationwide Polish channel, and finally the food network ( Yea go figure). Also featured in a bunch of tat mags like Outlaw biker tattoo review, skin & ink, Tattoo. Newspaper coverage has been with The Chicago Sun Times and The Chicago Tribune to name a couple.

I'm also a member of The Illinois Better Business Bureau in good standing. With time I've had the opportunity to learn from others mistakes and mine in the business and fine tune my profession so that my shop will be a place that everyone can go to and get more than what they expected from me and my staff. No bait and switch tactics, no lieing on the phone, no deceptions etc.

I like the personnel approach and focus on customer service. In my business its everything, but I still feel the urge to educate my clients on the importance of patience in such a fast paced world we live in. Taking ones time in deciding something that pretty much lasts forever is I think key in ones happiness with there decision and not disappointment by rushing. Trusting someone to do something forever is also very important and my biggest compliment is when my older clients bring me there kids to Tattoo or Pierce, that says it all.

I take pride in treating everyone with dignity and respect and not just playing the game and looking at potential customers as pawns ready to get bush wacked and taken for a ride. I'm in it to win it and here for the long haul, no short rides here and 25 years in is proof of that.

Now you guys who can't wait will get at least what you want done, done right. Sorry for finding out the hard way that everyone isn't the same even at big name shops.

I'm an advocate for a safer tattoo industry because its gone unregulated too long and its progress suffers because of too many undesirables that continue to weigh us down. Anyone in Illinois can open a shop without any experience or knowledge and that has to stop NOW! We tried to get motivated in 1995 when the state tried to impose some tough legislation and we formed the Illinois Tattoo association and with time it fell apart. Its time we stand together and fight to preserve our industry by weeding out the problems ourselves and with the help of the state otherwise they will do it for us and as we all know that can be a big headache.

Doing it right from the beginning according to all the laws is the best and safest approach to doing business correct and legal. Time will tell all good luck to all the shops that opened without any building permits in chicago & Illinois, dumb move on all your parts. Educating clients makes my job easier and it also makes it a better experience for both parties when everyone knows what can and cannot be done.

What to look for when walking in to a shop you've never been to before. I see the shows on tv get so big but they use steel tubes which are used over and over again and no one pays any attention to little things that can harm you in a big way. I'm not trying to hate because I see them on TV, (I love that we are getting exposure and our industry and practice is becoming legitimized, but you guys should lead by example) and I ask everyone one big important question,"If there is something safer in your industry that not only protects you and your clients as well why not use it"?

I know from experience that plastic tubes suck for an artist to use but its the safest way of doing it. Saran wrap for bandages is not the proper way to take care of a mild skin abrasion which a tattoo is, and when its on tv it sends the wrong message out there especially to the docters and politicians trying to stop the tattoo industry from growing and coming into there neck of the woods.

If your cheap on that little factor what else are you being cheap with? If your using steel tubes you most likely are using needles over again after they've been used on someone else. Steel tubes are designed to be used over and over again after each customer you have to by law sterilize them but I ask you this, "what is safer, something thats been used before and sterilized or something thats plastic and new used once then thrown out"?

As long as there sterilized its ok by law but why take that chance when needles and tubes are about $2.00 for both, new? Common guys jump on the bandwagon. Protecting customers from the threats that are out there is another reason why I care. I've seen too much nonsense in my time and grow bitter everyday knowing what I know. Everything used on clients for tattooing will be and should be disposable single service use only.

At George Papas Tattoo my word means a lot, and all employees of George Papas Tattoo will have at least a high school education or better. I wont hire anyone that has a questionable criminal back round, sex offenders & predators, psychological & Mental disorders, Substance abuse problems and anything that I feel will put my customers in any kind of harm is and always will be a top priority and never allowed at George Papas Tattoo.

Thats right believe it or not they are out there and no one is doing anything about, make sure you know who and what your dealing with!

Enough of that I can't change the world but I'll cause a ripple for the better.

I finally will add that I am happily married and have 2 beautiful baby girls that I truly adore along with my loving wife .

See Ya and God Bless

GP