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Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) St. Louis advises consumers to use caution if doing business with The Underground Tattoo and Gallery, LLC, a Springfield, Missouri-based tattoo business. Consumers reported to BBB that they paid deposits for tattoo services that were never provided and the business failed to provide refunds.
The Underground Tattoo and Gallery, LLC has an “F” rating, the lowest on BBB’s scale, due to recent unanswered complaints.
“If you are going to get a tattoo, it’s important that you research the business,” said Pamela Hernandez, BBB Springfield regional director. “Consulting BBB and getting references from other consumers who have worked with the artist previously can help ensure a good experience.”
A woman from Republic, Missouri, told BBB she scheduled an appointment for her and her 17-year-old son with The Underground Tattoo and Gallery, LLC in September 2023. The sessions were to take place in December 2023 on her son’s birthday. The woman said she paid a $380 for the sessions.
The woman said the business was closed on the day of their appointments. She said she had trouble reaching the business. When she finally contacted the business, she was told their sessions were booked for a different day. The woman said she asked for a refund rather than rescheduling. She said she had not received a refund.
The woman said she was referred to the business by a family member and chose the business because it was one of the only ones she could find that would tattoo a minor with parental consent.
“This was supposed to be special for me and my son,” the woman said.
A woman from Ava, Missouri, told BBB she paid a deposit of $550 to The Underground Tattoo and Gallery, LLC, in November 2023 for a tattoo session. She said the company canceled her session. She said she was able to get $300 back from the company, but her attempts to get a full refund were not successful.
“I was so sick of dealing with them, I just gave up trying to get the rest of my money,” the woman told BBB.
The woman said she was a previous customer of The Underground Tattoo and Gallery, LLC, and had no problems.
The Underground Tattoo and Gallery, LLC filed its incorporation documents with the Missouri Secretary of State in March 2019. Mandy Patterson is listed as the organizer. A second filing for Underground Tattoo LLC was made in April 2024. Clifford Ernest Taylor III and Amanda Jane Kemp are listed as the organizers.
The business did not respond to a BBB letter regarding how it plans to address its pattern of customer complaints or to an email sent to it by a BBB investigator.
BBB offers these tips when considering a tattoo:
- Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org or by calling 888-996-3887.
- Ask for references and contact them.
- Visit your state health department’s website. There are no federal regulations for cosmetic or traditional tattooing, so each state has its own requirements for businesses and its employees.
- Pay by credit card whenever possible in case you need to challenge the payment.
- Do not pay everything in advance. It is a good rule to pay a portion when you schedule the appointment and the final payment only after you are satisfied with the work.
- Ask about the artist’s certifications and training. Look at before and after pictures of their work.
- If you have a complaint, make sure to file it at BBB.org and with your state’s attorney general’s office.
