Well it all started with a kid that was getting into a lot of trouble and his friends told him, “Hey Bob, you’re a artist why don’t you do some tattoos on us”, of course I laughed and told them they were crazy and to screw off. But what kind of a story would this be if that was it. So I thought about it and said what the hell and it started. I was only 17 years old at this time. I watched and learned first, it was the needle and thread way of tattooing (jailhouse).

That quickly changed to a cassette played motor and a Bic pen and a guitar string. Fortunately that went by fast too. Then I talked to Rob who was doing tattoos out of his house in Derry NH. I saw him working and saw he had this hot little girlfriend and all this shit he was getting from doing tattoos (TVs money cars etc) and though DAMN. I hung out with him and watched some more and saw a lot of new things I didn’t know. So he asked me to do a tattoo on him for a set of my very first tattoo machines -REAL MACHINES. I said “Hell Ya!” and started doing tattoos. I moved up fast, learning fast. After a year or so I went to a shop in Derry NH and asked bill if he needed any help. He asked how long I have been doing tattoos and where have I worked.

I told him I had been doing tattoos at the house and never worked at a shop before. He told me that he needed someone with years of experience working in tattoo shops and that he was sorry. I was pissed and left, you know how it goes. They say need a person with experience but wont give us a chance to get any. So I waited for another few months and went in again. I asked Bill again in front of a customer, he still said no. The customer said if he could get his tattoo cheaper then he would let me do it. I looked at Bill and asked him if I did it at his shop he would get all the cash and if the work was good enough then he would hire me. He agreed.

I worked for 8 hours straight on the tattoo and charged him $265.00. Bill got the money and I got the job at Bills Tattoo Palace. I worked there for a year helping Bill build the shop, it was great. I was doing tattoos and hanging with all the guys making money doing what I loved. Well some things happened and I moved on. I opened my own shop in 1990 in Seabrook NH on RT 1. All I had I was $1000.00 and 3 books of flash and like four chairs and a desk, man I wish I had pictures of those days.

Well times were tough, rent needed to be paid so I thought hey, girls make money, sex sells. I started having oil wrestling girls there on the weekends. That’s right come in get a tattoo and watch girls roll around in oil until we are ready for you. That lasted for a few months until it was getting out of hand, by this time a lot of the locals new who I was and my work had got a chance to get out there where they could see it. I have this one customer Mark who was there every friggin week letting me tattoo him. He did his best to bring in everyone and anyone he could. I’m telling you without Mark Boupree, Bob’s Tattoo Paradise would not be here today he was and is a great customer and a true friend for life, MARK I OWE YOU EVERYTHING THANK YOU MY FRIEND.

Seabrook NH, and opened again and have been there ever since it will be 20 years on Jan 3rd, 2010. I am blessed and still feel like a am getting a gift everyday that someone lets me tattoo them and become a part of there lives forever.

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