Vantrepreneurs: The Skin Shack

The Skin Shack is a mobile tattoo studio based in Leicestershire that takes van conversions to an unexpected level.

The brainchild and business of Tim Bailey, a tattoo artist with 10 years experience and more than 1,000 tattoos under his belt, The Skin Shack was launched to reach people who would normally struggle to get to a high-street tattoo shop.

Some of Tim’s first clients suffered with agoraphobia, self-confidence and mobility issues, proving the real benefit of taking the studio to the customer.

First time round, Tim bought a Mercedes Sprinter after toying with the idea of a caravan. But after consideration and thinking about the difficulty of getting a caravan in and out of customers’ driveways, decided to go with a van.

After a period in use, the Mercedes was ditched as Tim went for the Citroen Relay LWB that features in the video because of the extra room it provides.

The Skin Shack is registered with the Environmental Health Department of Hinckley and Bosworth Council, with his mobile studio fully approved for business.

Currently, Tim operates in Leicestershire and travels to visit clients after an initial consultation. His aim is to set up a shop while maintaining his mobile studio and even expanding it.

It’s another example of how flexible vans can be when it comes to business ideas!