Tattoo Artists Make Their Mark on Colfax

Anyone who knows Colfax knows that the tattoo shops are one of the cornerstones of the community and some of the longest-standing fixtures of the street. In 2019, 12 artists from End of Days (EOD) Tattoo, Bound by Design, and Lifetime Tattoo designed the BID’s set of street banners, which line the street from Grant to Josephine.

“The ability to work on a Colfax project, involving so many of my peers, on the most historic street in the country, is an opportunity that one doesn’t turn down,” said Travis Koenig of Bound by Design. “Experiencing this street since I was a kid, I’ve been able to look past the grime in the gutter and appreciate the uniqueness that Colfax possesses.”


The designs are as eclectic as they come, much like the street they border. As you walk along Colfax from the State Capitol to East High, you’ll see a little bit of everything, from the abstract to the colorful and bizarre. Each artist brought their own style and Colfax experience to the table.


“We wanted to bring a little of us to this weird and wild street,” said Melon Davis of EOD Tattoo. “Our hope was to add a little color to people’s daily life and brighten up their time in our neighborhood. It’s impossible to live and work on Colfax without it leaving its imprint on you.”


The local tattoo shops have certainly stood the test of time on Colfax. EOD has been around the longest, established in 1978 with the original name of Emporium of Design. Bound by Design was founded in 1993 and Lifetime Tattoo in 2001. Which means, they’ve seen some stuff. But it seems that they wouldn’t have it any other way.


“I’ve always had a love affair with a wild soul that cannot be controlled,” said Ed Teply of Lifetime Tattoo. “I love you, Colfax, warts and all.”


Meet the artists and tattoo shops behind the banners below.