Iris: Body Piercing Makes Amazing Happen

It was a week before President’s Day weekend, a weekend that means one thing to the owners of Iris—it’s time to gear up for SLC’s annual Tattoo Convention. “It’s pretty much like we’re opening a second shop for three days,” says Iris piercer and co-owner Nick Lott. For this one weekend Lott, Jessie Dobbs and Dustin Robbins, owners and piercers of Iris Body Piercing, transport their piercing jewelry, needles, gloves, back stock and their extensive collection of what Robbins refers to as “fancy jewelry” to the Salt Palace. They also lug a Statim Cassette Autoclave, which sterilizes by steam, to keep their gauze, needles, jewelry and even their gloves sanitary. Then there are the jewelry cases, drapes and other items to give their booth at the convention a similar aesthetic to their newly redesigned shop. Four years ago, when Iris participated in their first Tattoo Convention, setting up their booth was a little less labor intensive. “It was pretty simple. A booth with a case, like ‘here we are.’” Dobbs says, “It’s more artistic and inviting now, not just ‘here’s a piercing place.’ It’s getting the art out there.”

This concept of presenting piercing as art is equally apparent in their newly redesigned shop. “The first day we were here we knew we wanted to turn it into something else, something amazing,” Dobbs says. The massive and long awaited redesign was started in July 2009 and completed at the end of November with the help of designer Scott Truitt and Richard De Spain Construction. 
 
“The door is in the same place. That hasn’t changed. But it is a new door,” Lott says. According to all three owners/piercers, the window and door placement are about the only things that weren’t changed during the remodel. The floor was replaced with hardwood. The walls were painted bright orange, a muted yellow and a beautiful shade of gold. Futons were replaced with tall modern barstools. The original large wooden and glass cases that housed their jewelry have been replaced with 31 individually lit small glass cubes whose bottoms are lined with a layer of fine sand. The jewelry is separated according to material and carefully placed in the sand with small cards explaining the material and the pros and cons of said jewelry. All of this is lit remarkably well. “When people come in here I think most notice the cases, the lighting and a different feel,” Lott says. 

The atmosphere of the shop has changed a great deal with the redesign. The space is relaxing and tranquil. The jewelry is presented in a way that makes it almost reminiscent of an art gallery. “It feels really good here. You walk in and you know you’re in a place that you can trust—a place that carries really high quality stuff,” Dobbs says. The interior space has finally come to match the warm, inviting and amazing atmosphere that Robbins, Dobbs and Lott have created for their customers since opening their doors five years ago.

Although Dobbs and Lott have known each other since they were teenagers, and Dobbs once approached Robbins for an apprenticeship (for which he was denied), the idea of Iris wasn’t born until all three piercers were working out of Blue Boutique.

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Comments on this article

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Amanda

I am so happy to see Iris being recognised and getting their name out there. I have been pierced by these guys and one thing that the article didn't mention is that, while being proffesional, everyone is really friendly. it's like walking into a group of really close friends, where everybody has known everybody forever, but you feel like you are part of that.

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Paige

There is honestly no better place to go for a piercing than Iris. All three of the piercers are so knowledgable, and don't have a problem answering any of your questions. They are definitely the most clean and sterilized shop that I've ever went to. Each of them is so friendly and nice, it just makes you want to keep coming back. The first time I got pierced there, right when I left I was trying to think of other piercings I wanted. I won't get pierced anywhere else. :)

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