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inq founders Maria nd Peter Joukov at their flagship location at 1011 King Street in Alexandria.
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Alexandria Living Magazine
The art design and consultation area at inq in Alexandria.
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Alexandria Living Magazine
One of the open tattoo areas at inq tattoo in Alexandria.
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Alexandria Living Magazine
The reception area at inq in Alexandria.
inq has opened at 1011 King Street, offering a unique experience for tattoos.
inq is set up more like a spa than a traditional tattoo business, with open, light-filled spaces, herbal tea, all-natural aftercare products, and a focus on customer education. There are no closed doors at inq, so the customer can see everything happening from preparation to safety.
Unlike many tattoo shops, inq's artists are full-time staff members who receive benefits and have set hours. Art is designed on iPads as a collaboration between the artist and customer.
The inks are all natural and vegan, and inq offers allergy testing on site.
Maria and Peter Joukov opened inq after they both considered getting a tattoo of their childrens' names but never being satisfied or fully comfortable in any tattoo shop they visited. So, they created their own.
Peter is a veteran and entrepreneur who has worked in a variety of fields including real estate. Maria was in government contracting and had a variety of other jobs, as well. Neither had any tattoos before opening inq; Peter got his first from one of inq's artists this month.
Customers can either walk in (hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday) or make an appointment online for an art consultation, allergy testing, a temporary tattoo or permanent ink.
The Joukov's are looking to open a second location in Loudoun County.
Learn more at www.inqtattoos.com.
