Depression Ink

Great Place, very good work.

Walking into a tattoo shop can be intimidating so I was very happy to walk into Depression and be greeted with such friendliness! The owner and Warren were very helpful in guiding me with tattoo design, proportion and location in coordination with my existing tattoo. Depression’s Richmond Hill location is brand new, with meticulously clean practices. So happy with my new tattoo! Thanks guys :)

DO NOT COME HERE. This place should be shut down.
I had to temporarily replace my tragus earring with an acrylic spacer for an MRI test (got this done at Adrenaline Tattoo’s on Queen Street — amazing place).
Decided to get my original earring put back in at ‘Depression Ink’ since it was a lot closer to home, and since it was a low risk procedure didn’t think it would make a huge difference where I went (simply putting in an earring — note: I could not do it on my own since it is small and I cannot see the inside of my ear to screw it in.)
I called beforehand and the owner said that it would be no problem. I went in, showed him the original earring, and his apprentice proceeded to take out the spacer (I was fine with this — again, low-​risk procedure). Then when it was time to put the earring in the owner said he could not, it was too small — even though it was the earring I have had in my tragus for over ten years. Even though he told me on the phone no problem. Even though he saw the earring when I came into the shop — before starting anything — and said again, no problem.
Irritated at this point, I said to put the spacer back in and I would go elsewhere. He said he could not (???). He would need to put a brand new earring in (one with a longer bar so that he could grasp it with his hands and screw it in)…andddd I would have to buy it from him (scammer).
I agreed so that I could just get this over with and get out of there, lay down for him to put in the new earring, and suddenly felt horrible pain. I screamed out and asked what he was doing?! HE WAS STICKING A NEEDLE THROUGH MY EAR.
Without ANY CONSENT on my part, he attempted to RE-​PIERCE my tragus (the hole was already there and perfectly fine — I had it pierced 15 years ago!) to put the earring in (wtf). He did this 1) Without asking or telling me first and without any consent on my part, 2) Without any proper sterilization techniques 3) Without showing me where that needle came from (I have no clue if it came from a sealed package or not). Disgusting.
Why in hell would you re-​pierce a hole that already exists and that was perfectly healed!!! At the end of it all he was able to put the new earring in by hand and just screwed it closed — like he should have done in the first place. And three days later I am left with a horrible infection in my ear that has required medical attention, and a lost piercing hole that was healthily healed for over 15 years.
This man should not own a business not should his establishment be shut down. DO NOT COME HERE. Save yourself from a completely unprepared, unknowledgeable shop owner who has no concern for health and safety — something CRUCIAL in the tattoo and piercing business. I went to simply change an earring. I left with a serious infection. Unbelievable.