INKING CHANGE

As the Vancouver tattoo community expands, Pacific Rose Tattoo grows with it.

Pacific Rose Tattoo is a cornerstone of the Vancouver tattoo industry. The shop was established in 2011 as Gastown Tattoos by tattoo artist Mitch Kirilo and his business partner at the time. A decade later, Mitch and his wife Amanda took on full ownership of the shop and decided to rename the iconic spot. The original name came from a common practice in the tattoo industry; naming a shop after the neighbourhood in which it is located. Vancouver’s famed Gastown neighbourhood is named after local legend Gassy Jack, real name John Deighton, a mid-1800’s chatty saloon owner revered for his historical significance in the area.

In February of 2022, the John Deighton statue was pulled down during the Vancouver Women’s March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Documented in Vancouver archives and in the oral history of the Squamish (sḵwxwú7mesh) nation, John Deighton married a 12 year old Squamish girl named Quahail-ya or Wha-halia, who a few years later ran away. With this history in mind, Pacific Rose Tattoo was renamed to better represent the shop and its values. “We’ve got a lot of love and support for the people who were here first, the indigenous communities … it just didn’t feel right having that old name,” said shop owner Mitch.

The name Pacific Rose is an homage to traditional and classic tattooing with a nod to its coastal roots. The name change is a more accurate representation of the artistic talent and inclusivity the shop has worked to foster. Pacific Rose has a team of around 20 artists whereas most shops typically have a team of five to seven. In the last decade, Mitch has noticed a major shift in the tattoo industry. The mid-2000s was a time when Myspace was the social media platform of choice and tattoos mostly remained a somewhat fringe or hidden expression of identity, life and/or sacrifice.

Tattoo inspiration mainly came from magazines or limited representations in movies and TV. However, in the past twenty years, the industry has changed. With popular TV shows in the early-ish aughts like Miami Ink or LA Ink, tattooing expanded to more people. Social media platforms have created vast accessibility to ideas, art and artists from all over the world. It has cracked open the tattoo industry, making it a more diverse and inclusive space for artistic expression. It has shifted from a fringe craft to an art form.

In the 11 years of Pacific Rose’s existence, Mitch has learned the importance and significance of connection in his work. Connection to the people he tattoos, works with, and the stories he hears. It is this that sets the shop apart from others. “We really like to make the place inclusive. We want everyone to feel comfortable here and I don’t think that’s really been a focus in any tattoo shops… there are a lot of really great shops in Vancouver that do put effort towards making a safe space but it’s really at the forefront with us”.

The tattoo industry now serves a much broader community than it once did. The team at Pacific Rose encompasses that progressive shift on all levels. By having a large team of people with different experiences and artistic styles, they set themselves apart by marrying creativity and collaboration of styles and stories with