Skin Deep

Sparrowhawk makes getting a tattoo like a day at the spa

By Grace Huseth

While some tattoo parlors can be grimy affairs, a trip to Sparrowhawk at Studioplex in Old Fourth Ward makes tattooing feel more like a day at the spa.

The self-proclaimed intimate, feminist-inspired studio is an amalgamation of many different styles. The space stays bright with white walls, a fresh fig tree, fine art oil paintings and a comfy midcentury couch. Owner Amy Leavell Bransford, who also owns Aviary Beauty & Wellness Collective in Studioplex, used the help of interior designer Gavin Bernard and Atlanta based fiber artist Sonya Yong James to create macramé like partitions so tattoo tables have a private, but open feel. “The space has evolved into a gallery space where our clients are the canvas,” Bransford said.

Sparrowhawk may attract women, but Bransford has found both men and women trust the space and the expertise of tattoo artist Cori James. There has been some cross-pollination of clients from Aviary, as well as clients who wish to support the female run shop and many who seek out James for her tattoo visions.

Cori James has been tattooing in Atlanta since 2012 and is known for her own trademark technique: first she starts with a strong black outline, adds in black shading and then adds in color to make tattoos pop. This method allows for creative expression while a set process guarantees a tattoo that continues to look good years later. At Sparrowhawk, James tattoos by appointment only to ensure clients have time to curate the best design.

Bransford met James at Aviary, while the artist was getting a facial. James voiced she was growing restless at a tattoo shop in the city and wished she could tattoo somewhere like Aviary that offered a more personal feel.

There’s something about being in the chair that makes people open up. “When you are in a facial room, it’s very private and people share all sorts of aspects of what’s going on in their life,” Bransford said. “When you are in that environment you feel like the entire world passes through and you partly become a people connector.”

As Bransford got tattoo business licenses for Sparrowhawk, she decided to get further licenses for other needle aesthetic services like microblading. She soon hired Juliana Ramus, who uses the microblading tattooing technique to create semi-permanent tattoos for flawless eyebrows. The former researcher in real estate finance was growing weary of corporate culture when she took a big leap into the world of microblading.

“I knew I needed support and that I had so much to learn in this business because it works so differently than a big corporation,” Ramus said. “This was a huge risk, but I’m so glad I did it and now I do this full time.”

Ramus clients range from those who are simply over tweezing to those who have alopecia or other hair loss concerns. One of her recent clients suffered from trichotillomania,

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Peachtree Rd. Chamblee, GA 30341 (404)-308-0794 a type of impulse control disorder that results in pulling out hair. Ramus was able to use the client’s blank canvas to create new eyebrows to frame her face. “Now she doesn’t have to worry about that stuff,” Ramus said. “It might seem insignificant to some people, but it’s been a huge part of her life.”

Sparrowhawk is expecting a rise in microblading clients this season. Since summers in Atlanta are so hot, many women like to pare down their beauty routines to avoid melting makeup and microblading eyebrows takes one step out of the grooming process.

“I’ve supported other women entrepreneurs at the Aviary, including people who are afraid to leave well established spas and go out on their own. It’s been gratifying to me, as a publicist who has gone into the beauty industry, to be part of that,” Bransford said.

The studio plans to acquire include a few more tattoo artists this spring, but doesn’t expect a full staff to blossom any time soon. “One thing that I learned from Aviary is that it’s really important to wait for the right team and sometimes that takes some patience,” Bransford said. “It’s a bit like being in a band, working in a space this small with only four or five players, so you want to make sure everybody has a specific highlight.”

Sparrowhawk is located in Studioplex, 659 Auburn Ave., Unit G3. For more information, visit sparrowhawkatl.com.

New renderings of historic Pullman Yards in Kirkwood have been released by Atomic Entertainment, which plans to transform the century-old train yard into a mixed-use development with an emphasis on filmmaking. There will be a soundstage for movie projects, office space, a boutique hotel, food bazaar, townhomes, apartments and a large greenspace for film screenings and concerts. Permitting is underway now and Atomic Entertainment hopes to break ground on the $200 million project in June.

Paces Properties has partnered with Austin-based Bunkhouse on the adaptive redevelopment of the Intown Suites property in Piedmont Heights at Cheshire Bridge Road. The 1960’s Mid-Century Modern hotel will feature 162 rooms and 48 commercial studios. The soon-to-be-named hotel will begin construction in the second quarter of 2018 with a projected opening in 2019.

AT&T will vacate its 47-story Midtown tower and consolidate its workers in smaller office spaces in Midtown and Buckhead, according to a report by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The building, located behind the Fox Theatre, is now being touted as a potential home for Amazon’s HQ2 headquarters. The office tower was originally constructed in 1982 for BellSouth and spurred the “Save the Fox” campaign when the historic theatre was threatened with demolition.

Philips Arena will get a new name after the technology company announced it would not renew naming rights for the Downtown venue. According to Venues Today, the naming agreement will expire in June 2019. Philips has shifted its focus to residential lighting and healthcare technology, and indicated that the naming deal no longer fit with the brand.

Kroger will introduce its new Scan, Bag, Go shopping technology at stores in Atlanta this year. The technology will allow customers to use a wireless handheld scanner or the Scan, Bag, Go app on their personal device to scan and bag products as they shop for a quicker, seamless checkout experience. The tech will also allow shoppers to view and download digital coupons, keep a running total of their order, and view the current week’s sales ad.

One of Atlanta’s oldest gay bars, Burkhart’s, has closed following the revelation of racially charged social media posts by owner Palmer Marsh. Popular for its regular drag shows, most of the staff and drag performers quit following the revelation of the posts by Wussy magazine. An attempt to sell the bar fell through at the end of January.

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will open its newest location in Buckhead this spring at 668 Miami Circle. Consignments are currently being accepted across all categories, which include fine art, fine jewelry, modern design, books and manuscripts, furniture, decorative arts and more.

The City of Atlanta Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative has announced its 2018-19 cohort of 15 entrepreneurs. The selected business owners will participate in a 15-month program designed to foster their growth and sustainability through business education, financial literacy, access to mentors and consultants, and peer-to-peer networking. The entrepreneurs include Terri-Nichelle Bradley of Brown Toy Boy; Jennifer Graham of Civic Dinner; Margaret Lee of Designstyles for LivN; Ellen Hunter of Impactive; Stefanie Jewitt of Activvely; Kelli F. Kelley of Kelley Brand Communications; Amber Lewter of Love Acumen; Justina Olatunde Davis of Omodé Play and Create; LaNiesha Butler of ScrapSports; Shayla McNair of Shay-Latte Coffee; Eva Jane Bunkley of The Makeup

A JW Marriott hotel will rise on part of the former Georgia Dome site adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Downtown, according to a report from Tomorrow’s News Today. The 1,000room hotel would also be adjacent to the upcoming Home Depot Backyard, a tailgating and event space, which will fill much of the old Dome site.

Portman Holdings has secured financing for its $150 million, 21-story state-ofthe-art office development in Midtown for healthcare provider, Anthem. PCCP contributed equity financing and SunTrust was the lead lender, while Regions also served as a lender for the project. Anthem Technology Center will offer 352,000 square feet at Technology Square and act as a hub for about 3,000 multi-disciplinary IT professionals. The John Portman & Associates designed project will also feature more than 14,000 square feet of terrace area for greenspace and 7,000 square feet of retail space. SunTrust Bank will also open a full service branch at the building.

Shops Around Lenox in Buckhead is welcoming new retailers this spring and summer, including New York-based fitness company SoulCycle and healthy food concept Flower Child.

Tootsies, a staple in Atlanta luxury fashion for 25 years, has moved to a new location at The Exchange, 3167 Peachtree Road, in Buckhead. The new 7,000 square foot space will offer an open floor plan allowing for new designers, trunk shows and enhanced event programming throughout the year.

The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta has been named one of the best hotels in the world for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report.

Womenwear brand MM.LaFleur and LUNA, a contemporary women’s readyto-wear boutique, are the latest retailers to open at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.

Bullet; Jamine Moton of The Skylar Firm; Kara Brown of SmithBrown Marketing; Katie Culp of tulipcake Embroidery; and Marilyn D. Jackson of Undergrid Networks. For more information about WEI, visit weiatlanta.com.

Tech company NCR Corporation has officially opened its new global headquarters campus in Midtown. The state-of-the-art campus at the corner of 8th and Spring streets will eventually employ 5,000 skilled professionals.

“This campus symbolizes the power of reinvention. It celebrates the innovators, dreamers and problem-solvers who walk through our doors every day and have the courage to build a better tomorrow,” said NCR Chairman and CEO Bill Nuti. “Our move to Midtown is part of our vision for transforming Atlanta into the Silicon Valley of the East.”

The campus, which will eventually include a second tower, features dining options and outdoor seating, a coffee bar, gym, informal spaces to spark creativity and a large lecture space. It will become the permanent home for the NCR Innovation Lab and continue the partnership between NCR and Georgia Tech, as the organizations are now located side-byside in the center of Technology Square.

“I’ve been involved with the community since 1960 and I was on the very first board here at Saint Anne’s Terrace. It’s a beautiful part of town and the best part about living here is the wonderful family atmosphere in which everyone gets along.”