Fun City Tattoo is the oldest tattoo storefront in New York City. An iconic and storied studio nestled in the heart of the East Village at 94 St. Marks Place, Fun City was founded in the 1980s by visionary Jonathan Shaw. Fun City quickly became a pioneer in the tattoo world by seamlessly blending art with the raw energy of hardcore and punk culture. Over the years, the studio has hosted an eclectic clientele that includes everyone from gang members and Hell's Angels bikers to renowned celebrities and artists connected to New York's high society.

Under the ownership of Big Steve and Maxx Starr, Fun City Tattoo continues to shine as the oldest tattoo storefront in NYC. The ethos of the studio is simple: to make clients happy with a refreshing lack of ego and attitude, complemented by a healthy dose of sarcasm. Big Steve, who joined the shop as a young apprentice in 2001, has gained considerable acclaim in the tattoo circuit for his diverse style that draws inspiration from traditional Americana, intricate miniature work, traditional Japanese minimalism, and captivating black and gray imagery.

Fun City Tattoo has inked the skins of numerous notable figures, including SZA, Miley Cyrus, Kaia Gerber, and Young Thug, among others. Yet, despite its celebrity clientele, the studio remains rooted in its commitment to serving the East Village community. Alongside Big Steve, Maxx Starr, a multidisciplinary artist and entrepreneur, brings his unique perspective to the shop, infusing his work with the uncanny and unrelenting essence of city life. The talented artist lineup at Fun City Tattoo features a diverse group hailing from different corners of the world. From Joel Baca and Ryan E to Dylan Kraus, Tessa BX, and Jesus Antonio, these artists showcase their distinct styles and creativity. Fun City Tattoo continues to attract visitors through walk-ins and appointments, offering a space where artistic mastery and the exploration of self-expression thrive.

We sat down with Big Steve and Maxx Starr to discuss (obviously) tattoos, their creative production and process, and the influence of New York City. 

Steve, what inspired you to first get into tattooing? In what way has your art style evolved or changed during your career?

Big Steve: Growing up in New York City and being in the punk scene I was always around tattoos. I didn’t aspire to be a tattoo artist, but was more or less thrown into it by Jonathan Shaw. I started out like most people in the early 2000’s, doing traditional American tattoos. The reality is that tattooing is hard, so I honestly stuck to that style for a couple of years while figuring out how not to suck. In about 2005 I had some friends come in who wanted black and gray fine line tattoos. After that, I started doing small single needle tattoos more often. I still mostly did traditional tattoos around this time– 2012 was when the majority of tattoos I did were single needle tattoos.  I still do every/any style people ask for, and  I’m confident in doing multiple styles well. However, most importantly I strive to provide people with a good experience.

What is your creative process for envisioning and designing a client’s tattoo? Do you have a particularly funny story about how inspiration struck you for a design?

Big Steve: From not having a formal art background, my creative process is pretty loose. I always have references and dra/ sketch with pencil and paper– which has become more rare in tattooing. A lot of tattoo artists now use iPads for their drawings. This serves to give a more polished and less hand done look. In my opinion though, tried and true pencil and paper is best. With a good eye you can spot the difference. 

Maxx, you have worked on other creative projects like short films and recently put out a book. What inspiration do you get from running Fun City Tattoo and how does that influence your multimedia work? 

Maxx Starr: Fun City is New York condensed into a small room that’s half the size of a subway car. It’s loud, pushes limits, and filled with color. All walks of life come through our doors. The conversations that I get to listen to add to my collection of stories in which some become referenced. Fun city is bright, active, and happily in your face. I believe our bodies take in our surroundings; and when you express all the feelings you have in your heart and mind, your environment shows its face just as much as your past, present, or projected future does. I spend a lot of time at Fun City, it’s nourishing. If you know me and my work you'll feel St. Mark's, Big Steve's personality, the different languages spoken, and the tattoos. I'm lucky. 

People from different walks of life come through the shop everyday, from bikers to celebrities and East Village natives. What have you learned by interacting with such a unique spectrum of people?

Tattoo shops are generally disarming. We get to see the best sides of personalities where people are more open and positive. Being in the East Village, there is such a diverse clientele that comes with a lot of good and fresh information. Fun City is a town square where ideas are exchanged between tourists from around the world and denizens from every New York neighborhood. These are poor, rich, young, and old people. As youth continues to get further from all of us I get to go to Fun City and get a first hand reprogramming on what younger people are thinking and feeling. It's anti-aging and makes me physically younger. The older liberals of the East Village remind us that political ideas have strange meeting points. Some days I'm reminded of the human struggle and to find ease and happiness, other days I remember some people are born into great situations but even that doesn't always count for much. Ultimately, I've learned that people want to be happy, liked, and share love so if you're having a hard time connecting with an introverted person, you know where to bring them.

‍You’ve been in the East Village community for about 20 years now. How have you seen East Village change over the last two decades in the area?

NYC is now my home but because I was not born here my relationship with the city was an immediate experience vs a slow build.  If you stay long enough, the place you get your first egg and cheese will close. The place you met your first real love will close. The way I grew up, in a small fairly unchanging city, didn't prepare me for constant change. It used to hurt me seeing a place close but I've learned what comes next could be better. The endings stop hurting as much. When I see what used to be an empty storefront finally being worked on I get excited and hopeful for something great to open. The places in the East Village are changing and it's happening at a fast rate but there are still people here that are having their version of fun. New bars open to fit the current crowds needs. It will always be the same awesome blocks that have front facing restaurants, stores, and bars on all four sides. The streets will always be numbered or have letters. If you stay too long you might end up feeding pigeons in Tompkins confused about what happened but the neighborhood is essentially always the same, providing a great time for a new group of people who think it's the best place in the world. 

‍What other ventures do you hope to take on in the coming years, whether for the shop or personally?

I'm currently working on a book of short stories about love, the loss of it, healing, and the hopes of doing it again with even more pizazz and lifelong trust. It's called "Cowboy Love" which Paige Silveria from Daisies will be publishing. As far as Fun City goes, it's a place that should be shared with every major city. Everyone can use more New York City in their day. 

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