Shop trades tattoos for video games

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) - The tattoo and body piercing shop at the mall still accepts cash and credit cards, but the owner would rather have your Play Station III.

It's another survival strategy courtesy of the recession.

Jay Moynahan, who owns Foundation of Youth at the Brass Mill Center mall in Waterbury, has started trading his business services for collectors' items, toys for his son and electronic equipment.

Although "98 percent" of transactions are made with cash, he's willing to negotiate trades with customers who might otherwise be unable to afford the body alterations.

"I believe that a lot of people who are trading will come back, and pay with cash when they have it," said Moynahan, a Waterbury native who opened the store two years ago. "We want to be as favorable as possible to the customer."

He calls tattoos and piercings luxury services — often the first thing people cut out of their budgets when they're low on discretionary income.

To cope with the recession, and a 30 percent drop in sales, Moynahan began advertising on Craigslist.org six months ago asking people to e-mail him about alternative payment methods.

In the advertisement, he says he's especially interested in trading his tattoo and piercing services for Magic the Gathering cards, and Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii games. He's also looking for toys for his 2-year-old son, David, such as wooden Thomas the Tank Engine trains.

He asks anyone interested in bartering to e-mail him at fountainofyouthct(at) gmail.com before visiting the store to make sure a deal is workable and to set up a time to meet.

The advertisements have attracted quite a bit of attention. Moynahan has traded for studio headphones, a bass guitar and amplifier, and the Guitar Hero video game.

He subtracts the value of the goods from the price he charges the customer. The average tattoo at his shop costs about $150, he said.

When a trade cuts into the graphic artist's commission, Moynahan pays the employee out of his own pocket. But sometimes the artists are the ones who benefit.

A graphics artist recently traded for an Xbox 360. Another received an offer for sneakers (but they were the wrong color).

From a business standpoint, Moynahan admits he's not making much money on the trades, but says it's a marketing strategy to build a base of return customers.

"It's hard to find someone who has just one tattoo," said Moynahan, who recently got a tattoo of the Lion King character Simba on his chest.

He doesn't sell the items he trades for; he keeps them for his son, his girlfriend or himself. An avid Magic player, he also collects the cards, which he says hold their value well.

Although the business strategy may result in less revenue in the short term, Moynahan believes it's a valuable investment in his store and reputation. Further, he saves money by forgoing the purchase of luxury items for himself.

He emphasizes that he's not turning his store into a pawn shop — he keeps all the items for which he trades. He's just an entrepreneur exploring payment methods other than cash.

"A lot of people think business owners were not as affected by the economy as everyone else," he said, "But we were hit real hard."

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.