14 Jan 2016 ~8PM…read more Ladies, if you have private piercings you want done or complicated ones you want done, STAY AWAY!!! I walked into Hammer and Sickle Tattoo and Piercing this evening. I was looking to finish a private piercing, you know ladies.. one of those that only your S.O. and doctor are allowed to see. Well, I walk in and am greeted by the guy that was supposedly to do my piercings. There were to be 6 microdermals to finish my design. Along with him were 2 other guys in the wide open shop. I'm not squirmish in mixed company but I saw that were were NO blinds on the windows in the shop and to make matters worse, NO dividers, floor blinds or anything to impart a little privacy for clientele that wish to have it. The piercer wanted to see what I previously had done and I made it quite clear that I was uncomfortable pulling my pants and skivvys down in front of other people in the room. I mean really? Would you feel comfortable dropping everything in front of 1 total stranger let alone 3 total strangers? I know it is 2016 but I still have standards of etiquette. Maybe if you're a slut or drunk OK, I can understand that... but i'm not and many others are not as well. He kept prodding me to drop my pants etc to show him what I had done thus far. I asked if there were any dividers or I hoped a private room but he kept insisting that I drop my pants there. I made it very clear I was uncomfortable verbally and body language (I refused to take my knee length coat off). He asked if I would be better if they BOTH left and I said yes. Only one guy left. The other remained in the spacious well let OPEN room without blinds or privacy of any sort possibly to see any free porn he wanted. I turned around and told him that I really did not feel comfortable in proceeding. I made this VERY clear but he kept insisting. I drop my clothes and I finally said NO and buckled my belt. I have a LOT of under the clothes piercings and i've been in my share of shops and they ALL had some sort of setup for privacy for those clients that did not want strange guys gawking at their ass or snizz. My initial and confirmed impression just by the setup they have...... Unprofessional. Not to mention the bare table without any sanitary paper to mitigate possible MRSA infections caught from a table many others have laid on. Disinfectant sprays do not always work. Dr's office exam rooms use them and all past piercing establishments I have visited use paper as well. God awful unprofessional and unsanitary as well. It is NOT MY fault he doesn't see the obvious need for privacy dividers etc. in the course of his work. With that sort of obvious oversight, I would give me reason for pause when it came to his sterilization equipment and protocols. (I know my way around an autoclave quite well and assisted teaching microbiology and microscope usage at a local college in years past). Now, to add insult to injury... As I was walking out, the boy (I will not call him a man, adult, business owner OR professional because of his abject lack of professionalism), called me back for a second to berate me for wasting his time. Definitely NOT my fault. Lack of equipment, various guys loitering about, questions of sanitation... without all of that him and his pals creeped me out. He even included some profanities not limited to the F word of which I returned the favor. I have worked as a corporate secret shopper many times in the past as well, I would have given this place negative points all around if I could. The tatto part of the biz? I do not know and have no experience, but piercing? Never another visit. Ladies... Avoid this place of you want any sort of privacy, professionalism or basic sanitary practice. My impression is that they were up for free peep show because I told him on the phone prior to my arrival what I wanted done. I arrived to an audience. That's creepy. Dude, keep your "special". As in anything else, you get what you pay for. I'll wait and pay more each at Lionheart. Keith has probably been doing it longer than you've probably been alive and he has all the correct equipment and understands the occasional need for privacy. I will include my throw-away e-mail address in case anyone wishes to confirm this encounter. 100% truthful with no embellishments. t595i4@yandex.com TH