Frostbite Tattoo has been part of Invercargill's streetscape since 2002, working from its studio on the ground floor at 115 Spey Street in the city centre. More than two decades on, the shop has secured an expert reputation in Southland, guided by a simple working philosophy: perfection is the aim with which the team goes about its work.
What sets the studio apart is the breadth of its crew. Between all of the artists at Frostbite, the team is able to do almost every style of tattooing a client may require, which means your idea can be matched with the right hands rather than bent to fit a single house style. Owner and operator Craig leads the studio and its artists.
Custom work sits at the heart of what they do — helping each person arrive at their own unique design rather than choosing one off a wall. Getting started is deliberately easy: email the crew or come by the shop to talk your idea through. The website's gallery, along with the studio's Facebook and Instagram pages, offers a good look at recent work before you visit.
On the ground floor of 115 Spey Street, in the middle of Invercargill, Frostbite Tattoo has been quietly building one of Southland's most trusted tattoo studios. The shop opened its doors in 2002, and more than two decades later it is still doing what it set out to do: crafting tattoos with an eye fixed firmly on perfection.
That word — perfection — is not marketing gloss. It is, in the studio's own words, "the aim with which we go about our work." Over the years that approach has secured Frostbite an expert reputation, and it explains why the studio has remained a fixture of the Invercargill tattoo scene. At the helm is Craig, the owner and operator, who leads a crew of artists with a broad and varied set of skills.
One of the great advantages of choosing Frostbite Tattoo is the range available under one roof. Between all of the artists, the team is able to do almost every style of tattooing you may require. That matters more than it might first appear: rather than forcing your idea to suit the one style a studio happens to offer, the crew can match your concept with the artist whose strengths fit it best.
For clients, that means freedom. Bring a fully formed idea, a rough sketch, or just the seed of a concept, and the team can work with it. The emphasis at Frostbite is firmly on custom work: "We are here to help you get your own unique custom design," the studio says. Your tattoo should be yours alone.
Frostbite keeps the first step refreshingly simple. Feel free to email the crew, or come by the shop on Spey Street to talk through what you have in mind. There is no need to arrive with everything decided — part of the studio's job is helping you shape an idea into a design you will be happy to wear for life.
If you would like to get a feel for the studio before you visit, the website's gallery page showcases the team's work, and Frostbite is active on both Facebook and Instagram. Browsing those images is a good way to see the range of styles the artists handle and to spot work that resonates with what you are after.
More than twenty years in business says a lot about a tattoo studio. Tattoos are deeply personal, permanent decisions, and a studio only endures that long by earning trust one piece at a time. Frostbite Tattoo's longevity in Invercargill reflects consistent, careful work and a philosophy that has not changed since day one: perfection in, perfection out.
Finding the studio is easy. Frostbite Tattoo sits on the ground floor at 115 Spey Street in Invercargill Central, within reach of the city's shops and amenities. Phone the crew on 03 218 4285, email frostbitetattoocrew@gmail.com, or send a message through the contact form on the website.
A little preparation helps any tattoo go smoothly. Have a think about the style and placement you are drawn to, collect a few reference images, and bring them along — or attach them to an email — so the artists can give your idea proper consideration. And if you are unsure where to start, simply ask: between the whole team, almost every style of tattooing is covered, and the crew is happy to help you find the right fit.
Two decades on, Frostbite Tattoo remains what it was when it opened in 2002: an Invercargill studio where the aim is perfection and the goal is a design that is uniquely yours. Whether you are planning your first tattoo or adding to a growing collection, the crew at 115 Spey Street is ready to help you get it right.