gwan soon lee tattoos missisauga racist person owns this place and non trained people working there piercer is 16 missisauga, Ontario Canada

 I agree with the poster. Nothing has changed in 5 years. The old lady did mine and argued my choice but did not say that she couldn't do it. It's absolutely hideous. When I expressed my concern, the younger lady got extremely angry and rude. I was in tears. It was a memorial tattoo and felt more like a mockery than a tribute. They demanded I pay and get out. The shop had several teenage customers while I was there. I imagine that's where the good reviews came from; kids who couldn't find a reputable artist to do the work for them. If you go there, factor in the cost of the coverup tattoo, you'll need one. Please research your artist before allowing them to permanently ink you. These women are not qualified.

I went to Gwan Soon Lee Tattoos over the winter of 2012 to get a Tattoo done. One thing to note is that I do know the owner's daughter from school, so that is what originally got me in the door.

With that being said I had a set requirement for my Tattoo parlour of choice and I had done extensive research on the web for what to avoid and what to look for.

The experience the author described is extremely out of character for the people I engaged with at the shop. Gina was extremely helpful in the decision making process of getting my Tattoo. She explained everything in detail, went over after care, and offered alternative solutions to problems I brought up.

I would like to note that I am of Indian descent, and I was not treated negatively at all. I referred two of my friends to her since and they have all had very positive experiences.

I have no experience with piercing, so I cannot coment on that, but I will say that the experience detailed above seemed extremely abnormal given the character of the people that work at Gwan Soon Lee.

It is unfortunate that the author of the original complaint had a bad experience.

I have had a large, time consuming tattoo done at Gwan Soon Lee Tattoos and have had the opportunity to see many customers come and go from the shop.  I can confirm the following:

There is no prejudice in the shop.  People of many different ethnicities frequent the shop.  Several black fellows got awesome tattoos on their chests with phrasing and fonts that they chose.  They were treated no different than myself or anyone else.       

The fellow there is Gwan Soon's partner and his name is Jim; not Joe.  He is a warm, respectful fellow who makes you feel at home when you are there.  He helps Gwan Soon and her Daughter Gina run the shop.  He has some pretty amazing tattoos on his forearms too - exemplary of the quality and detail you get from the shop.

Gwan Soon and her daughter are Korean; not Chinese.  Neither of them speak Chinese.

Gina is in her 20's, not teens.  She is quite experienced and mature beyond her years.

The shop is certainly not a "rub and tug".  It is a family business and it is run professionally.  They are in the business of tattoos and body piercing.  The back room does not have a cot style bed.  It is an adjustable bench for body piercing.  The front room has a bench in an open area for people to lay down for their tattoos.  There are also adjustable chairs for tattooing in the front room. 

Many customers come into the shop trying to negotiate the price down.  I myself am guilty of having tried that too (not a good way to start off).  It is expensive to run a shop like this with all of the attention to sterilization and cleanliness, along with planning and design.  Therefore it can set things off in the wrong direction for both the shop owner and the customer if people start getting into "take 10% off" mode.  I got an incredible deal in the end and tipped accordingly.

Anyone can feel nervous and edgy going into a tattoo shop to get some work done.  There is a certain amount of anxiety and anticipation that one has to overcome to walk through the door and explain to a total stranger how they want to change their body.  This can cause a person to scare easily, especially if the discussion is going astray and the connection fails.

Both the tattoo artist and the individual need to be comfortable with each other for the work to be a success.  Sometimes the fit just isn't there, and it is best to try another shop where one feels more comfortable.  

My experience at Gwan Soon Lee Tattoos was terrific.  Gwan Soon, Jina and Jim made me feel at home.  I ate dinner with them during my long tattoo sessions.  At times we were deep in conversation, while at other times I was able to relax and zone-out while Gina did one of the most incredible tattoos she has ever done on my back.  I am proud of it. 

Check out my dragon tattoo on the website www.gwansoonleetattoo.com.  Call the shop to book an appointment to discuss your dream body mod.  Don't try to whittle the price down.  The pricing is as reasonable as it gets at Gwan Soon Lee Tattoos and you will leave the shop a happy customer in the end.