ADRIAN — For Kari Chapman, opening her own tattoo shop, Dragonfly Tattoo Co. in downtown Adrian, is the realization of a lifelong dream. 

“This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. 

Chapman is a graduate of Sand Creek High School. She studied graphic arts and photography at Jackson College before she started building her tattoo career. She named the shop the Dragonfly Tattoo Co. because she felt that the dragonfly reflects her journey as a tattoo artist. 

“Dragonflies are extremely resilient,” Chapman said. “Even if they do get damaged, they just continue to go on.”

“I’ve had a pretty hard time building up my tattoo career, so it just felt like the right thing,” she said.

Chapman spent a little under a year at Good Life Tattoo in downtown Adrian — where she learned different styles of drawing and other techniques, such as shading — while she was waiting for “the right moment” to start learning the actual tattoo work. She then worked at Tecumseh Tattoo for 1 ½ years before opening her own shop. 

Dragonfly Tattoo opened on Oct. 14, 2024, the same day that Chapman got approval from the Lenawee County Health Department.  She is glad that she “took the leap” into opening her own business. 

“I make this shop my own, with my vibe, my style,” she said. “It’s my life, my fun. It’s been kind of amazing since I’ve opened.”

Chapman said that she hasn’t had a problem building up a client base, especially when it comes to repeat customers.  

“They almost always book another appointment before they leave, which is fantastic,” she said. She is currently booking a few months out.

Prices start at $75 minimum for small, outline tattoos, and go up based on the amount of work, the size of the piece, and the amount of detail in the image. 

Chapman is glad to be downtown, especially because her family owns Nutrition 360, located “just around the corner.”

“Honestly, the community down here is so great,” Chapman said. “I see so much potential for downtown and I’m so happy to be a part of it.” 

Dragonfly Tattoo is at 106 W. Maumee St., Adrian. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. For more information, call 517-366-9476.