Meet the Neighbors: Spirits in the Flesh Tattoo Studio

The TL. The Loin. The Trendy Loin. The Tender Nob. These are just a few of the names informally bestowed on the Tenderloin, one of San Francisco's oldest, and arguably most colorful, neighborhoods. Brimming with diverse histories -- the Tenderloin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places -- this stronghold of independently owned businesses in the city is also a mecca for myriad forms of art.

For the latest stop in our Meet the Neighbors series -- which features local businesses near the San Francisco City Center Hostel -- we're exploring the creative soul of the Tenderloin with a visit to Avelino de Avila's Spirits in the Flesh tattoo studio.

It doesn't take long to discover why Avelino de Avila is also known as "Mr. Unknown." When asked if his shop can be photographed, Avelino quickly dons an iridescent white and gold Lucha Libre mask and, without missing a beat, says that yes, now it can be. The reason behind the mask is simple yet charming -- Avelino wants his work to speak for itself.

Avelino's family moved to the Bay Area from Guadalajara, Mexico, when he was four years old. When Avelino was about 14, he met Phil Sims, "the godfather of tattooing," and the man who would go on to become his friend and mentor. Avelino started hanging out in Phil's Hayward tattoo studio on the daily, and though initially he resisted Phil's offers to teach him the trade, he eventually became his apprentice, and the rest is history. Avelino has been a professional tattoo artist for 25 years.

Being the counterculture and artist's haven that it is, San Francisco has no shortage of tattoo studios, and Avelino has seen many of them come and go during the 18 years he's been adorning folk's flesh from his small studio on Pine Street at Polk Street. Spirits in the Flesh has been around since 1996, and Avelino likens his longevity to a mom-and-pop coffee shop outliving the influx of a trendy coffee chain -- while they might lack flashy adornments, they know how to make good coffee.

Chatting with Avelino, it's easy to see that though he's a respected artist who has tattooed quite a few local celebrities (among them, professional baseball player Jason Giambi, former MLB pitcher Rob Dibble, and famed chef and owner of Fleur de Lys Hubert Keller), what he cares about is giving people "a nice clean tattoo," no matter who they are. He treats everyone equally and says that "a whole spectrum of people" come through his shop's doors.

Avelino has a great sense of humor about the more clandestine body parts he's been asked to tattoo, and he says that his job has helped him to become a more open-minded individual. "I'm not here to judge," Avelino says, though if you have no tattoos and you come in wanting the name of your significant other permanently emblazoned in your flesh, expect Avelino to ask a few probing questions to make sure that you really want that tattoo. If you say you're sure, Avelino is happy to oblige.

These qualities are exactly what made Anthony Jones, the Activities Coordinator at the City Center Hostel, decide to patronize Spirits in the Flesh. Anthony spent many months looking for the right person to do his sleeve tattoo and when he discovered Spirits in the Flesh, he was "so impressed that Avelino respected my interests and tattoo ideas. His creativity brought the sleeve to life." Anthony regularly recommends Avelino's welcoming studio to hostel guests who are hoping to add to their body art while they're in town. If you're looking for a permanent yet weightless memento of San Francisco, you'll be in expert hands with Avelino.

Spirits in the Flesh Tattoo Studio is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., and though Avelino works mostly by appointment, walk-ins are always welcome, subject to availability.

This article is the eighth in a series profiling the local businesses that neighbor the San Francisco City Center Hostel. We met up at White Walls Gallery last time, and before that we visited Gangway Bar, Leland Tea, Yemeni's, Olive Bar, Hyde Away Blues BBQ, and Hooker's Sweet Treats.