BRUNSWICK, Ohio — Whether it's in your rearview mirror or rolling through your neighborhood, Bill Hughes' converted ambulance turns heads.
After years of working at formal brick-and-mortar tattoo parlors, the Westlake man spent around $20,000 nearly three years ago to buy and retrofit a 1998 International 4700 ambulance to become his on-the-go tattoo shop.
"The more that I’m with it, the more it grows on me," Hughes smiled. "I think what I’m getting out of this is a lot of freedom, being my own boss and controlling my own destiny. Yes, it’s costly, and yes, it's hard, but at the end of the day, you feel a lot better about yourself."
We watched as Hughes pulled into a customer's Brunswick driveway, set up his office in minutes and got to work. On average, Hughes told News 5 he will work with 1-2 customers a day.
"If there’s one day where I’m doing pretty roses and the next day I’m doing flames skulls, I’m pretty happy," he said. "As long as I can put down what they have in their head or what they have in their dreams, I feel like I’ve accomplished my goals."
Hughes thought of the idea 15 years ago but finally pulled the trigger during the pandemic. As someone who specializes in taking an old tattoo and covering it up with something new, the idea of abandoning an office and transforming an ambulance didn’t seem that unusual.
"I realized keeping the overhead was too much, and it was wiser to do something different," he said. "Being able to have everything I need at my disposal is great. It’s like working on a submarine."
And this tricked-out ambulance isn’t just for the greater Cleveland area. Hughes told News 5 that the truck goes on the road to shows and events across the country with his family.
"It's a lifestyle more than an occupation," Hughes explained. "Definitely show[ing] my kids the country. There's just so many reasons I like this as an idea as opposed to a sticks and stones building."
To learn more about the business (or to get a tattoo), click here.
Clay LePard is a special projects reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on Twitter @ClayLePard or on Facebook Clay LePard News 5.
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