Best friends and co-owners Sheyla Rabelo and Sona Khamneh opened Beauty is Pain Tattoo and Body Piercing, 9115 W. Oklahoma Ave., in 2024. The Latina-owned shop was built to be a space where both artists and clients can feel comfortable being who they are.
The business offers a range of services, including tattoos, body piercings, tooth gems, body waxing and nail services. Most of the shop’s employees are women.
“I wanted to make sure that everybody had a safe, comfortable place to come and get their services done,” said Rabelo.
Khamneh and Rabelo vet every artist who works at the shop, whether they are a tattooer, nail technician or piercer.
“A lot of our nail clients wanted tattoos, and tattoo clients wanted nails and piercings,” said Khamneh.
When Rabelo and Khamneh decided to merge two businesses under one roof, they saw an opportunity to build something unique. With help from Khamneh’s daughter, who already had nail expertise, the pair turned Beauty is Pain into a one-stop shop for self-expression.
The owners say it is common for clients to come in for a manicure and pedicure, then get a tattoo and then get a piercing, turning their visit into a full-day experience.
Every year for Halloween, tattoo shops across the country host spooky flash tattoo events. Beauty is Pain Tattoo and Body Piercing is no different. The shop attracts clients from all walks of life who come in for the inclusive environment and stay for the quality artists, the owners said.
There are fewer than a dozen women-owned and operated tattoo shops in Milwaukee. Rabelo says she feels empowered to be an owner of one of those shops, especially in such a male-dominated field.
“There are good days and bad days, but for the most part, I enjoy it. I love it. This is what I like to do.” Sheyla Rabelo
Making the shop a place where people feel comfortable is a big emphasis for Rabelo and Khamneh, who are bilingual. They have a lot of clients who only speak Spanish.
“I do a lot of translations, and so does she [Khamneh], but they feel comfortable, and that’s what I want,” said Rabelo.
Beauty is Pain Tattoo and Body Piercing’s inclusive atmosphere draws a large LGBTQ+ community as well. Many clients feel a sense of safety and comfort when they learn the shop is woman-owned, according to tattoo artist Phoenix Pigeon.
“Other shops I’ve worked at, there’s a background hum of discomfort, and I don’t have that here; everybody feels welcome.” Phoenix Pigeon
Creating a space where both artists and clients feel welcome has been central to the shop’s identity.
“It just kind of became a family environment. Everybody who works here is kind of like family,” said Khamneh.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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