The moment you step across the threshold of the new Buried Wealth Tattoo Collective location, you feel it: a palpable shift in atmosphere. It’s not the familiar, intimidating vibe of a ‘traditional’ tattoo shop; no black walls, no barrage of skulls and skateboards, no weathered bikers hanging out in the corner, no coffee tin of cigarette butts on the front stoop. Instead, you’re enveloped in something far more inviting – dare I say regal – nestled within the bones of an old century home on Owen Sound’s 10th Street West.
For the record, I absolutely subscribe to that old school tattoo shop vibe. I’ve never sat in a tattoo shop and felt uncomfortable, per se – but this one? It’s totally unlike any shop I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. It’s warm, homey, and loaded with a unique charm that will challenge the stigma that has dug its ugly claws into the industry. This is not your estranged uncle’s tattoo shop.
This new physical space is more than just an upgrade; it’s the solid grounding of a “new spot, new era”, says co-owner Agella Kodopulos (@a.tatts). Buried Wealth is a beautiful, almost fated partnership between two best friends and artists. The move was born from necessity and a mutual evolution. Co-owner Emma Russwurm (@fallen__tattoos), having reached a new plateau in her career, felt the old space at Studio 1437 was restrictive.
“I’d outgrown the old space,” says Emma, after blessing me with two small tats. “I needed to grow financially and just career-wise. It made sense for me to open my own thing.”
We don’t want people coming in here – especially first timers who might be nervous – and being overwhelmed. We want them coming in here thinking ‘Oh, this isn’t just another intense tattoo shop covered in skulls and nonsense.’ We’re trying to break the stereotype of tattoo shops being terrifying by creating an environment that feels calm.
Meanwhile, Agella, who owned the original shop, was facing her own personal need to simplify.
“I was so overwhelmed in my life that I literally needed to downsize,” she explains, noting that her values and priorities had fundamentally changed since first opening the business. The universe, it seems, intervened with perfect – if chaotic – timing. Emma’s decision to leave triggered an unexpected, but exhilarating plan.
“We ended up at my apartment sitting on the kitchen floor, and asked ourselves, ‘are we just gonna open something the two of us?’” she laughs. “I was crying,” agrees Agella. The bond of friendship and shared creative spirit was too strong to sever, leading to the collective’s rebirth.
So, the search for a new shop was on. Emma stumbled upon a listing for the main floor of a gorgeous century home, which had sat empty for 181 days. “I was thinking, no one wants this? This is incredible,” she recalls. Despite the lingering societal stigma around the tattoo industry – the artists charmed the owners. Their commitment to preserving the building’s heart and soul meant that the only changes made were those that enhanced its original nature. “We told them right from the get-go – we both appreciate the historical value of this place. It didn’t need to change much.”
The lobby – let me tell you. It screams old money. Rich caramel pleated leather couches, peacock taxidermy, oak millwork, an old school Victorian hearth, accents of gold, a plethora of books and art. It’s exquisite. In the main shop lies the “Viking table” – a massive Ash live edge work of art the girls use for drawing, catching up, and meeting together. Above my head as Emma’s needle pierces my skin, original painted Japanese and Americana tattoo works preside over the room.
The collective’s guiding principle is simple: be approachable, warm, and anti-intimidating. As I take another look around, it’s Agella’s turn to tattoo me. The burn of the needle tickles the back of my arm, and we keep chatting.
“We don’t want people coming in here – especially first timers who might be nervous – and being overwhelmed. We want them coming in here and thinking ‘Oh, this isn’t just another intense tattoo shop covered in skulls and nonsense,’” laughs Agella. “We’re trying to break the stereotype of tattoo shops being terrifying by creating an environment that feels calm.” This community-minded focus will extend into the future, with plans to host art classes, including painting, sculpting, and even taxidermy.
As I walk out the door with my new ink neatly wrapped up, it occurs to me that Buried Wealth Tattoo Collective is an experience, not just a service. The girls have nurtured their art form into a legit community, and a comfortable haven created by artists who understand that tattooing is a high-stakes, permanent medium. They’re proving that a tattoo shop can be a space where genuine artistry is unburied, celebrated, and shared with the community.
It’s safe to say I’ll be back.
If you want to book an appointment: visit: instagram.com/buried.wealth
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Words and photos by Nelson Phillips
