As a tattoo artist who’s honed her craft for four years, current Kyle resident and native Austinite Leche Main realized there was something missing in the area.
Most residents who wanted to get inked had no other choice but commute elsewhere, primarily Austin, to find a tattoo parlor.
Main changed that mentality in January when she opened Kyle’s first tattoo parlor, Fine Line Tattoo, located along FM 2770. Doing so fulfilled a dream she’s held since she began tattooing.
“It’s very exciting to open the first tattoo parlor/art gallery in Kyle,” Main said.
Main’s path toward opening a tattoo parlor began roughly around the time she started learning how to ink tattoos.
She said she had plans in place in Austin to develop her own tattoo parlor.
But circumstances put those dreams on hold, after the plans she had fell through.
It wasn’t until she moved to Kyle that her plans began to build once again.
At that time, Main found property in a small strip mall along FM 2770 where she could operate her business. What made the property even more enticing was it was close to her home.
Upon finding the property, Main finally had her chance to give the city what she felt it needed – a tattoo parlor.
“There is definitely a need for tattoo parlors in Kyle,” she said. “The opportunity to own this store just fell in my lap.”
Main said her clientele ranges from 18-year-olds who are getting their first tattoo to those 60 years and older. She said she’s so far inked a person who was 71 years old.
The majority of her customers are between the ages of 20 and 35, she said.
“I see the teens show interest, but I haven’t had a lot of teenage customers,” Main said.
Main operates the small tattoo parlor/art gallery with the help of one apprentice, which allows her to limit her cost to customers.
For Main, making her skills affordable is a focus that comes from her mentor, who told her to be passionate about her work, but also to ensure others could afford it, too.
Main also uses her tattoo art to donate funds to charitable organizations, such as the PAWS animal shelter in Kyle.
Through her Paws for PAWS program, Main’s customers can opt to have their pet’s paw tattooed on their body for $50 to $60 dollars.
Proceeds from that tattoo go directly to the PAWS shelter.
“The paw print tattoos are my favorite to do. I love whenever someone comes in with a paw print,” Main said.
Main has been donating money to PAWS through the program on and off for three months and said the amount of customers interested in this donation show just how much the community of Kyle cares about PAWS.
“It (getting a paw print tattoo where proceeds go to PAWS) makes customers feel good because they are contributing to a cause that matters,” Main said.
