My name is Mark Montgomery.

I am the owner of the zone tattooing body piercing.

My wife is co-owner and manager.

I am piercer by trade.

I started in this industry as, EMT, so I thought that would be interesting.

While I was going through college, I could pierce and make some money and then retire and be a body piercer.

Nicole Montgomery, we've been together 14 years.

I've been managing about seven.

and I also teach at the university psychology.

The zone is tattooing body piercing studio.

We offer, a complete line of body jewelry.

We carry some of the top makers in the USA and abroad.

As far as our artwork.

it's not limited to your imagination.

I mean, anything you can think of.

my guys can come up with the art and do it for you.

The zone was established in 1997.

March 10th.

I at the time was, full time firefighter here for the city and EMT.

So as a firefighter, you only work ten days a month.

So I had 20 days a month to do something I liked.

And so I decided to open the studio, and it just kind of grew from there.

As far as standing out, we were in the first studio in Missouri to be, become a member of the Association of Professional Piercer.

Basically, what that means is we had to meet their criteria as far as the quality of jewelry, how we do sterilization, and, techniques i n the piercing room.

I think there's now 7 or 8 studios, which is not very many out of the hundreds in the entire state, that have become members.

So, it's something I'm very proud of and, you know.. a safe educational environment for, for our clients.

I think the other thing that sets us apart is not only has he managed to be in business for 27 years is not only do we care about our customers, and we want that good client experience, every single time, but we make sure that all of our people have more than adequate training to do the job that they're assigned.

We don't have tattoo artists at Pierce.

We don't have piercings.

But tattoo, you are honed into that one .. and that's what you do when you do your best at that.

As far as like jewelry and everything here is made in the USA.

It's implant grade, meaning it's the same thing that's used in titanium hip replacements to pins and screws in your body.

So.

But as far as impact the city, we've we sponsor charities and golf tournaments and stuff over the years.

I go to schools for, for career Day.

I've gone to the college and spoke, just to kind of put people and, you know, give them the information they're looking for or point them in the right direction.

But, I mean, I try to support communities as much as possible.

Initially when I first got piercings, it was for that pain, adrenaline rush, the control of my own body.

And I mean, I've done play piercing where it's not permanent piercings, it's to make designs and have the endorphin release, for people.

For some people to be able to reclaim their body if they've been, y.. traumatized or, in a, in a bad situation.

That's what I was gonna say.

As we pierce from a trauma informed per.. some people do come in and it is that adrenaline.

And it is that kind of to take away the numbness feeling because they've been through a traumatic event.

So we try to keep all of that in mind.

here's from that perspective.

For me, all of my piercings we.. or unique or whatever.

as silly as that may sound, it just makes you, kind of like, feel better, you know, decorate your temple.

That's right.

My favorite thing about piercing a sinner expression.

When they see it for the first thing, they're like, oh my God, I love it.

You know, make me people happy.

Seeing that smile or cry sometimes it's it's a good cry.

So.

For more I started at night, 97.

You know, people couldn't have a have a job and have their, you know, teeny tiny little nose piercing, let alone walk in with a full sleeve.

And so, yeah, the industry has changed.

Things just become more accepted.

we try to have a relaxed environment.

so it's just more laid back, you know, and make people feel comfortable, safe.

I'm very much be you don't let somebody dictate how you live your life, which can also be negative to be you too much depending on what you're trying to do.

So when somebody wants something, either they Google us, Facebook, Yelp, I mean, you know, people ask questions and tell them to come in or when artists will be in in our time of ours, you know, we open at noon, we take our last piercing in at 730.

As far as piercings, it's always first come, first serve.

so we get to people as quick as we can, with tattoos, you know, we do our bigger pieces during the week.

And so we set up Saturdays as small walk in tattoo day.

And normally, like I said, there's a line out the door.

And, you know, we've got 8 or 9 people waiting to get tattooed.

And so it's a long day for the tattoo artists.

but they enjoy it.

So you can find us, in Warrensburg, Missouri.

The easiest land spot would be right next to Sonic.

and it's 417 North McGuire Street.

Sweeting.

our website is the Zone tattoo.com.. look us up at the zone tattoo on on Facebook as well.

And, and Instagram.