He's studied under traditionalists in Japan, tattooed at conventions around the world, and apprenticed with his good friend, Ami James on TLC's hit reality show, N.Y. Ink. 

Now, Billy DeCola is bringing his tattooing skills to the table in Burnaby, where he'll soon be opening up a shop of his own.

During a telephone interview with the Straight late last week, the Florida-spawned tattoo artist explained why he's decided to set up shop in Greater Vancouver:

"I've lived her for a few years now, but my wife is actually from Vancouver—her whole family lives here—so when we had our kids, we decided this would be a great place to raise them," DeCola says.

He added that the city’s rich tattoo community, multiculturalism, and natural landscape were also important factors in his decision to start a business here.

Although DeCola has made a name for himself as an artist that specializes in traditional Japanese pieces, he expects that his work at the new shop will reflect the diversity of Vancouver’s population.

"There's such a vast range of people in Vancouver, and I think with different cultures, there's a certain style of tattoo that each one identifies with," he says.

"You know what happens when you start doing one style; people start coming to you for it more and more," DeCola says. "I think what I've mostly done are these larger scale Japanese pieces, but I'm sure I'll see everything from American traditional to new school stuff," he says, noting that just before our phone call, he had been working on a script-based tattoo for a friend.

DeCola says his shop, Kiku Tattoo Parlour—named after the Japanese word for chrysanthemum—will likely open around May 1. The shop will be located along the Canada Way corridor, one block east of Boundary Road.

DeCola signed a lease for the 800-square-foot retail space back in February.

As for the shop's scheduling and hours, he says the space will function as a private studio. For the most part, tattoos will be by appointment only, but certain dates will be set aside for consultations and walk-ins.

"I want the experience to be a little more private for the people that decide to get tattooed here," says DeCola. "That's how it is in Japan—it’s a very sacred thing that you're doing, tattooing your body, and it's not good for me or the tattoo to have constant interruptions.

"I think I'll be busy enough that I won't need to have the doors open all the time, dealing with people asking to use the bathroom," DeCola says with a chuckle.

The artist says he will have three to four tattooing stations in the shop, which have yet to be filled. He’ll hire one or two resident artists that each specialize in different styles, while one chair will be reserved for guest artists and friends that he says are keen to come up and tattoo in Vancouver.

Stay tuned for a tour of the shop and more info on Kiku Tattoo Parlour. To view more of DeCola's work, check out his Instagram.