This year marks the “lucky” 13th year of St. Louis’ premier tattoo giant, Steel and Ink Studio.
Owners and lifetime partners, Brandie and Shawn Medina have chosen to commemorate this milestone with a release of anniversary hoodies and sweatshirts emblazoned with their unmistakable logo and a discreet tribute to Jeff Burton who recently passed away after an arduous battle with cancer.
Burton was most recently known for his role on one of St. Louis’ top FM radio morning shows, The Rizzuto Show on 105.7 The Point. He crushed the normal lifespan of a radio personality, logging more than 30 years on the air, most of which were spent with The Point. He had a tremendous effect on everyone with whom he crossed paths and established a deep, lasting, and solid relationship with The Medinas since going under their needles and becoming a loyal customer, turned friend.
In a recent interview with studio owner, Brandie Medina, she shared “Jeff impacted me as a person and a business woman. His support of me personally and professionally was priceless.” She went on to share that they met when she was doing a fundraiser for Chron’s Disease in 2010, an affliction with which Jeff lived most of his life. She stated, “We were friends from that very day until he left to meet the creator.”
Medina said that they decided to put Jeff’s logo for his fundraising apparel, “b-line”, on their 13th year limited edition hoodie to “honor his life and solidify to everyone how much we loved him.”
Steel and Ink Tattoo Studio is not just your average ink spot. Unlike many of their industry brethren, the famed shop has a passion for giving to underserved communities and charities such as Shriners, women’s safe houses, Missouri Network and Opiate Reform, Chron’s Disease Foundation, local school fundraisers, St. Patrick’s charities, as well as volunteering as a crew to AmeriCorps to feed and house the homeless, and giving donations to those asking for support for a given fundraiser.
In keeping with their collective generosity, Steel and Ink offers a financial scholarship program every year for graduating high school seniors from the area called, “Good Decisions”. They currently donate $1000 to each of seven schools and the list is rapidly growing.
Steel and Ink Tattoo Studio is located at 3565 Ritz Center, St. Louis, Missouri 63125. You can reach them at 314-892-2828 and at www.steelandinkstudio.com.
Buy your limited edition 13th anniversary sweatshirt or hoodie HERE while supplies last.
Danya is a music junkie and an accomplished producer and writer. With over 20 years in the music and media industry, she worked in St. Louis radio as an on-air talent for 16 years, in television as a writer/producer/assignment editor at KMOV-TV, and started her own podcast at Radiodanya.com showcasing St. Louis’ local music scene, is currently the host of
Arch City Live and is an on-air talent on 105.7 The Point. She received her Bachelor Degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and her Masters Degree from Saint Louis University. In addition to contributing to Arch City Media, she is a writer/editor/photographer for an online publication dedicated to documenting live shows throughout the U.S.: The Spectatour: We Spectate, We Tour. Aside from music’s spectrum of genres, she is also an avid hockey, baseball, and soccer fan.
