As we have read so far, there is a long history that lead up to the birth of The Aloha Monkey. If you haven’t read our blogs on Sailor Jerry and Mike Malone, definitely go back and read through. There was a lot that happened before The Aloha Monkey came to be, but this is going to be the story of the shop itself and the current owner and tattoo artist, Josh Arment.

- Josh and his mom Linda at the new shop

It All Started with an Old Man and a Tattoo Shop

Mike Malone was a tattoo artist that was a bit of a late bloomer by not breaking into the industry until he was in his 30’s. Once he got into tattooing, it was only about 3 years into it that he ended up taking on the white whale of inheriting Sailor Jerry’s shop in Hawaii. For someone who had such little experience, this was a pretty sizable undertaking. He tattooed there for decades but after a while, island fever hit, so he decided that it was time to move on.

He tried Texas and Seattle for a while, but nothing really felt right. Eventually he met a woman that was tattooing in Minnesota and in spending some time up here, he discovered that there weren’t many tattoo shops. However, there were plenty of people that wanted to get tattooed. So, he set up shop between Highway 35E and 35W in Burnsville. It was the only tattoo shop in Burnsville and Mike thought he found a honey hole.

In paying homage to what started it all, he named it The Aloha Monkey and put Sailor Jerry’s monkey tattoo design of Romeo on the logo. With the name and location, he was able to market to the Twin Cities and the suburbs, as well as get his spot closer to the top of the phone book. The logo was as much in remembrance of Norman Collins as it was a bit of a way to get a rise out of the conservative Northern Europeans that made up most of the Minnesota population at the time. If you knew Rollo, you knew he liked to do things just for the simple entertainment that came with making people upset over trivial things like a monkey’s butthole front and center on a logo.

Long Hours, Hard Work, and an Appreciation for the Traditions

Though Mike had run Jerry’s shop for some years with minimal help, in his older age, he knew he’d need to add some bodies to the operation. There were two young men that were tattooing outside a naval base in Illinois that he had been writing back and forth for some time after they purchased a few of his tattoo machines. Mike asked if they knew any good tattooers, but they showed up instead of just giving a recommendation. Rollo obviously spent enough time with Zeke Owens, because he essentially told these guys, Josh and Keith, that he wanted someone good and not them.

Turns out it was worth it. Josh Arment was 6 months behind Keith on his apprenticeship, so Keith showed up first. At that time, Josh was working full time at a shop down in Illinois and would drive up at the end of his work week to come learn from Mike Malone and absorb all that The Aloha Monkey had to offer. Putting in more hours than most people at that age, Josh was determined to learn all there was in tattooing. Seven days a week for over half a year, Josh worked on his skills with Mike and the other shop.

Once the apprenticeship was over for Josh, he came up to work full time with the old man and actually ended up moving in with him and Keith. The shop had grown to having a front desk attendant and a piercer. The Aloha Monkey was really popular for the simple fact that the community finally had someplace to go that they could trust with consistency and quality work. It was (and still is) one of the top rated tattoo shops in Minnesota and the world of tattooing, so people from the area were stoked to have something close by.

Handing off The Aloha Monkey Torch

Josh Arment had obviously put quite a bit of blood, sweat, and tears into what he was doing in tattooing and at The Aloha Monkey. When Rollo decided to go back to California to take care of his mother, he asked Josh to take it over. So, just like Jerry’s shop was passed down to Mike, Mike’s shop was passed down to Josh. He was careful of who he brought into the shop and held the fort down knowing that it was something special.

Josh Arment is one of the few artists that was able to learn from a “great” that learned from one of the “greatest” artists in history. When it comes to carrying the torch, Josh is one of the best Japanese American traditional tattoo artists in the Midwest. He came up with the guidance of an incredible mentor and had the work ethic to put it all together into a tattoo career. Much like the mentors that came before him.

In 2006, Josh began traveling and making more connections in the tattoo world. Many of his contemporaries welcomed him with open arms, as Mike Malone’s impact and value to the industry preceded him. Josh was learning how to do larger scale work on the road, holding down a busy walk-in schedule, and juggling the entire business for a bit. The shop had its ebbs and flows, but Josh was able to find a trustworthy crew to help him balance the rigor and frenzy.

In line with the tradition of American tattoo shops, Josh has always focused the business towards maintaining consistent walk-in availability. Too many shops only do work by appointment, and Josh understood the importance of walk-ins. So, any time the shop is open, people could come in and get their tattoo done. Appointments are available for large work, but the importance of walk-ins is how tattoo shops were born. So it is a staple he wanted to keep.

World Famous While Maintaining Classic Tattoo Shop Vibes

The Aloha Monkey is definitely a gem in the north, but we aren’t just well-known throughout the Midwest. People from around the world know about us. We often have guest artists that travel from all over the world itching to work alongside us for a week. They are all blown away by how Josh Arment does business and really makes the shop work. The most common feedback we get is how it’s such a “well-oiled machine.” It’s a shop that creates a fun and comfortable place for both employees and clients to vibe and enjoy the tattooing experience together.

- Josh with crew and guests at new shop josh tattooing with buddies out of state

We try to have spots open on a monthly basis for featured artists belonging to the top 1% of tattoo talent from across the world. Having this available for our customers to experience is incredible considering you typically have to attend conventions for the chance to get something done by an all-star tattooer. Here at The Aloha Monkey? It’s our usual! We love being able to provide the unique opportunity for stellar work from world-renowned artists that would usually be a plane ride away or with a mile-long waiting list at a convention right here in our own location.

Maintaining One of the Top Rated Tattoo Shops in Minnesota

Over the years, the shop has definitely changed from what it started as, but it was built on the same idea of being a classic tattoo shop that provides good quality work and a welcoming atmosphere. How many times have you walked into a shop and the vibe was off, so you ended up not having a great experience? With The Aloha Monkey, we want to make sure that everything we do is geared towards providing each individual that walks through the door a place to be themselves and know that we are being our unique and true selves every time they see us.

It’s a lot of work creating a place like this, and it’s taken years to accomplish it, but man was it worth the time and effort. Because we are still considered one of the best tattoo shops in Minnesota and the world after all these years.

“I think the reason that I’ve been so successful in this business as The Aloha Monkey is because I treat people fairly, I do what I say I’m going to do, I keep consistent hours, and I care more about what I’m providing you more than you actually do. — And you can’t get that from just anywhere.” - Josh Arment

From the people that we hire to the art on the walls, we want to make sure that the traditions and ethics are upheld. It’s clean, it’s inviting, and we have fun with good quality art and people. That’s what the tattoo business should be.

So, the next time you are in the area and looking to get a tattoo done or just want to check out the shop for a glimpse into what we’ve built, come see us at The Aloha Monkey Tattoo. Walk-ins are welcome any time of the day during our working hours. Get pierced, tattooed, tooth gems, or micro blading done. We have it all because we wouldn’t be in the top rated tattoo shops in Minnesota if we didn’t.

Oh, and be sure to look at the walls while you wait. Much of Rollo’s original flash sheets and art works, as well as other memorable artists, are still hung floor to ceiling. It all started with him, and we’re happy Josh took such good care of it after Mike moved on. It wouldn’t be what it is today without him.