Little Loo’s opened its doors on June 7th of 2016. Little Nani Pattison embarked on her dream of owning a tattoo shop at the age of 19, with her Dad, Jeff, and close family and friends firmly beside her, forming a strong support system that fueled her journey.

Jeff Pattison instilled wonder and ambition in Nani from a young age, encouraging her to be anything she wanted to be. He nicknamed her “Little Looper Loo,” which later inspired the name for his first tattoo shop and then Nani’s.

With his own passion for creating and a heavy interest in the art of tattooing, Jeff started learning the trade in 2005. Out of amusement one day, he let Nani perform her first-ever tattoo on him when she was only 9 years old! This sparked her love for the art and for becoming a tattooist herself. When Jeff was ready to open his first tattoo parlor in 2008, he named it Little Loo’s Tattoos in Marshalltown, Iowa, but it was short-lived.

They eventually moved to Perry, Iowa, where Jeff started his second small business venture. He opened Small Town Tattoo in a small business storefront on Willis Avenue. He taught Nani the ins and outs of running the business, and she continued to draw, practice, and learn from him.

After graduation, Nani took a year to work, save, and plan. At the beginning of 2016, she was ready to start putting her plan into action. She signed the lease for a space on Willis Avenue, the same space where Small Town Tattoos had been. On June 7th of 2016, she opened her doors, with Jeff by her side, to watch and guide her if need be.