FORT MYERS, Fla. – A beloved local tattoo shop is closing its doors after a little over a year in business. Despite its short lifespan, the tattoo shop’s achievements left a mark on Southwest Florida’s underground art scene.
Mano Santa Tattoos, which opened in Fort Myers in November 2024, will close on Wednesday, February 25.
During its short-lived tenure, the shop hosted flash events, fashion shows, drag shows, art galleries, and multiple concerts, carving out a strong presence in the local community.
By Tim Belizaire
Frequent visitors to the shop had not taken the unique octagonal room for granted, showing profound appreciation for the inviting space.
By Matias Abril
Kimberly Lopez, or “Lopi,” intended the shop to be a hub for everyone to express their art.
CREDIT: Harleigh Maddison
By Matias Abril
“I wanted this to be a space where people who are different could be themselves and not feel like an outcast,” Lopez said. “A place where everybody belongs.”
While the decision to close up shop was difficult, Lopi remains thankful for this short yet impactful run.
“As much as I was trying to do a balance of tattoos and events to make this place work, it wasn’t enough,” she said.
Lopi attributed the issues leading to the shop’s closure to financial reasons, low demand for tattooing, and owning a local underground business in Southwest Florida.
CREDIT: Tim Belizaire
By Matias Abril
“There’s not enough traffic coming through as far as tattoos with walk-ins and stuff like that, and it’s just a massive space,” she said.
However, Lopi said that Mano Santa isn’t the only shop experiencing this issue, adding that it’s pertinent in the current tattoo industry.
“I’ve heard, not just from here, but from other shops, too, that it’s been really, really slow, and it’s caught up to us,” Lopi said.
This was her first time branching out and starting her own business, and she said that while she loves it, being a tattoo artist is more than just dragging needles across the skin.
“When you start a business, you really have to love it, especially if it’s something like this that’s a service,” she said. “Like, I work 24/7, and I reinvested all of my money into this place.”
Mano Santa’s initial momentum was accelerated by the multiple artists who Lopi mentored before and during the shop’s lifetime.
“Everybody played a part in this shop and helped run this place. I didn’t do it all by myself. It was a team effort,” she said.” It would have been impossible for me to do it by myself.”
“Bug”, who has worked with Lopi for five years, is grateful for the experience, despite the upsetting news.
“I am so heartbroken because this is a loss for the community we’ve built here. It felt like something really beautiful was just beginning in that space. But it’s very bittersweet, because I think this sort of emotional push can be really good for us as artists. For me, it’s the push to find my own path now,” they said.
Despite the impending closure, Lopi is excited to see the artists flourish in other opportunities.
“It was awesome because I got to get a few women under my wing and teach them the ways of tattooing and hopefully pave the way for them to be able to blossom,” she said.
She originally opened the shop with the intention of growing the Southwest Florida tattooing community.
“I really fought tooth and nail for this place, and it is bigger than me, so it was a lot of pressure. It really hurts because it wasn’t just about me. It was about the community and the artists here,” she said.
Housing multiple forms of art, allowing for expression through synergy, was an advantage according to Lopi, as it facilitated several events that enabled artists who may not have had an opportunity to connect to meet and grow.
By Tim Belizaire
“My favorite part about this business was getting the community involved and teaching them how to excel in this business or in this artistry. I feel like tattoos and music really tie in together in the form of expression,” Lopi said.
As a final goodbye, the shop rave will be held on Friday, featuring multiple local artists. Local organization Dead End Productions is hosting the event, immediately taking the opportunity to hold one final show.
“Mano Santa has done so much for us as a community,” said Ari, founder of Dead End Productions. “Lopi opened her doors when we needed it most. Not only was it a cool venue, but how many people could say they got a tattoo at a DJ show? We’ve hosted some pretty rad shows here in the past, so we had to do something cool for the last one.”
Lopi is going to take a break from owning and instead focus on her family, try to work at another shop, and be a traveling tattoo artist.
“I am very overwhelmed with gratitude to everybody who came and supported the spot. I’m very grateful to every band that came in here and to every creative person who has contributed to this place. We’ve had a lot of good parties, and I’m glad that I just lived to see it,” she said.
Credit: Tim Belizaire
By Tim Belizaire
The shop is located on 9681 Gladiolus Dr., Suite 205, Fort Myers. For Friday’s rave, doors are at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m.