New Tattoo Studio to Celebrate Grand Opening in Alton
The Sept. 19 grand opening at Nautilus Fitness Center gives visitors a look at how Yvonne Barnes and Tabitha Schulte plan to combine body art, wellness and self-care.
Celebrating New Beginnings: Fitness for the Soul & Still Standing Ink’s Grand Opening
ALTON - Community members can learn more about local self-care services and body art at an upcoming tattoo studio’s grand opening in Nautilus Fitness Center.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, Still Standing Ink Tattoo Studio will celebrate their opening within Fitness for the Soul at Nautilus Fitness Center. Friends Yvonne Barnes with Still Standing Ink and Tabitha Schulte with Fitness for the Soul can’t wait to collaborate and share their businesses with the community.
“I had just this inspiration to help people, to make people feel better, and to make their day better, just one person at a time, and that has morphed into something even more than I could have even dreamed it would be,” Schulte said. “As we add on more amazing people to the team, that just adds to the experience that you get at Fitness for the Soul. It’s exciting to see the growth.”
Schulte met Barnes at a party several years ago. They quickly became friends as Schulte opened Fitness for the Soul, which specializes in massage therapy, facials, vitamin infusions, lash extensions and spray tans.
As the business has grown, Schulte wanted to find a way to incorporate Barnes’s talent for tattooing. Barnes specializes in fineline, floral, memorials and “edgy” tattoos. The duo decided that Still Standing Ink would join Fitness for the Soul at Nautilus.
The grand opening party on Sept. 19 will celebrate this collaboration. There will be music, photo opportunities, games, snacks, giveaways and more. Barnes will offer flash tattoo specials, and attendees have the opportunity to win a free 6”x6” black and white tattoo.
Tattooing is special to Barnes. She started Still Standing Ink after going through several health challenges. The name speaks to her determination to keep going and spreading joy through tattoos. She understands that tattoos mean a lot to her clients, too, and she tries to honor this with every piece she does.
“I think everyone has a story, and it’s different when you get to carry it on your skin and actually make a statement,” she explained. “Sometimes, it’s stories that I put on there that people just don’t have the words quite for. The tattoo will speak for it. And some people just use it for ink therapy and just have some time for themselves and have body art on them that they love and enjoy.”
Schulte has a similar appreciation for the work she does. She recognizes that it can be hard to “tune in” to one’s body and engage with self-care. She hopes her massage therapy, facials, vitamin infusions and other services inspire her clients to take that time and connect with themselves.
“We really like to just keep people all day long,” she joked. “We’re your one-stop shop. We really like for people to come in and feel like we are just there for them and that their time is our time, and we are just there to treat them like they should be treated: special.”
As the duo prepares for their grand opening party on Sept. 19, they hope to welcome many people out for a fun day and continue to grow as they go. For more information about the grand opening event, click here or visit the official Facebook event page.
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