I apprenticed for a year in a dying shop, tattoo'd from home abt 9 yrs, got a private office studio for 6 yea and have run a mall tattoo shop for 7. I understand why some tatters wanna do their own thing. But to say that shop owners are all greedy and robbing artists is bullshit. Im sure there ARE some who do. You have your share of the split and the shop keeps its due. But -You dont keep the owner's share of the stress or his/her concerns-which can actually cause health problems.