SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It's all about offering a place for people to look good. That's what Jason Pound, owner of Skinlust Tattoo and Tanning, wants his store to offer Yellowknife residents looking for new ink, a nice tan and original, unique designer clothing.

Jason Pound, owner of Skinlust Tattoo and Tanning, shows off one of the many designer pieces of clothing the store has to offer at is location just off Range Lake Road near Sam's Monkey Tree. Skinlust opened its doors for the first time on Monday. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

A long-time Yellowknife resident, Pound said he wants to bring something to starving residents who, before opening on Monday, had to order on-line to get or had to fly south for designer clothing and body art.

"We're looking to (market to) people who want to look good," Pound said, sitting on a black leather couch at the front of the newly-renovated store just a few doors down from Sam's Monkey Tree off Range Lake Road. "I like the clothing, some is a bit too flashy for me, but a lot of people like them. It's for the different generations coming up, they like this stuff."

Pound said people who like the clothing Skinlust carries, which include designers like Christine Audigier and Ed Hardy, want them partly because of their uniqueness and limited edition numbers. Designer lines only make a quantity of each piece of clothing, distributing them across North America and the world.

"Getting the clothing line was tough," Pound said, noting that the limited-edition clothing is a hot commodity, globally. "It's hard to get the real deal. Now we're with a good supplier so things will get easier."

Day in and day out since November, Pound has spent countless hours preparing the store for it's official opening. The location, with a cool and relaxed atmosphere, is packed with designer clothing, arranged on racks and hanging from the walls. Following the hardwood floors past the reception area, customers will find into a cozy and comfortable tattoo parlour. With a fresh look and inviting atmosphere, Pound said the shop will bring a sigh of relief to those who want to get tattoo work done and pick up the newest designer clothing.

"This city needed it," Pound said, adding friends and family have helped get the store to its opening day. "We did all the renovations and got everything ready.

"The renovations were tough, too. You get all the hardwood in and paint, and then there is the doorknobs you missed - and you might punch a hole in the wall and you gotta fix that. So it's been a busy few months getting things done."

An off-the-job leg injury forced Pound out of his work on the oil rigs in Alberta, and gave him time to do what he had always wanted: to open his own store.

"I can't do that kind of work (on oil rigs) anymore, and I've always wanted to do my own thing so I went with this," Pound said, admitting things turned out differently than he had expected.

"I didn't think I was going to get into the tattoo thing, but it all kind of just fell into my lap and everything just snowballed from there."

Pete Pardy, a tattoo artist for eight years, is the in-store artist for Skinlust. Pound said he's lucky to have Pardy on staff.

"He'll do pretty much anything," he said, adding Pardy's work is well respected and given high praise by those lucky enough to get work done by him.

"He's very talented," said Pound.

"Eventually once everything gets established we're going to bring in some artists from the south, you know, to give him some time off and get some fresh faces in here.

"I've put in a lot of hours day in and day out for a couple months, now just getting things done. I'm very excited to get things going."