Our Story
Starting a business is hard, and doing so with your significant other? Well, many people would say that’s crazy. And maybe it is, but Steve and Amanda never worried.
From the beginning, Steve Panik was a dedicated artist. He attended CCS and Wayne State where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. After exploring a career in musical entertainment and selling several albums over seas, he went through a traditional tattooing apprenticeship. Steve settled into a position as a tattoo artist in Garden City, Michigan and had become a well- known resident artist for several years to come.
A few years after establishing himself, he moved back toward our Downriver area and continued to build up his clientele. Offering a wide variety of tattoo styles, Steve enjoys tattooing everything from bright new school tatty zappers, to smooth, detailed, black and grey realism.
Amanda was less of a traditional artist. She never pursued art education, and considered herself a hobbyist. That is, until she found tattooing. Steve warned Amanda that tattooing is not just a job, but a full-on career and lifestyle. Things as she knew it would change, no free time, no money, just art and suffering.
Amanda’s apprenticeship started from a foundational standpoint, where Steve not only taught her how to tattoo, but also helped her hone her understanding of color theory, composition, lighting, and form. After graduating her apprenticeship, Amanda’s career began Downriver, where she grew her following and worked on finding her niche within the tattooing community.
Amanda and Steve weren’t originally building a business together. In fact, first came an engagement, a mortgage, and a pet family. Then they began focusing on the future. It wasn’t easy, having to overcome several hurdles such as finding a location and collecting funds to renovate an empty building. Eventually, they settled on a space in the heart of Riverview Plaza, right in their hometown. Months of hard work, building visions, and learning new tricks and trades along the way did eventually come to fruition, when the doors of Alchemy Tattoo Exchange opened on March 6th, 2023. With a focus on providing a unique, professional, and friendly experience for all of their supportive clientele, Steve and Amanda were finally happy to have a place to build and grow and call their own.
At Alchemy Tattoo Exchange, our artists strive to create the perfect piece of art for each individual. With the help of your artist, you’ll get a one-of-a-kind tattoo, designed specifically for you.
Whether this is your first tattoo, or your hundredth, our friendly and experienced staff will guide you through the process from consultation, to procedure, and finally aftercare. Our experienced artists can answer any questions you may have and will help to make sure you’re comfortable and confident from start to finish.