At Magic Rooster Tattoo in Mauldin, the ink runs deeper than skin. For owner and founder Pence, each tattoo is more than art — it’s a ritual, a release, and, often, a form of healing.
“There’s something about the trust people place in you when they sit in that chair,” Pence says. “Tattooing is very intimate and personal. I call it an intimate ritual. You’re sitting with me, and I’m sitting with you.”
Whether it’s grief, celebration, or transformation that brings them in, clients often spend hours at the shop, sharing stories, emotions, and memories as they mark a moment in ink. “The tattoo man knows everything,” Pence says with a smile. “I’ve tattooed people who needed that tattoo — not wanted it, needed it. Maybe a loved one passed, maybe they’re going through something. For however long they’re with me, that’s their release.”
While some describe the experience as therapeutic, Pence remains humble. “When people say tattooing is healing, I just kind of shrug,” he admits. “But we feel honored that people open up to us. We love every one of our clients and appreciate the stories they trust us with.”
Magic Rooster Tattoo, which marked its 10th anniversary this year, is more than a tattoo studio — it’s a cornerstone of the community. Pence, who also serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Mauldin Chamber of Commerce, has made giving back part of the shop’s mission.
Together with staff and clients, the studio has raised over $30,000 for Shriners Hospitals for Children in Greenville and hosted fundraising events benefiting Safe Harbor and the Ronald McDonald House. Magic Rooster also sponsors the Woodmont Youth Association and the Weatherstone neighborhood swim team.
“We try to give back,” Pence says. “We’re a tight little family here.”
In a business built on artistry, vulnerability, and trust, Magic Rooster Tattoo has carved out a unique space — one where ink tells stories, pain finds expression, and strangers become family.
Related topics: