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BBB says Springfield business failed to honor appointments, kept deposits

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BBB says Springfield business failed to honor appointments, kept deposits

The Better Business Bureau is advising caution if doing business with The Underground Tattoo and Gallery, a Springfield-based tattoo business. Consumers have reported to the BBB they they paid deposits for tattoo services that were never provided and the business failed to provide refunds.

The Underground Tattoo and Gallery has been awarded an “F” rating, the lowest on the BBB scale, due to the recent unanswered complaints.

“If you are going to get a tattoo, it’s important that you research the business,” said Pamela Hernandez, regional director for the Springfield BBB. “Consulting BBB and getting references from other consumers who have worked with the artist previously can help ensure a good experience.”

A Republic woman told BBB she scheduled an appointment for herself and her 17-year-old son with The Underground in September 2023. The sessions were to take place on her son’s birthday in December 2023. The woman said she paid $380 for the sessions.

The woman said the business was closed on the day of their appointment, and she had trouble reaching them. When she finally contacted the business, she was told her appointments were booked for a different day. The woman said she asked for a refund rather than rescheduling. The woman told BBB she has not recieved a refund.

According to BBB, the woman was referred to the business by a family member and chose the business because it was one of few that would tattoo a minor with parental consent.

Another woman from Ava told BBB she paid a deposit of $550 to The Underground in November 2023 for a tattoo session. She said the company canceled her session. She said she was able to get $300 back from the company, but further attempts to get a full refund were not successful. The woman was a previous customer of The Underground.

The Underground Tattoo and Gallery LLC filed its incorporation documents with the Missouri Secretary of State in March 2019. Mandy Patterson is listed as the organizer. A second filing for Underground Tattoo LLC was made in April 2024. Clifford Ernest Taylor III and Amanda Jane Kemp are listed as the organizers.

According to BBB, the business did not respond to a BBB letter regarding how its plans to address the pattern of customer complaints or an email sent to it by a BBB investigator. Upon the News-Leader’s request for comment, owner Amanda Kemp sent a letter addressed to news outlets about The Underground Tattoo and Gallery. Kemp said she responded promptly to the BBB and said she sent refunds to both customers.

“These instances were canceled/rescheduled due to the passing of my uncle, Dan Patterson, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin, who was like a second father to me,” Kemp wrote. “Traveling to his funeral required us to cancel/reschedule the appointments last minute so we could pay our respects and be with family in South Carolina. I made a solid commitment to address their concerns promptly, kindly, and responsibly. It is deeply troubling that such unfounded accusations have been disseminated without verification.”

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