Tattooing is a form of body art that involves a needle injecting ink into a deep layer under the skin, leaving an indelible design. Once complete, it stays with you … just as thoughts of returning home to Cape Breton stayed with Buddy Burns while he worked at tattoo shops in big cities like Red Deer and Victoria across Alberta.

In 2022, Buddy got the chance to come home again, opening up his own shop – 2 Rad Tattoos – in the heart of Port Hawkesbury, Cape Breton.

“The community is really supportive of the work I do,” he says. “They love the atmosphere - it’s friendly and cozy.”

Buddy knew the location he wanted but when he first laid eyes on it during the early days of the pandemic, the timing just wasn’t right. Then, a new owner rented the space, renovated and left a few months later, giving Buddy a second chance to make the space his own.

As a former entrepreneur, Buddy understood that he needed some outside help to bring his dream of owning his own business to life. That’s when he reached out to CBDC.

“CBDC was great – the people there were amazing,” Buddy says. “Maura was fantastic, keeping me informed. The folks there really helped speed things up.”

That’s no exaggeration – a business plan was devised within a few short hours and a week later, everything was approved and Buddy was ready to open his business.

“People come from all over to get tattoos here – from Antigonish and Inverness,” Buddy explains. “People within a 200km radius will travel here to get inked.”

Buddy originally studied animation at Vancouver Film School. After graduating, his friends encouraged him to pursue tattooing due to lack of artists in the area. Once he decided to commit to it, he approached another tattoo artist with his portfolio and was taken on as an apprentice.

Today, 2 Rad is thriving and Buddy may open the walls of his shop as gallery space to showcase local up-and-coming artists.

“I love the work, the people I meet, being my own boss,” Buddy muses. “My art is constantly evolving.”