POCATELLO — Upon entering Landmark Tattoo, downtown's newest business, patrons will notice the artistic aesthetic that permeates every corner of the parlor.

The walls are replete with large swathes of traditional and Americana-style tattoo art, a display cabinet holds toothy animal skulls and art books and reference materials line the shelves — a library of inspiration for tattooers and clients alike.

For the past two decades, owner Ben Bowlin has tattooed his way from Idaho to Seattle and back, honing his craft and drawing inspiration from the talented artists and creators around him. Now he is ready to make his mark on the Gate City with his own studio — one that emphasizes quality work, skilled tattooers and an atmosphere where creativity can flourish.

The result is Landmark Tattoo, located at 501 N. Main St. in Pocatello's Historic Downtown neighborhood, a space Bowlin hopes will reframe how residents think about tattooing and exemplify the kind of creative, community-centered business the revitalizing district is seeking.

"After having been in this for 20 years, I've obviously acquired a lot of tattoo flash and reference material and just a bunch of stuff that falls along the tattoo world," Bowlin said. "To have a space of my own that is more for creating art and focuses purely on tattooing, having an area for drawing and painting, having an area for reference material, having the space for it and being able to build something for myself."

Bowlin's interest in tattoos started as a teenager and he was hooked after receiving his first ink. He began tattooing friends around age 18 before moving to Idaho in 2004 for college, where he connected with local tattooist Jason Workman and landed an apprenticeship that gave him his formal start in the industry.

After working at several Pocatello shops, Bowlin decided around 2009 that he needed a new environment. Drawn to Americana and traditional styles that weren't widely practiced in the area at the time, he headed to Seattle.

"At that time there wasn't much of that happening around here, so that was a lot of the reason for going out to an area where it was popular," Bowlin said. "I worked for some amazing tattoo shops out there, for some amazing owners, next to some phenomenal tattooers. I learned a lot and became very humble."

After eight or nine years in the Seattle area, Bowlin returned to Pocatello and spent the better part of a decade working alongside friend Kolby Cain at Integrity Body Arts before deciding to build something that was entirely his own.

His path to establishing a new studio was anything but direct. Getting into the downtown area required patience — several building owners were reluctant to lease to a tattoo studio, citing past experiences with shops that hadn't represented the neighborhood well.

"Being able to get my own opportunity to prove that we can build a nice layout, we can have something that's really representative and a positive environment for tattooing — that was important," Bowlin said. "I've been trying to get into Old Town for a few years now."

Bowlin secured the former Muse building at 501 N. Main St. and has spent the past month settling in, building his clientele and bringing the space to life.

Bowlin has been deliberate about what he wants to build, providing an atmosphere that shows regulars and newcomers the full variety of tattoo styles on offer, held to high standards of cleanliness and craftsmanship.

Central to that vision is fellow tattoo artist Whitney Leith, who joined Landmark as its primary artist. Bowlin said he takes great pride in bringing on Leith, who worked alongside him for years at Integrity.

"We both have a passion for the craft," Bowlin said. "We really love tattooing and we really want to be able to continuously grow at it. It was more important to have quality over quantity. So many shops around here just kind of open up and collect apprentices to fill the room. Finding somebody with Whitney's high standard for art and tattooing was important to me."

Leith, who describes herself as an artist who also tattoos rather than the other way around, said the shop already feels different from anywhere she has worked.

"We want a space that feels comfortable and safe," Leith said. "We want to be your friendly neighborhood tattoo shop, where you can come in and not just be a part of a business, but be a part of a community. It hasn't even been a month yet and I feel like the atmosphere is already just different — more like what I would like to provide for clients."

On the tattooing itself, Bowlin said Landmark will work across styles, grounded in the fundamentals that make a tattoo last — proper sizing, legibility and an honest conversation with clients about what will and won't hold up over time.

"In this current day and age, it feels like people are just jumping in and following trends, tattooing things that maybe shouldn't be made into tattoos — things that don't have longevity," Bowlin said. "It's really about making sure that it's not just about getting the money. It's about having a tattoo that's going to look great but also last a lifetime, as it should."

Bowlin added that Idaho's relatively limited regulatory requirements for tattoo artists have contributed to inconsistent quality across the industry locally — something he hopes Landmark can help counteract by holding itself to a higher standard.

The shop already carries art prints, T-shirts and stickers, with more merchandise planned. Beginning next month, Landmark plans to participate in Historic Downtown's monthly Art Walk, with potential flash events. Bowlin has also fielded interest from local artists and musicians who want to be part of those evenings.

"My goal with this location is to constantly be working on it — constantly making it comfortable for our clients as well as ourselves, constantly adding more art," Bowlin said. "I've got plenty more to get hung up and plenty more to build."

Landmark Tattoo is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit instagram.com/landmarktattoo.