Lowlife NYC was founded in the Summer of 2024 in Bushwick, Brooklyn by Evan & Ellie Ishmael. 

After years of working as professional visual artists, the pandemic lockdown of 2020 presented an opportunity for the Ishmaels to learn how to tattoo, if only as a challenging and creative way to pass the time. However, when the world opened up again in the following months, the fine art market had softened and the Ishmaels returned to their long-held careers in retail and restaurants, respectively. Eventually, tattooing became more prevalent in their everyday lives and they realized that they could utilize Ellie’s years of art material sales and retail knowledge to provide an in-store experience for tattoo artists in an area of Brooklyn where working tattoo artists are abundant. The store was an instant hit with local artists as well as those who were curious about tattooing but unsure of where to start. 

Lowlife Coffee was added in the summer of 2025 to meet another demand missing from the community: simple, quality coffee, tea and matcha for the everyday routine. Inspired by the atmosphere of 1990s skate shop culture and molded by Evan’s experience working in some of New York’s most critically acclaimed restaurants, our cafe program has become a staple for Bushwick’s artists, tattooers, their clients and our Brooklyn neighbors.

Lowlife aims to cultivate a community hub around the culture of tattooing in Brooklyn, specifically in Bushwick. We provide consistent service based on product knowledge and experience in the industry, and we meet our customers with enthusiasm and curiosity, regardless of their skill level.