Entry No. 8 — the Columbus file — filed under: oddities
Afterlife Oddities & Tattoos
Part tattoo studio and part cabinet of curiosities, this East Side shop specializes in rare, conversation-starting pieces. The retail section features real human skulls, skeletal bones, wet specimens, and taxidermy animals in humorous or compromising positions.
The story
You don't usually walk into a tattoo shop expecting to lock eyes with a genuine human skull resting on a shelf. At 1348 East Livingston Avenue on Columbus's Near East Side, Afterlife Oddities & Tattoos blurs the boundary between an ink parlor and a cabinet of curiosities.
The front retail space operates like a morbid museum where everything has a price tag. Alongside real human skulls, skeletal bones, and wet specimens suspended in glass jars, you'll find taxidermy animals mounted in bizarre, humorous, or compromising positions—including multi-headed creatures—sandwiched against a curated collection of antiquarian books.
Behind the retail floor operates a private tattoo studio with artists like Nathan Varney putting bold lines into skin. You can spend an hour analyzing preserved skeletal structures for inspiration, then step into the back to get your own permanent work done.
What it's like
The retail side opens daily from 12 to 6 PM, operating like a dimly lit private collection rather than a standard store. Take your time scanning the shelves; the stranger items—like tiny wet specimens or multi-headed taxidermy mounts—are often tucked between thick antiquarian volumes. Browsing the oddities is open to walk-ins, but if you want to get tattooed, you'll need to schedule a consultation and pay a booking deposit in advance as the tattoo studio runs privately.
The move: Challenge each other to find the most bizarre taxidermy mount—like a multi-headed animal—before settling down to flip through their gorgeous collection of antiquarian books.
- 📍 Near East Side
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1348-1350 E. Livingston Ave, Columbus, OH 43205
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Switch — After inspecting preserved skulls, head less than a mile north to Olde Town East to hunt down the password-protected entrance under the East Market.
- WitchLab — Continue your oddities crawl across town in Franklinton with 2,500 square feet of occult goods, hand-blended herbs, and curiosities.
- The Book Loft of German Village — Pair your hunt for rare antiquarian books here with a maze-like browse through 32 rooms of print inside a pre-Civil War building in German Village.
- Char Bar — Keep the macabre theme going with a nightcap in the basement of an 1847 building that once served as a funeral parlor.
Good to know
What kind of items are for sale in the shop?
The retail inventory includes real human skulls, animal bones, wet specimens in jars, taxidermy mounts in unusual or multi-headed positions, and antique books.
What are the hours for the oddities store?
The oddities store is open seven days a week from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Can I get tattooed as a walk-in?
The tattoo studio operates privately by appointment and consultation, though the retail oddities section welcomes daily walk-in shoppers.
Where is the shop located in Columbus?
It is located at 1348–1350 East Livingston Avenue on the Near East Side.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · 614now.com
last checked: 2026-07-21