Meet and connect with Philadelphia-born tattoo artist and business owner, Erica Rivera.
Name: Erica Rivera
Occupation: Co-Owner and Artist at West Cali Tattoo Shop.
Current city: Norristown, PA.
Born and raised there or imported? Norristown is just about 30 minutes outside of North Philly where I am originally from.
What is your connection to your current city? My connection to Norristown is through my family’s tattoo shop business. We have grown with this community for over 16 years, and it’s one of those places “where everybody knows your name,” so we are lucky to have created close bonds with the people of this town over the many years.
What’s your favorite restaurant? Plaza Azteca, in Plymouth Meeting, PA for dinner with drinks. But when I just need a great lunch or giant cheesetsteak, my go to is Isaak and Steve’s Pizza on Marshall Street, in Norristown.
Best place to shop? The most walkable and populated storefront area would definitely be the West end of Marshall Street in Norristown, where we are lucky enough to have our location. The majority of these businesses are mom-and-pop shops with all types of goods and services, and this is where you could get a taco, a tattoo, a haircut, and buy a mop, all within two blocks of one another. If you are looking for a more mainstream shopping experience, the King of Prussia Mall is about 10 minutes away and is absolutely massive.
What is your one favorite “best kept secret” about your city? Something that you and only a few others know about but everyone should? There are many mixed opinions on this, but for me my favorite spot is the Norristown Riverfront. It’s less than a 3-minute drive from my shop, but it’s one of those places you have to know about or be taken to. You don’t just stumble across it. Often, when I need to cry, pray, or speak to god, I will go sit here. I just feel so at ease, so safe, and so grounded. It’s a slice of peace in a busy place, and it reminds me to just slow down and breathe.
What makes your city your city? What do you absolutely love about it? You know, I left this place for a few years to go find different opportunities, and I was almost afraid to come back out of fear that I’d be looked at as a quitter or a failure. When I returned, I was met with love, support, and people who genuinely cared how I was doing. In this town, people are actually living in the present; they care about each other, and they grow up together. That sense of community feels like family to me, and that’s something I’ll always be grateful for.
Socials: @erica_rivera and @WESTCALITATTOOSHOP
Images: Will Archetype, Nathaniel Denmark, Conrad Roland
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