Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Wright.
Cynthia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I opened CM Hurt 24 years ago and it has been in the same location for 20 years. A single parent most of my life, I decided to escape from the corporate world and develop a business that allowed me to finish raising my sons and then I adopted a little girl as well. I needed control of my schedule and I needed to fulfill my artistic cravings as well as make money. My oldest son suggested Body Piercing and Tattooing as it was something we all had an interest in. We have 3 generations of adorned people!
All our piercers are Association of Professional Piercers and I am also a member of the Alliance for Professional Tattooists. We attend many classes every year at annual conferences to keep our game at the top level. We are literally some of the best piercers/ body artists in southern California. Our studio, CM Hurt, body art & adornment, has to meet rigorous standards to be members of these organizations and those standards exceed California State standards. Our studio is not only beautifully appointed but we also observe the highest standards possible in the industry.
The jewelry that we carry are the top names for quality in Body Jewelry and we carry primarily implant grade titanium and 14kt gold. All threaded jewelry is only internally threaded because these things are the best for our clients… We currently carry Industrial Strength, Maria Tash, Body Gems, Gorilla Glass, BVLA, LeRoi and a few smaller vendors as well.
Body Piercing is our primary product, along with quality jewelry sales but we also offer other forms of Body Art & Adornment. I offer Tattooing and perform Permanent Cosmetics on an appointment basis. I am well trained and very experienced at some of the less known forms of Body Art; Body Branding and Scarification. We are an all l around, family focused studio. Our clients span 3 generations. We have tattooed and pierced grandparents, parents and now their children as well. Our clients are literally from 6 weeks to 86 years old!
My staff is all female at this time and many women prefer a female artist, especially for Nipple and Genital Piercings. Elise now has 3 years’ experience, all with CM Hurt, and is just an amazing piercer and is still furthering her education as she in studying to branch out into the other services that we offer. Megan primarily does everything but break skin at this point. She keeps our front desk organized, teaches our clients about proper aftercare and is our jewelry expert. As Megan begins her apprenticeship she is thought to be the first third generation Body Piercer in the industry, she is my granddaughter and follows her father, since moved on, into this industry.
We care about our clients which is evidenced by our amazing reviews all over the internet. We treat people as we want to be treated while providing them with guidance, superior technical skills and amazing jewelry options. We all love people and making them happy. We want you to walk out the door feeling beautiful.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The first few years were very good. There were few Body Art studios offering primarily piercing in OC. As every tattoo studio began to add it competition grew rougher. High standards and excellent customer service kept us going and growing.
I brought in more tattoo artists but was faced with what most owners encounter, drug and alcohol abuse. I personally have been clean and sober for over 30 years but I learned that many don’t want to be. More than once people were let go, leaving me with a heavy workload and other people’s mistakes to fix.
I then went appointment only and worked by myself after my son left the industry to raise a family. That worked very well for me. I loved not having to deal with the fallout from other’s and my reputation grew and it was good.
Body Art studios are very much still discriminated against and most city’s zoning laws force us into less than ideal locations. 4 years ago, the area around the studio began to deteriorate and we suffered a few break-ins. I went through hell with the city and my landlord trying to move the studio and upgrade. I wanted to move the studio 500 feet to a better street location with better security. It cost me way too much money as I paid rent on 2 locations for 6 months awaiting approval. Ultimately, it was worth it.
The studio is BEAUTIFUL! I brought on a staff. I upgrade not only the location but all of our equipment. I invested in a larger inventory of quality jewelry. We are a high end, quality business.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about CM Hurt Body Art & Adornment – what should we know?
Quality
Excellent customer service
Female owned and operated
Highest standards in the County
Beautiful selection of jewelry
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Providing excellent skills with a belief that if you treat your customers right they will support you.
Contact Info:
- Address: 13159 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove, CA 92843
- Website: www.cmhurt.com
- Phone: 714 537 2269
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @cm_hurt
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMHurtBodyArtAndAdornment/
- Twitter: @cm_hurt
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cm-hurt-body-art-and-adornment-garden-grove-17
- Other: #cmhurt
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Chelsea VanderSys
August 7, 2017 at 17:55
Cynthia’s son was, if I recall correctly, apprenticing under Cynthia when he did my nipple piercings. That was in 1991! Cynthia is a terrific lady with a great sense of humor and a huge heart. She is the embodiment of professionalism. I HIGHLY recommend her and her employees! I’m pleased to see her having so much well deserved success! Huzzah to you, lady!:)