Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Osbakken.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shannon. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I worked as a bartender in my 20s and early 30s for years until I saved enough money to open my own restaurant. I developed a love for import and craft beers during an extended trip to Europe when I was 21, specifically Belgium. The Bearded Lady is a combination of all of the things I love in life, homemade food, good beer, and unique people.
A few years after opening The Bearded Lady, I became friends with Chance Webb when I commissioned him to do a Bearded Lady tattoo on my forearm. I would always tell him how much the area The Bearded Lady is in, The Near Southside needed a tattoo shop. It’s an area made up of mostly artists and musicians. So we decided to open a shop together called Fade to Black Tattoo Company in 2016.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Last year I had to close down and move the location of the restaurant due to some issues I was having with my partner/ landlord. We officially closed on June 28th of 2018 and just reopened on June 21st of this year. It was a long and arduous process getting this new location open. But I am so happy to be where we are now. We are now in the center of the brewery hotspot of Fort Worth, next to HopFusion, Rahr, & Collective Brewing Project, to name a few.
Please tell us about The Bearded Lady and Fade to Black Tattoo Company.
We (The Bearded Lady) are most known for our wide selection of craft beer and from scratch food. We made the cover of Texas Monthly in August of 2016 for the once every five years best burger list. I believe we were the first Fort Worth restaurant to ever make it onto the cover! So that was a huge deal for us. I believe what sets us apart from others is our staff. We have the most amazing and unique employees compared to anyplace I have ever been a part of.
Fade to Black Tattoo Company is definitely known for our quality of artists and being in comfortable and welcoming setting. We have won Best Tattoo Shop in The Fort Worth Weekly for three years in a row!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would protect myself legally better. Always make sure you read everything you sign very carefully. Ask all questions and pay attention to every detail. And lastly, I would use my voice to stand up for myself more effectively.
Contact Info:
- Address: The Bearded Lady
300 S. Main St
Fort Worth TX 76104
Fade to Black
209 S. Jennings Ave
Fort Worth TX 76104 - Website: www.fadetoblacktattoocompany.com
- Phone: The Bearded Lady (817)-349-9832. Fade to Black (817) 878-4349
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/beardedladyfw?igshid=141yynu3pndi2 https://instagram.com/fadetoblacktattooco?igshid=1llgucmpsbmlq
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeardedladyfortworth/ https://www.facebook.com/FadeToBlackTattooCompany/
Image Credit:
Elizabeth Anne – portrait of me, Texas Monthly – Lust Burger Cover Photo, Aileen Wilson – Group Photo of Fade to Black tattoo artists, Edward Brown w/ Fort Worth Weekly – picture of our new location
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