Denver — Sol Tribe Custom Tattoo and Body Piercing on Broadway has permanently closed.
The closure was announced on the shop’s Instagram, stating, “We are stunned by this news and we are heartbroken.”
The shop’s owner, Alicia Cardenas, and employee, Alyssa Gunn Maldonado, were killed in a shooting on December 27, 2021. Jimmy Maldonado, Alyssa’s husband, survived the attack after being shot.
This incident was part of a series of shootings in Denver and Lakewood that left five people dead and two others injured.
“You can be a victim and be bitter or angry, or you can do the opposite and do your best to evolve and grow,” Jimmy Maldonado said on Tuesday.
Maldonado returned to Sol Tribe after the shooting and worked as a piercer for the past two and a half years.
“Returning to the place where I lost my wife and sister and nearly my own life was tough,” he said. “But in that pain, I found self-love and realized I needed to move on.”
Maldonado left Sol Tribe in June and will open his own piercing shop inside Wolf and Goat Tattoo and Piercing in Denver on Friday.
“One of the owners here offered me a space to open a piercing shop, and I took it,” he said. “This opportunity allows me to honor Alicia and Alyssa in a loving way.”
Maldonado aims to create a welcoming environment for his customers, ensuring the best quality of work and experience. The new shop will officially open on Friday.
Since leaving Sol Tribe, Maldonado has felt a sense of contentment he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“I didn’t realize how much being there affected me. After leaving, my nervous system calmed down, and I felt truly happy,” he said.
Maldonado is now taking appointments and welcomes community support. He still has a bullet in his back and plans to have surgery this summer. His friends have organized a GoFundMe to help with expenses.