Piercing turned possible: B Opulent Studios operates in Warren after 20-year ban
On the storefront of 269 E. Market St. in Warren, one of its windows advertises “BODY PIERCINGS” in uppercase letters. The declaration is something that wouldn’t have been attainable nearly four years ago for B Opulent Studios.
So Samantha Brewer, owner of the business, helped make it possible.
Warren had a law in effect since 2001 that banned body piercings in the city. However, the city council voted in a 9-1 manner to lift the 20-year ban after then-Councilwoman Ashley Miner introduced legislation to legalize body piercings. She had cited Brewer as someone already involved in the process nearby.
Brewer had taken up piercing at 1st Order Tattoo Co. in Niles after she and her partner opened the business in 2018. She said she had always been interested in becoming a piercer, but she also knew the difficulty of breaking into the industry.
Due to uncertainty about where or how to start as a body piercer, Brewer didn’t initially pursue her passion; instead, she managed a Pizza Hut and delivered pizza for nearly a decade. However, Brewer said co-workers and loved ones encouraged her to follow her dreams.
“I just did all the research I could, I watched videos, I was educating myself and still do on procedures and jewelry quality,” Brewer said. “Things went really well (at 1st Order Tattoo Co.). Piercing got super busy. We expanded into the back and built a private piercing studio there.”
In May of 2024, Brewer would extend her services further to Warren with the opening of B Opulent Studios. She had noticed a building for rent downtown, and with no ban in effect, the vision of operating her own piercing studio was beginning to come together.
Noelle Baumgartner, body piercer at B Opulent Studios, has worked with Brewer for several years. She was previously a cosmetologist and lash technician, and while filling Brewer’s lashes, Brewer introduced the idea of piercing.
“Working with your hands, you have to be articulate,” Baumgartner said. “And I’m like, ‘There’s no way.’ I never had a thought. And then I gave it a chance, and it turned into something I love to do.”
Clean, cozy and welcoming is how Brewer describes the business’s environment — alongside busy. The studio remains active by accepting walk-ins, selling and installing jewelry and piercing.
“I just take care of people, and I think that helps people feel comfortable when they come in here,” Brewer said.
According to B Opulent Studios’ website, Baumgartner specializes in not only ear styling and curations but also children’s earlobe piercings. They offer that service so customers know going to the mall isn’t their only option in the area.
“It’s such a fun atmosphere,” Baumgartner said. “I love working with little kids, getting to see their faces when they’re just so excited about their new ear piercings.”
Certain piercings have an age requirement. Restrictions include earlobes (4 months old and up), the nose (12 years old) and tongue, dermal or surface work (over 18 years old), among others.
B Opulent Studios is a place meant solely for piercings. Brewer and Baumgartner are there to help, from start to finish, and are dedicated to ensuring their customers’ care.
“We’re female-owned,” Baumgartner said. “That’s why a lot of people come in here. Women just have a gentler touch. We pierce a lot of women, too, so I feel like that also makes them feel comfortable.
“And just the environment, it’s super welcoming here. We’re all super nice. I always joke with some clients that come in here, and I’m just like, ‘You’re just here to visit me and Samantha,’” she added.