The Battle of Generations: Good People and Good Vibes

By: Stephen Gerard
Posted In: News

Newport-Matt Manchester sits behind the register, reading the newspaper, looking forward to the next person that comes in for a look. Ethnic Concepts, located on Broadway in Newport, R.I., features merchandise quite different than your regular shop. Originally opened up as a tobacco/smoke accessories store, Ethnic Concepts has expanded its range of business throughout the years. It has become quite the tattoo and piercing parlor offering up almost any kind of piercing or tattoo you could think of. Manchester is a 41-year-old Newport local who barely ever feels it’s necessary to leave the beautiful island. The population of Newport tends to have old money; the mansions set the mood. Manchester stays loyal to his roots of good vibes and a peaceful mind state.

An unusual business like this must do something to keep their cliental coming back and Manchester knows just how to do that. Ethnic Concepts offers up a variety of merchandise as well as a world class tattoo parlor. The shop has progressed in the past five years gaining recognition for both their quality of tattoo and quantity of smoking accessories. Ethnic Concepts offers up an “outside the box” attitude with their shop, always mixing things up and looking to please the customer. Matt Manchester gives us the ins and outs of a quite remarkable business.
Q. How did you end up working here at Ethnic Concepts?
A. I have been here for awhile. I was a commercial fisherman in Newport for many years until my back started giving out. It kept getting worse as the years went on, so I decided to give it up. After giving it up I ended up here.
Q. How long have you lived in Newport for? How do you feel about the community?
A. I have been living in Newport all my life. I love it here. I probably won’t ever leave, the community is filled with a bunch of different people all very nice. I’ve come to meet a lot of interesting people while working here.
Q. How long has Ethnic Concepts been in business for?
A. About 13 years for this shop. We have two others located in Wakefield and Providence.
Q. Why was Ethnic Concepts originally opened/established?
A. Really just to make a quick buck ya know, first shop of its kind in Rhode Island so we thought it would attract some business.
Q. What does a typical day of work consist of at Ethnic Concepts?
A. Not much business in the winter, play some guitar, read the newspaper and meet new people.
Q. Was Ethnic Concepts established before Holy Smokes?
A. Yea, Ethnic Concepts was opened many years before. The manager was running it. His nephew worked for us, him in the shop, and decided he wanted to open his own shop. The manager, his uncle, is a real good guy and approved of him opening it. Eventually it began to hurt our business.
Q. Does having Holy Smokes so close in proximity create downfalls for business?
A. Absolutely. A whole lot of competition, they take a bunch of business from us. It’s too close in location, they run their shop different and better.
Q. Not being located in the center of Newport, does this cause any weaknesses?
A. Yes, you could say that. Our location is not visited as regularly as the shops on Thames Street which brings a lot of tourists in.
Q. What does your clientele mainly consist of?
A. It’s a mixed client-base. There is foot traffic in the summer from tourists. We get a lot of locals and Salve students. As the weather gets warmer, more people tend to come around.
Q. What is the most interesting item the shop has to offer?
A. We have a lot of different stuff, good variety and choice of gifts. I would have to say the most interesting is probably the glass pieces. A lot of people enjoy them.
Q. Where do most of these glass pieces come from? Do you shape them yourself or have them shipped in?
A. A lot are from overseas, cheaper to buy them that way. We do get glass from Newport and the New England area but the glassers charge a lot more so it gets pretty expensive.
Q. How do you keep your customers coming back?
A. We don’t get too much business this time of year so whenever somebody comes in we make sure they feel comfortable. We are always welcoming and willing to go extra for our customers.
Q. Do people commonly come in for tattoos and piercings?
A. Yes, here and there throughout the week. We have some really good tattoo artists that have become popular among locals.
Q. To elaborate on that, do you tend to get a lot of the same customers or does the clientele stay consistent, with both tattoos and merchandise?
A. A lot of the same locals come in for touch ups for tattoos and various smoking accessories and such. In the summer tattoo, work and cliental opens up to be more random.
Q. What is the most interesting tattoo you have ever seen been done in the shop?
A. I would have to say an underwater tattoo on the back with coral, fish and all types of ocean life.

Interview was condensed and edited.