How would I approach a shop about this? (NOT an apprenticeship!)

I've been doing dreadlocks for about six years now and more recently have had a lot more clients... Its a fairly simple process, mostly backcombing a client's hair and putting in a product, but I'd like to move it out of my home into some shared space since its getting a little invasive and there are some safety concerns I have with male clients if I'm alone. Regular salons often look down at dreadlocking (if not for ethnic hair or they use some disgusting perm solution), but I think it could possibly work to rent out some space in a tattoo shop (especially if they already offered piercing and weren't a "strictly tattoos" shop) - all I need is a few feet of space and a chair, and they would get some money for it - in return i have some space to work in that isn't my home. Is this even a feasible idea? If so, how would i go about approaching shops about this? I've just moved to a new city and still get my tattoos in another city, so I don't have local connections. I currently don't have dreadlocks myself since its just a sideline for me, but i do have a decent portfolio of current clients and a website. If your response is just "ugh, no dirty hippies in my shop" that's great and all, but not helpful for me :)

i hate hippies, they smell like dirt thats been fucked by a hobo... but that aside, your idea won't really pass health board review if it's in a common area of the shop. In most states you would have to have a completely seperate area for it that's basically "quarantined" off from any tattooing space.

Im about as hippi as can be, and dont smell none. Persoanlly, the only people I hate are haters. In any event, I wouldnt suggest finding a tattoo studio to do dreds in, Id find a hair salon or head shop. Tattoos should be done at tattoo shops.

you're right gabe, hate is too much, i'm just not particularly fond of the lifestyle

Obviously space would have to be totally separate -- which seems to be the concern. I'm thinking its a difficult thing to attach to ANY kind of shop, especially typical hairdressers... so I am trying to think outside the box.

I think you could find some luck at a neighborhood's barbershops not the fancy hair salon. I've know of tattoo shops at barbershops though.

if that kind of thing existed in this area (barber + tattoo) shops i might leverage that concept... but they don't, and i'm not convinced if its a good idea anyways. I'm trying to think of creative ideas besides salons (too difficult to work with/don't get it) or head shops (wrong image) -- and I'm drawing a bit of a blank but I know I have to move this outside eventually or I'll be in trouble.

why not open your own small space?

and alex, sorry my lifestyle offends you so, Im blessed that very little actually offends me.

I don't really want this to turn to a personal discussion between us and i think we just have a miscommunication. I did not say that it offends me, very little also offends me. I just don't see an appeal to it and prefer not to take part in it.

fair enough!