By Skylar Stock
A tiny prick can bring a person joy for a lifetime.
“Joy” is what 52-year-old owner of New Flower Studio Body Piercing, John Johnson has sought to create for 13 years, through safety, accessibility and piercings.
“We value education, and if people are going to Cal State Long Beach, I will assume they value education, so there’s some common ground there,” Johnson said. “We’re over here studying piercing every day.”
Located on 1180 N. Studebaker Rd. and less than half a mile from campus, Johnson opened the studio for business on Leap Day in 2012.
Over the years, Johnson said he has seen the ups and downs of owning a business, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nowadays, he sees around 30 to 40 clients pop in on weekends each day.
Long Beach resident Lilah Thies gets consulted by John Johnson, owner of New Flower Studio Body Piercing, about the ear jewelry she is going to purchase. Photo credit: Skylar Stock
Celebrating the studio’s 13th birthday on March 1, Johnson reflected on the process to get to the year 2025. He credits his previous business partner, 57-year-old Virginia resident David Casper, for the studio’s success.
“We had probably the most successful business partnership ever,” Johnson said.
While Casper is no longer a partner due to retirement, he recounts his time as New Flower’s financial and business guide fondly.
“Starting a business from scratch and setting it up and running it, that was what was enjoyable for me,” Casper said. “But honestly, the biggest enjoyment was John’s friendship.”
Along with the technical values, the studio holds another mission – creating a fun and memorable experience for each client.
“We’re all about having fun, getting to know people,” Johnson said. “Somebody was at our front desk and they were commenting on how when they come here, they feel they’re our friend. And that means a lot.”
Piercing jewelry organized by material is on display at New Flower Studio in Long Beach. Photo credit: Skylar Stock
The secret to making every interaction fun is creating an experience that’s more than just a business transaction, according to front of house jewelry specialist, 32-year-old Jay Sosa.
“I feel like I really become best friends with the person that’s in front of me, because I’m like, digging in,” Sosa said. “Yes, it’s a business, but the money is such a secondary part of it. It really is all about the customer and how they leave feeling.”
Working in the position for three years now, Sosa helps curate experiences to each individual’s needs by helping customers pick out their choice of perfect jewelry, and even does custom ear curations.
The studio values body safe jewelry taking heavy inspiration from the fashion industry.
“People take tremendous pride in what they wear. They take their piercings more seriously,” Johnson said. “And so it becomes more of a styling experience, and that’s what helps set us apart.”
From left to right, client Lilah Thies, studio owner John Johnson and jewelry specialist Jay Sosa discuss what size and type of jewelry would be the best for Theis’s ear. Photo credit: Skylar Stock
According to Sosa, many Long Beach State freshmen come in through the doors of New Flower looking to experiment with their new independent identity.
Through different jewelry colors, placements and expressions, the studio and Sosa aids these students in the search of who they are.
“I noticed that a lot with the Cal State students, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, we literally just got an inkling. We just decided after class that we’re all gonna get our noses pierced today, and now we’re all here,’ and there’s like, five girls in here, you know what I mean? It’s cool to be part of that journey,” Sosa said.
Johnson said, “We have something for everybody that values higher quality products but doesn’t necessarily have an interest or the finances for more expensive jewelry.”
New Flower Studio takes walk-ins and appointments. More information can be found on their monthly newsletter and website.
