About Soda Pop Piercing
Soda Pop is a warm and inviting studio located on Historic N. Mississippi Avenue in Portland, Oregon. Our studio is solely focused on body piercing, and we strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for clients from all walks of life, backgrounds, personalities, and styles. We take pride in our timeless aesthetic, and meticulous attention to detail.
We believe it is our responsibility to guide you through your piercing experience with patience, compassion, and understanding. Whether it's your first piercing or you're a seasoned enthusiast, we treat every client with the highest level of respect and care. We welcome questions, so please don't hesitate to ask.
Our main focus is to ensure the health and safety of our clients and staff. We achieve this by implementing the latest piercing techniques and state-of-the-art sterilization practices. We only use single-use and sterile tools and implements that are immediately disposed of after each use. In addition we adhere to a comprehensive aseptic technique using sterile skin prep products and sterile surgical sterile gloves for all of our initial piercing services to ensure the highest level of care. You can rest assured knowing that our piercers are members of the Association of Professional Piercers and continuously educate themselves to stay at the forefront of the industry's advancements.
When it comes to jewelry, we offer a wide range of pieces sourced from trusted makers around the world.Our jewelry is made from the finest materials, including 14k Solid Gold, Platinum, Implant Grade Titanium, Stainless Steel, Niobium, and Borosilicate, Soda-Lime or Quartz Glass. We want our clients to feel comfortable and informed about their jewelry, including how it works, what it's made of, and even how to insert and remove it if they choose to do so. We provide a range of tools and comprehensive tutorials for safe self-removal and insertion, but we are always more than happy to assist you with it as well!
We take great care in curating the individuality of each piercing and each piece of jewelry to your personal aesthetic. Whether you lean more minimal and subtle, or you’re a maximalist through and through, the Soda Pop crew will help you find the jewelry of your dreams.
The Soda Pop Crew
Billy
OWNER/PIERCER
PRONOUNS: HE/HIM
Employing an eye for aesthetics, a pleasant bedside manner, and knowledge of precious metal and gemstone pairings, Billy strives to connect with clients, fitting unique jewelry combinations tailored to their individual personalities, anatomy, and aesthetics. To create something beautiful and functional that is uniquely their own while honoring the art, energy, and tradition of the craft.
Originally from Massachusetts, Billy has been piercing professionally since 2006 but has worked in the industry since 1998. Billy has worked full time at renowned shops his entire career including Rockstar Body Piercing in Providence, RI where he apprenticed under Jef Saunders, 23rd Street in Oklahoma City, and Saint Sabrina’s in Minneapolis to name a few. He has also traveled traveled extensively from coast to coast doing guest spots in some of the finest shops in the country where he learned, collaborated, and shared information with some of the most knowledgeable piercers in the industry.
He has held body art licenses in multiple states, is a graduate of the Fakir Musafar Advanced Body Piercing Intensives in San Francisco, CA, a Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers and relentlessly continues his education on body modification to soak up knowledge on every aspect of the art. He attends the Association of Professional Piercers conference in Las Vegas yearly teaching and taking classes on all aspects of body piercing.
When not at the shop you will likely find him working on civics projects, at a live show, wondering a museum, enjoying some aspect of the culinary arts or sipping whiskey and believe us it’s not hard to find him… You can hear him from blocks away!
Cristal
STYLIST/
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER/
SHOP MANAGER
PRONOUNS: SHE/HER/MRS
My name is Cristal, but you may know me as @the.shop.mami I'm a Chicana born and raised in Los Angeles, and I have had a love for this industry since I was a kid going to tattoo conventions with my dad. I love helping people find jewelry that makes them feel like their best self. Each person is so uniquely beautiful and I'm honored for the trust in assisting to show that to the world. For me, I want my jewelry to represent me in every single way. I want the golden browns to represent the beauty of my brown skin. I want my jewelry to be as loud and distinct as my laugh, so you can notice it from across the room. I want it to move like my hips do when my song comes on, or when I'm dancing with clients in the lobby. Helping you find the perfect piece of jewelry that reflect you is my passion and honor. So, whether we are doing a full blown dipped in gold makeover, or finding one single piece for your very first piercing, I can’t wait to assist you on your journey to becoming your most authentic self.
When I’m not at the studio you can catch me snuggling up to my two Pitties, Dolly and Jolene, or loving on my HUSBAND who I’m obsessed with!
Sammy
PIERCER
PRONOUNS: SHE/HER
Hello, I am Sammy Minh. I found my passion for piercing early on as a teenager and began my piercing career in 2005.
From learning the art of piercing, teaching others the craft, owning and managing a studio, and making stone body jewelry, my interest in exploring the world of body art has been a constant over the majority of my life. I love helping folks find interesting and exciting new jewelry, and piercings that help them feel even more like themselves! I endeavor to be fast and effective, while also providing a safe and calming environment for you to receive your new shiny additions.
Seth
PIERCER
PRONOUNS: HE/HIM
Seth is a passionate, professional, and dedicated piercer who is esteemed by his peers - clients and industry co-workers alike.
He started piercing professionally in 2005 and has continued to challenge himself by learning everything he can to be the best piercer possible. He attended the Fakir Body Piercing Intensives - Basic (2006) and Advanced (2008). He both takes and teaches classes annually at the Association of Professional Piercers Conference in Las Vegas and he has been a member of the APP since 2011.
Since moving from Tennessee to Oregon in 2010, he has been very active in the local body piercing community. He is a founding member of the Oregon Professional Piercers (OPP). He also served on the State of Oregon's Board of Body Art Practitioners from 2012-2017. During that time, he was on the team that helped institute some of Oregon's best regulations to help keep all Oregonians as safe as possible.
Seth is also the Piercing Director for The High Priestess Studios managing 10 studios up and down the west coast!
Seth loves working with gold, opals, and helping you find the best jewelry for your piercing. His favorite piercings to perform are kid's lobes, nostrils, daiths, conches, nipples and genitals and making sure all clients leave feeling excited and confident about how to take care of their new piercings. Seth is currently licensed in Oregon for all standard body piercings, as well as both specialty level 1 (all basic genital piercings) & specialty level 2 (all advanced genital piercings).
You may find him out and about mountaineering the PNW with his fabulous wife Chrystal!
KJ
STYLIST
PRONOUNS: SHE/HER
Hi everyone! My name is KristaJae (or KJ!) and I have been a jewelry specialist in this industry for seven years. When I was a kid, I felt like I never saw Filipino folks like me getting piercings. I joined this industry to set that example and find my community within! In my free time I am playing Stardew Valley on my Switch, trying new foods, and staying cozy with my husband and our cat children.
Whether I’m here to help you pick the jewelry of your dreams or tell you why you deserve the highest quality of jewelry, I am here to empower you with allllll the information to become your best self! It would be an absolute privilege to see you become your most elevated you— and I can’t wait!!! Bio for SodaPop
Kara
STYLIST
PRONOUNS: SHE/HER
Hey y’all! What’s good?
I’m Kara; a passionate, wild woman, who loves to laugh! I’m from Brasil, and grew up in the deep South of Alabama. I have been obsessed with body modifications since I was a child, learning about my Brasilian culture. I was fascinated by my ancestors, and their practices. I also have the city of New Orleans to thank, as that was my first-hand exposure of seeing beautifully modified people! It’s a city that I hold very close to my heart, for many reasons.
It was a dream of mine to be able to work professionally in the industry, and I’m grateful to say, since 2022, I’ve been helping people with their shine! Come see me at the counter, I’d love to help you express yourself in the most unique, and classic ways, and of course, share good laughs while we do it!
Phebe
STYLIST
PRONOUNS: SHE/HER
Hi I’m Phebe Rue! I’m 29 years old and I’ve been immersed in the piercing world my whole life due to my parents being professional piercers since I was a baby. Throughout my years growing up in their shop Jewelry Zan’s (Jori Zan’s), I have developed a passion for body adornment and fine jewelry. When I’m not at Soda Pop, you can find me slinging tickets at Alberta Rose Theatre, playing music, or cozied up at home with my two cats. I’m very excited to be a part of the Soda Pop team, and I’m looking forward to helping make your jewelry dreams come true!
*Fun fact, Phebe has been to the Association of Professional Piercers Conference in Las Vegas more times than all of the rest of us!
West
APPRENTICE
PRONOUNS: THEY/THEM
Hi y’all I’m West! I grew up on an island off the coast of Washington and have now been living in Portland since 2017. I’ve been working in the industry since 2021 and am so stoked to be joining the crew at soda pop and incredibly honored to have the opportunity to be learning from Billy.
As a trans person piercing has been very meaningful and transformative to me and my identity and I’m really looking forward to helping clients realize how special piercing can be in the future!
Outside of piercing I spend a lot of time playing in pool league, hanging out with trains, metal smithing and spending quality time with the important people in my life. I can’t wait to meet new folks and see all the familiar faces at Soda Pop!
