At a young age Dean Dennis was introduced to Lyle Tuttle, who at the time was his uncle. After making a trip into San Francisco he would make the decision to make San Francisco his home. In 1971 he started working at Lyle Tuttles Tattoo Shop on 7th Street in San Francisco. It was here that he would start his journey into the tattoo industry. With Lyle as his mentor combined with natural mechanical skills and artistic talent his career as a tattooer started off quite quickly. During Deans beginning as a tattooer, Lyle had just tattooed Janis Joplin as well as some other well known musicians and celebrities. This brought lots of attention upon the tattoo shop along with lots of clients eager to be tattooed. This would give Dean the perfect opportunity to become an amazing, and well-known tattoo artist. During the time Dean worked at Lyles he worked with many tattooist known around the world today with equal acclaim. Also it was among this period of time that Dean would start to establish relationships with other tattooist worldwide. While traveling coast-to-coast with Asia Lee Crow III, from Texas, Dean met with many artists like Paul Rogers, Cliff Raven, Tommy Devita, Huck Spaulding, Bob Shaw, Col. Todd and became great friends with them trading knowledge, stories, and industry protected information. In 1974 after gaining the proper publicity and industry knowledge Dean decided to venture off and opened Deans Tattoo Headquarters in Alameda, just across the bay bridge and right down the street from the Alameda Naval Air Station. Deans Tattoo Headquarters produced many tattoo artists and tons of great art. Unfortunately in 1978 due to a change in building ownership Deans Tattoo Headquarters was forced to move. It was at this time Dean decided to make the move back to San Francisco. After scouting San Francisco Dean found an old butcher shop on the Broadway strip. He remodeled and converted the building into the world famous Barbary Coast. This would be a tattoo shop that housed, produced and trained some of the best names in tattooing. It was here where names like Gregg Irons, Bill Salmon, Chuck Eldridge, Leo Zulueta, Terry Tweed, Frankie Fromano and others would get their start and gain the knowledge to tattoo and do many other things industry related that dean had safeguarded over the years. In 1984 Dean decided as a responsible and conscious decision to raise a family with his lovely wife. After making this decision he went and talked with his close friend Henry Goldfield and handed the shop over to Henry, knowing that Henry was the best man for the job. At this time Dean left tattooing for a greater call but did not lose touch with tattooing and maintained a very rewarding friendship with Henry. In 2005 after an abrupt bankruptcy by the printing company Dean was working for, he found himself back at the steps of the famous Goldfields Tattoo shop. Still in the same place it was 20 years prior Dean sat down and talked with his good friend Henry Goldfield. With much excitement and appreciation it was here that Dean made the decision to step back into the tattoo world exactly at the same place he left it 20 years before. Currently he still works at Goldfields Tattoo Shop by appointment.

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