Armand Groesbeek of House of Holland Tattoo Emporium on Tattoo Culture, Immigration, Faith, and Resilience
A conversation with Armand Groesbeek, founder of House of Holland Tattoo Emporium in Greenville, SC, about building a tattoo studio around experience and friendship, facing an unexpected immigration crisis, and choosing gratitude, faith, and discipline through adversity.
From South Africa to Greenville: The Story Behind House of Holland Tattoo Emporium
He built a tattoo studio in Greenville, South Carolina, then suddenly had only four days to pack up his life and leave the country.
In this powerful interview, Armand Groesbeek, founder of House of Holland Tattoo Emporium, shares his journey from growing up in South Africa to building a successful tattoo studio in Greenville. What started as a dream to create a studio focused on great tattoos, real friendships, and unforgettable client experiences became a life-changing story of faith, discipline, resilience, and community.
Armand opens up about starting tattooing at 29, building House of Holland Tattoo Emporium, creating a studio where clients feel like friends, and the unexpected immigration challenge that forced his family to return to South Africa. Even through visa issues, personal loss, and having to rebuild from a distance, Armand continues to lead with gratitude, faith, and the belief that there is always a way forward.
If you love stories about entrepreneurship, tattoo culture, overcoming hardship, immigration, faith, family, and building something meaningful against all odds, this conversation is one you do not want to miss.
Full Transcript
The transcript below is separated by chapter. Click any chapter title to open that exact timestamp in the YouTube episode.
From Vereeniging to Tattooing
Man, I'm from South Africa. Born 1983 and I was born in a little town called Vereeniging. Now, when you ask any South African, if they hear the name for Vereeniging, they all have the same response and it's cuz it's a very small town, kind of a horrible town. Most people are not horrible there, but it's a it's kind of like a poor town. you know, have your your richer areas, but that's kind of where I grew up, you know, and um one of three brothers and went through a lot of jobs in my life. Mhm. I don't I don't know if I'm allowed to say it, but I did everything pretty much except prostitution. That's the only thing I didn't do. I mean, there's still time, but I don't think I'll do that. But I was about 29 when I started tattooing. Mhm.
Creating Experience-Focused Tattoo Studio
I was in music before that a little bit on the side and um worked on opencast coal mines and earth moving equipment. My dad was a mechanic there. But uh when I was 29 I kind of said I I want to do something different and I kind of got into tattooing and 14 years later I own a tattoo studio here in Greenville to make a very long story short. But yeah, it's it's been a amazing journey and House of Holland Tattoo Emporium was created with uh with one thing in mind. We want to give great experiences. Good tattoos or great tattoos is obviously a a plus point, but the main thing was was great experiences. And that's one of the things we focus on at House of Holland. That's definitely something that I noticed just coming in the door. You know, I came and met with you there. Uh, I got to meet some of your artists from the layout to even the restaurant next door where you guys will get food for your for your clients. I mean, it feels like I'm coming there to hang out and I just so happen to be able to leave with some ink. So, like is that that's basically what you're going for with it? Absolutely. Absolutely. All my full day clients, we we buy them lunch and we sit outside and have a great time and eat and then get back to tattooing just have a great day. So that's the that was the main thing for me is to have that great experience, have clients become friends. I don't think there's many clients that don't become friends. Yeah. And that's the that's the great thing. It's not a job really, is it?
Collaboration and Friendship Behind the Business
If you if you enjoy what you do and you do it with a bunch of friends, so everyone in the in the studio is is friends. We get along. The vibe's great. So you don't work a day in your life. Absolutely, man. That's what I think everybody strives for when you can create that yourself. Uh what does that feel like to to know that you kind of spearheaded an experience that you know so many people look for? I will say this, I didn't do it alone. I had so many amazing people in my life, key people that that played such a big role in creating this.
Regulatory Challenges: SA vs US Studios
From friends to family to to clients that became friends that became investors. in the business. So, it's been a I'm looking for the English word now. Um, it's been a collaborative journey with amazing people, but it I I feel fortunate enough to to be able to do it in the United States. It's a dream that I never thought would come true. It's obviously something that I worked for, and to be able to have that studio now in the United States does feel like a pretty dope accomplishment. Yeah. So speaking on that, um, getting your start tattooing in South Africa and then coming here, what are some of the main differences that you would say for somebody who's trying to start a tattoo studio? Oh, so South Africa is very easy to start a studio because there's no hardcore rules and regulations. Well, there kind of is, but no one follows them and there's no consequences if you don't follow them, right? So when I started a my studio in in South Africa, I got a place that I liked. I didn't have to worry about zoning. Mhm. And I contacted the I contacted the property people, started renting out the place or renting the place and then started my business. I was up and running within 3 days. No DHEC, no health and safety, nothing. and in and for 9 years while I had my studio, I've never had the health department ever come into my studio. So coming over here, it took me 9 months almost 10 just to open doors. Wow. So it was the experience was way different. It was it was a lot a lot harder and a hell of a lot more expensive. What does that look like on the back end of that? Because I'm sure that in the Wild West with no rules, you know, it's easy to open a shop, but what is that
Regulation vs Quality in the Tattoo Industry
experience later versus here where you have so many hoops to jump through, DHEC, all these things to go through, but what do you think makes that experience different on the back end? That's very interesting question and this is where I might differ with a lot of people. I've seen horrible tattoo artists open up their studios in South Africa because it's so easy, right? There's plenty of bad artists and you would think when you have a little bit stricter rules and more, you know, rules and regulations that things would look different. It doesn't. You still get a bunch of crappy artists that does horrible work. I saw it today again. Absolutely horrible work. And so it's strange. I don't know. Sometimes rules and regulations don't always make sense. Mhm. Because you still get bad artists. they just more committed to open their studio and they they are willing to go through all of this trouble just to open up a studio even they even though they suck. So on the back end I mean it pretty much looks the same. I will say that the the tattoo industry here is much bigger much larger scale than in South Africa and I think it's mostly because of the demographics
Greenville Launch: Early Success and Community
Mhm. that are for especially here in Greenville, the demographics looks a lot different than it does in South Africa. Okay. Now, chugging along in Greenville, you get the doors open, you start getting clients, you get your you get your staff of people who are near and dear to you that are helping you uh turn this dream into a reality. Um what was the beginning like how do you view your surroundings when it comes to your shop and and Greenville and the backdrop, man? when we opened doors the beauty of Greenville. So when you walk out my door and you look straight ahead, you can see the sunset over Greenville downtown. So it we've got a great view of it. And it was just me, a friend, and his wife starting out. So we were only three three artists. And I was still kind of nervous. I was like, is this going to work? Is it not going to work? But seeing that beauty, seeing all that, you know, I I felt privileged and blessed. And so Kevin, my my friend, was like, "Dude, it'll all be okay, man. It'll work." And now a year and 5 months later, we have a packed studio. Um, we had a flash day the other day. There was 400 people walking through the door on the Friday and Saturday. So, just in that, I mean, I feel blessed. I don't know how else to put it, man. smile. You know, I just I can't help but smile. You are a pretty happy guy. I am. That's kind of a thing from the first time I spoke with you to the second time to the third time that we met up the other night and it's just like consistently you're a very happy guy.
Personal and Visa Crises Amid Growth
Very. Yes. You got a lot to be you got a lot to be happy about. Absolutely. Even though there's sometimes trials and tribulations and I think a lot of people because you always smile, they're like, "Man, this guy's life must be absolutely heaven." Which for the most part it is. But you do get those hard times. But I always smile because at the end of the day, we're still breathing, kicking. I have my arms and legs. Man, there's plenty to be thankful for. That's why I always smile, man. That's true. I mean, it's a good reason to. However, like you said, trials and tribulations, those things do arise. And I don't think a lot of people know. You hit your own rough rough spot here lately. Um, everything was going along, like you said, you you had a really good opening. you everything started going along in Greenville and then one of the hardest things that could have happened happened. Can you tell us about that? Yeah, so we moved from South Africa to to Greenville in 2022. Well, first I moved and then my family moved a couple of months later. They came over so that I could set up everything and my visa cuz I'm on a work visa. I was on an O1 visa. The visa is valid for 3 years. Well, 2 and 1/2 years in, my lawyer suggested we should start, you know, applying for a renewal, which is a normal process. So, we did and we started way ahead of time. My visa was going to expire October 2025. So, we started doing the paperwork in June already. So, quite a couple of months ahead. Well, with the government being busy and all those kinds of stuff, we haven't heard anything back from the USCIS and which was okay because we got a letter saying that they still busy with it and we still good till the approval comes through. And on the 31st of October 2025, we received a letter from the USCIS stating that they have an intent to deny our visa. So, my lawyer was like, "Listen, I'll call you guys." Cuz it was the Friday. It was on Halloween. My kids were out tricking trick-or-treating. So, horrible news to receive on that day. I can imagine. But on the 1st of October, we had a video call with him, discussed what we can do. As we got off the phone with him, my mother called me. Now, my mother never calls me on a Saturday. So, as I picked up the phone, it's my mom. She's crying. So, I immediately knew something's wrong. Well, turns out my oldest brother passed away. So everything kind of happened on the same day. Mhm. And I was doing a big tattoo on a on a good friend. And I remember I I sat outside and I I just sat down and I tried to process everything, right? It's a lot of bad information to try and process at once. So, I kind of just sat and I I prayed for a second and I was like, "Okay, well, you still have a job to do, still have a tattoo to do and a client to do, and you're going to give them the best experience you can." So, I stood up and I walked in and I was like, "Okay, guy, ready to go." And we
Forced Return: Packing Life in Four Days
carried on and about 2 hours in, my friend Kevin walked in and he looked at me and he immediately felt something was off. I was still smiling, but he knew something was off. So, he called me outside. We spoke about it. We tried to, you know, to to fight this, but there was a lot of challenges in between. But it turned out that I think the last week, that week of the 20th, I think, yeah, that week of the 20th, I think the 20th of November was a Monday, we received another letter from the USCIS saying, "Listen, we're not going to your paperwork. You know, we're not happy with what you've sent us." and a bunch of other challenges that was in there that I won't talk about. But we then had to leave the country by the 24th. So it gave us 4 days to pack up a life that we've built here and go back to South Africa. So man, yeah. Imagine packing up 3 years of your life in 4 days. Just like that. Yeah. That's crazy. Yeah. So, but we we had some amazing friends that, you know, came out and helped us. Mhm. you know, and we uh we accepted the challenge. So, but we went back to South
Resilience and Positive Outlook Through Hardships
Africa in our in our due time and we've been there now ever since. And I came over to visit and make sure that the studio is still running cuz the the tattoo studio is still going, pumping, going crazy. So, still blessed, you know, amongst all of this. And that's that's kind of a crazy challenge, too, when you think about it. Like a lot of people can just view all these little things that pop up every day and say, "Oh man, this is what makes it impossible to run a business. This is what makes it impossible to be successful. This is what makes it impossible to do what you love." And then you have this going on and it seems by all rights that the shop is doing great. Um, tell me a little bit about that. Yeah, I think a lot of people see the the front side, you know, the Instagram side of of things. Yeah. and they don't realize that there's a a lot of hardships that goes with it. I honestly believe that if you no matter what life throws at you, there's always a there's always a solution. I've always been a glass full kind of guy. You know, I've always I've always seen the positive in things. And man, I can tell you wild stories of why things shouldn't be positive. Mhm. But it always works out for the better. Especially if you say it and you you go for it and you don't overthink it and you challenge it and it will always work out. It always does. Mhm. It always does. And I don't know how to explain it. I pray a lot and obviously that's a big part of it. But I'm always also a man of faith, not just in God, but in my capabilities to do things and that things will work out the way it should. That's the universe, man. It's the way it is. That's true, man. It's just it's such a weird thing to it's it's very common to hear people say that. It's very rare to see it in practice, which is I think why
Preventable Setback and Determined Return
part of your story just really kicks me in the gut so much. Um because there are all these practical things that usually are saved for passing statements that people just say, you know, um you're putting it together, you're paying attention, you're you're you're staying committed to the goal. Um you're relying on the people around you. Yeah. Um, and even when you came back to visit, I I guess didn't you find out that this was entirely preventable? Yes, it was. It was purely preventable. I mean, it shouldn't have happened. Mhm. But this is the the sad thing. There's always, you know, someone's going to slip through the cracks and we were unfortunately the family that did slip through the the the legal cracks, you know, and it shouldn't have happened. It was totally preventable, but it happened. So, we can we can complain about it, cry about it, or we can do something about it. Man, I love that. But we we will we will be back. No doubt. We I saw a immigration lawyer again and it looks very positive. We we are very positive that we'll be back very very soon and uh just picking up where we left off, you know. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. So thinking about that, I guess the contrast is what pops into my mind. Like you're you're here,
Contrast Between South African Hood and Greenville
you're doing your thing, you get sent back to South Africa, you get back there, you establish again. What does establishing in South Africa again look like? I don't want to get all dark, but I'm going to tell you an event that happened three and a half weeks of us being back in South Africa. So we live in this predominantly black neighborhood. So we we call it the hood, like you guys call it the hood, right? So we we we live in the hood and um obviously crime is absolutely out of out of hand in South Africa. So I got my firearm strapped. I'm like, let's go for a bicycle ride. So I grab the wife and kids and we go for a a cycle. And right down the road where our road meets another road, a Djunction, there's a big commotion going on there. And we stop and we realize that they caught a robber. So this guy was stealing from people. So I sent my wife and kids back home. I'm like, you go back home. Well, you know, I'm going to make sure that everything's okay and, you know, find out what's happening. So they go back home and I start talking to the other people there. But the criminal, he got caught and so they started beating him with with sticks and bricks and a bunch of stuff. So, turns out there's a whole syndicate in our neighborhood that involves crime. So, they steal from different houses, different things, and if they have to hurt you, they'll hurt you to get whatever they need or whatever they want. Well, long story short, they ended up mob justice killing the bloke. And this is right down the street from us. So, the the difference between there and here is and I'm sure there's some bad spots in in the United States, no doubt. Um maybe in Greenville even, but not where we were. So, it it was quite the difference. My kids since I've I've left and I I've been here for about 2 weeks visiting, making sure the business side of things are running. But since then, my kids have not left the house. So, you know, it's the the vast differences of of worlds, you know. Absolutely. So, but obviously we adapt. That's what we do. We adapt. They they know what they're supposed to do and how they're supposed to do it. And they very positive. They're like, "Hey, Dad. How's home?" You know, is it good? Cuz they they know we we're going to come back, you know. So, but yeah, that's the you the beauty of humans is we survive and we adapt. That's why we've lived for so many millennia because we are really good at adapting. Absolutely. Once you get once you get back to Greenville, are you looking at it in a different light? Like I think that a lot of people take a lot of
Gratitude, Adaptation, and Future Plans
things for granted. Um but being able to witness the contrast yourself when you come back here, what do you think when you see Greenville? You know what? When I just came over here, I had a wow, look at the difference. And as the the more you are here, the more you get used to it, right? And I don't want to say I took it for granted. But now being back in South Africa and now coming back, I'm like, yeah, I did take it for granted cuz you get so used to it. You get used to this first world problems. Oh no, my phone battery died, you know. And and in South Africa, we struggle with power. Sometimes we have to run off a generator and I'm like sometimes we don't have water, you know. And I'm like, we we took a lot of things for granted. My kids have adapted so quick while we were here because they're bilingual. So we speak Afrikaans and English. They have picked up the southern accents so much that whenever we go now in South Africa, they're like, "Are you guys American?" We're like, "No, they just speak American." I've never pictured a southern accent in South Africa. Yeah, it's it's quite funny. We we get a lot of crazy looks, but it's it shows you how quickly we we adapt even settle in and get comfortable and get used to the the good in life. And I think the perspective that I that I took from this whole experience is every single day that you do something, appreciate that. Now I get in in my in my old Jeep and when I drive to this to the studio I'm thankful. I'm like it's such a blessing to be here. And then when I talk to people that you know they they're like oh we hate America. I'm like then move to another country. Oh no we don't want to. You know so Americans is the and I'm not I'm generalizing now right? But Americans are the only people that will complain about America being the worst country in the world that refuse to go to any other country in the world. Right? So, and that gives you that gives me a really good perspective of how good America has it, you know. Oh, yeah. It has its troubles, don't get me wrong, but overall it's a phenomenal place. You said something earlier about your kids on the phone saying, "How's home?" Yeah. So, when you hear them say home, what kind of motivation does that give you to just bring it all back? It kicks you in the nuts. Yeah. But it gives me one hell of a motivation. It would, man. And and obviously motivation is very up and down, but it makes me realize that my discipline has to be 100% on point because discipline, you do discipline not because you want to or because you feel like it. You do it because that's the right thing to do. When motivation is kind of like I'm motivated today, so I'm going to call 20 people. That's, you know, that's not discipline. Motivation is up and down. So, it motivates me for sure, but it makes me hyperfocus on my discipline, making sure that I do everything right to make sure we come back as soon as possible. Absolutely, man. Now, when when you do get back Yes. when it's, you know, no longer the the struggle, no longer the, you know, motivating force of just coming home. When you actually are home living here and building what you want to build here, what does that look like? Honestly, I have no idea. I'm just I'm focused on getting us back here. And honestly, this is how I feel about it. I will take it day by day. Appreciate it day by day. I know what I want to do and where I'm going. How long that's going to take, I have no idea. This uh this whole thing was was a challenge. So, when we do come back, we start from scratch again for the third time. Luckily, not in business. So the business side at least is is up and going and going strong. But personally, you know, finding a new place, where do we find a new place? Where are we going? Are we going to, you know, are we moving to Pickens? Are we moving to Greer Taylor? You know, we are. So I don't know what that looks like to be honest, but I am very positive that we'll go wherever we were supposed to go. And so I'm just I'm excited, man. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm going. There you go. That's it, man. Um, I guess when I think about this story and I think about what you've gone through,
Supporting Those Facing Deportation
I mean, I don't think a lot of people realize, but like this this whole thing happened because we reached out to you to do an interview uh about your business for our website. You know, we're featuring local businesses. We have this discussion with you. Um, we talk a little more. We we hang out a little more. I get to know you a little more. I get to come into your shop. Um, this is a thing that just happened to a random uh interviewee from my job, right? And then you became a friend and then I become just entranced with this story and I kind of get involved in it a little bit to the point where like here we are, you give me a call, tell me you're here, you tell me more things about what's going on. We just really felt like this was a good discussion to have. Um, but I think about other people that are affected by this that we just don't think about every day. And if this happens to a person that I randomly interviewed at work, um I wonder how many people are are really kind of going through this with somebody else as well. When somebody's going through this with a family member or a friend or or a co-orker or something, what are ways people can support the ones that are getting deported or the ones that are having to leave their house with with, you know, identification every day to kind of prove things or how do you support somebody in in your situation? That is a great question. I can speak from experience, right? So, I can only tell you what people have done for me. We had some friends that that could help us financially in a lot of ways, which was obviously a extremely great help, but trying to and I'll use use House of Holland as an example. trying to run a country from a different side of the world is kind of tricky because you have like a sevenh hour time difference. So it's very important to surround yourself with people that are like-minded and trustworthy. So I was lucky enough to have a a great friend of mine, Kevin, that was running the shop. It's like, "Hey, bro, don't worry about it. We got it. We'll sort it out. Don't you stress about anything." So I could focus that time on on my family as we got back. But we had friends over here that supported us by helping us back up our lives, friends that were willing to drive to get us food, friends that was willing to help me take the cars back, you know. So we had so many different people doing little things that it ended up making our load lighter. Mhm. So I would say if you if you know someone that is going through this same or similar situation, support them by doing small things. Small things, man. It's the small things that will make the light load the load lighter, which I think is is important. But yeah, it's it's important to also have trustworthy friends. That will make it a lot easier to do. Absolutely. So what's this homecoming going to feel like? We're going to want to have one hell of a party. I tell you that. That's what I was looking for.
Planning a Homecoming Celebration
We're going to throw some steaks on a grill. That's what's up. And uh and eat and be feastful, you know? Be feastful. I love it. It might be my favorite thing that you've said today. So, I tell you what, man. Um why don't you just tell everybody where they can find you as far as the shop and and how
Finding and Connecting with House of Holland
things are going that way? Just So, you can go on House of Holland Tattoo Emporium. We have a website with all our artist list listed on there. You can find us on social media on Instagram, Facebook, uh Tik Tok and also on there you will find all the artists that works there. So if you ever want a tattoo, just reach out to the specific artist that you would want to reach out or just re reach out to the shop. They'll be able to help you and we can get you sorted with a phenomenal experience and a great tattoo with that. Absolutely. Well, I appreciate you being here today. I appreciate you, my brother. So much, man. Thank you.
