Piercing and poking through people's skin and cartilage using various custom or standard pieces of jewelry is the job of Andy Sandberg, Olde Town Tattoo's newest employee. Sandberg, like a lot of body piercers, is mainly self-taught. He has been piercing people for a little more than five years and began his career at Cloud 9 in St.

Cloud, where he had his apprenticeship and also worked with Olde Town Owner Scotty Stommes. "I'd done a lot of research on my own before I became interested in becoming a piercer myself," Sandberg said. "The gentleman that was piercing me was actually working on some projects and he was getting frustrated with it because he couldn't figure out exactly how to do some bending, and to me, it just clicked.

" After working at Cloud 9 for five years of his career, it was time to change things up a bit, he said. "I came to Olde Town for a more creative atmosphere. We are free to share a lot more of our artistic ability at Olde Town," Sandberg said.

"Olde Town is a completely custom shop, so it doesn't get much more creative than that, and it's just a better environment for me." Sandberg and Stommes became good friends while Stommes was working at Cloud 9, and when Stommes decided to open his own shop, it seemed like a logical move for Sandberg to move with him. Stommes said, "Since I had worked with him before, I knew how good of a work ethic he has, and anyone that works like that, I want to have them working with me.

He is the best piercer I know." Growing up, Sandberg's parents and family members may have had an influence on his career decision. "Both of my parents have tattoos, so I guess at an early age I become some what interested in it.

I definitely wanted to get tattoos," Sandberg said.