The Radical Inclusion of Milan’s Ink & Dye

Ink & Dye, located at 17 W. Main St. in Milan, presents itself as a living cabinet of curiosities. 

Framed antique maps, vintage salon tools, religious iconography, taxidermy, and found memorabilia cover nearly every wall. The collection includes an 1852 world map and a taxidermied possum known as “Rat Damon,” reflecting the layered history and curated chaos that define the shop’s interior. 

For co-owner Ashley St. Clair, the shop’s maximalist aesthetic is inherited. “My dad always says, ‘Give me a hammer and nails and an empty wall, and I’ll put stuff on it,’” she said, crediting him for her lifelong love of collecting. 

That collection represents a 17-year labor of love, blending personal treasures with the building’s own eclectic past. Built by the Odd Fellows, a 19th-century fraternal organization focused on mutual aid and community service, the structure has served as a bank, post office, newspaper office, and dry goods store. During renovations, St. Clair and her team uncovered traces of those former lives, including original bank notes near the basement vault and a gum wrapper dating back to the dry goods era. 

One of the most meaningful discoveries was a beehive symbol associated with the Rebeccas, the Odd Fellows’ sister organization. St. Clair said the beehive represents “associated industry” and the “advantages of united effort,” a philosophy that continues to shape the shop today. 

Not all of the building’s residents, however, are part of the historical record. 

The space is also home to “Frank,” a spirit believed to be one of the building’s original builders. “He’s super chill,” St. Clair said, explaining that the name stuck after a previous owner’s child mentioned him during a game of hide-and-seek. The basement, she added, carries a different energy, describing a presence she refers to as a “spooky demon,” though she noted it has never entered the main studio. 

While the ghosts and oddities, including jars of baby teeth donated by locals after a social media post, draw people in, the shop’s sense of purpose keeps them coming back. 

Ink & Dye opened in 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic. The timing, St. Clair said, helped clarify the shop’s mission. “We wanted to be very vocal so the people who needed a space to feel comfortable would know this is a place where they can feel comfortable,” St. Clair said. 

That openness has made Ink & Dye a sanctuary, particularly for queer and transgender clients. The shop specializes in gender-affirming haircuts, operating under the belief that hair has no gender. “There are people who want to know they are seen and heard,” St. Clair said. 

Looking ahead, St. Clair plans to continue using the space for community-focused events, including a Resistance Art Show scheduled for March 14 featuring work by Michigan artists, with proceeds benefiting local charities and the ACLU. 

Whether visitors arrive to meet Rat Damon, acknowledge Frank, or receive a haircut that reflects their identity, the message remains the same. You are welcome here.