Starshine Emporium
is hereby recognized as a
TOP GUN Professional Business!
Lauren Adia Tanner Darnell, you are considered a champion business owner for building and managing Starshine Emporium, a tattoo and art studio company in Hernando County.
Small businesses are the backbone of an economy.
The owners of these small businesses are entrepreneurs who often take significant financial and business risks, provide employment opportunities, and add their creativity, talent, and ingenuity to the overall commerce and character of a local community, town, city, and county. Many business owners work long hours, endure challenging times, make personal sacrifices, and turn lifelong passions into businesses that serve and strengthen the communities around them.
Our research team at Expansion Support Services, owners of the County Advisory Board, identified Starshine Emporium as a local business that is appreciated by its customers and brings together tattoo artistry, original artwork, creativity, family, and community under one roof.
The story behind Starshine Emporium is deeply rooted in art. Lauren Adia Tanner Darnell has been creating for as long as she can remember. As a child, she could often be found carrying a sketchbook, and by high school she was taking as many art credits as possible and even had the opportunity to teach a class. Her path eventually led to an offer for a tattoo apprenticeship, and approximately eight years ago she began working with a friend of her husband, gaining experience that would help shape the direction she is pursuing today.
Lauren began laying the groundwork for Starshine Emporium prior to its 2026 opening. Like many small-business journeys, getting to opening day came with some unexpected twists and turns, but Lauren and her family remained committed to creating something that reflected who they are: artistic, welcoming, family-oriented, and community-minded.
That family focus can be seen throughout Starshine Emporium. The shop was intentionally designed to be a place where parents and families can feel comfortable. There is a safe space where children can play, along with thoughtful touches such as baby gates, a television, and even a changing table in the bathroom. These details demonstrate the family’s desire to create an environment where customers don’t have to feel that family life and their appreciation for art have to be kept separate.
Starshine Emporium is truly a family-built business. Tanner personally handled the build-out from wall to wall and everything in between, helping transform the vision for the business into a physical space the family could call its own. Art has also been part of Tanner’s life for as long as he can remember, particularly sculpting and creating three-dimensional artwork. He is currently training to become a tattoo artist himself and is looking forward to continuing to develop his skills and finding new opportunities to express his creativity. Outside of the shop, Tanner also enjoys farming, fishing, and sculpting.
Lauren’s creativity extends well beyond tattoo art. She enjoys painting and creating new artwork, while music provides another outlet for her artistic side through playing guitar. Together, Lauren and Tanner have built Starshine Emporium around the idea that creativity can take many different forms and that local artists deserve a place where their work can be seen and appreciated.
That philosophy is especially evident in the Starshine Emporium art gallery. The business is actively working to support other local artists by offering opportunities to display and sell their artwork. As part of its current effort to encourage local creativity, Starshine Emporium is not charging commission fees on artwork sold by participating artists, and as long as wall space remains available, local artists can display their work at no charge. It is a meaningful opportunity for area artists to gain exposure, showcase their talents, and potentially connect with new customers without having to sacrifice part of their sale.
The family’s plans for Starshine Emporium also extend into giving back. They are looking forward to creating a Community Day designed to support and give back to the same community that supports their growing business. It is another example of their goal to make Starshine Emporium more than simply a place of business, but rather a creative space where art, family, local talent, and community can come together.
The company’s continued growth speaks to the dedication and ability of Lauren Adia Tanner Darnell and her family to overcome the obstacles, unexpected challenges, and barriers that are part and parcel of building and operating a small business.
We take this moment to acknowledge and thank Lauren Adia Tanner Darnell, Tanner, and the Starshine Emporium family for their past, present, and future contributions to Hernando County and for creating a business that supports not only its customers, but fellow artists and the local community.
Lauren Adia Tanner Darnell, you are highly commended and appreciated for being a local business owner, pursuing a lifelong passion for art, supporting other local artists, and helping add something unique and creative to Hernando County, Florida.
Starshine Emporium is welcoming new customers and local artists. Whether you’re interested in tattoo artistry, want to discover and purchase original artwork, are a local artist searching for a place to showcase your work, or simply want to support a creative, family-run local business, we encourage you to visit Starshine Emporium and see what Lauren, Tanner, and their family are building.
Local artists interested in displaying their work and prospective customers interested in Starshine Emporium’s services are encouraged to call (269) 635-4820.
Please shop local, support local artists, and support this Top Gun Hernando County local business!
Very Well Done Lauren Adia Tanner Darnell!
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