From One Shop To A Standard
American Tattoo Society started in 2014, founded by Nicole and Ryan Harrell with a conviction the rest of the industry had missed: the men and women who serve — and the families who serve alongside them — deserved a tattoo studio built around their lives, not one that simply tolerated their schedules.
That first shop opened in a military town for a reason. Soldiers and their families weren't looking for a novelty or a quick souvenir; they wanted serious, lasting work from artists who understood what the ink meant — a deployment survived, a unit earned, a name carried home. Word moved the way it always does in a tight community: fast, and on trust.
From that single location, ATS grew deliberately — not chasing tourist corners, but planting studios next to the bases and naval stations where our clients are stationed. Today the brand spans five studios across North Carolina, Texas, New York, and Virginia, each run to the same standard the first shop set.
We didn't set out to be another tattoo shop. We set out to be the studio the military community calls its own — a category we effectively created and have spent every year since refining. That's still the whole point.
How We Got Here
- July 4, 2014
American Tattoo Society Founded
Nicole and Ryan Harrell open the doors with a studio built around the military community.
American Tattoo Society Founded - September 2017
The First Contract
ATS signs the contract to become the only company permitted to operate tattoo studios legally on military installations.
The First Contract - March 22, 2019
Jacksonville
A second studio opens right outside the gates of Camp Lejeune.
Jacksonville - September 4, 2020
Nellis Air Force Base
The first legal tattoo studio on any U.S. military installation opens at Nellis Air Force Base.
Nellis Air Force Base - March 4, 2021
MacDill Air Force Base
ATS opens at MacDill AFB — the second studio operating legally on an Air Force installation.
MacDill Air Force Base - April 30, 2021
Fort Bliss
ATS opens at Fort Bliss — the first studio to operate legally on an Army installation.
Fort Bliss - June 2021
Writing The Rulebook
Ryan works with the Army to develop the regulations for tattooing on military installations.
Writing The Rulebook - January 16, 2023
Travis Air Force Base
ATS opens at Travis AFB — the 3rd Air Force studio, and our 6th overall.
Travis Air Force Base - May 23, 2023
Fort Drum
ATS opens at Fort Drum — the 2nd Army installation, and our 7th overall.
Fort Drum - June 9, 2023
Fort Benning
ATS opens at Fort Benning — the 3rd Army installation, and our 8th overall.
Fort Benning - August 2023
The Army Codifies It
The Army approves the regulations that permit tattoo studios to operate on base.
The Army Codifies It - August 4, 2023
Fort Irwin
ATS opens at Fort Irwin — the 4th Army installation, and our 9th overall.
Fort Irwin - December 11, 2023
Fort Bragg
ATS opens at Fort Bragg — the 5th Army installation, and our 10th overall.
Fort Bragg - December 14, 2023
Charleston Air Force Base
ATS opens at Charleston AFB — the 4th Air Force studio, and our 11th overall.
Charleston Air Force Base - April 14, 2024
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
ATS opens at Wright-Patterson AFB — the 5th Air Force studio, and our 12th overall.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base - July 25, 2024
Norfolk
ATS is cleared to open just outside Naval Station Norfolk — an area never before permitted for tattooing — becoming our 13th location.
Norfolk - September 22, 2025
Moving Off Base
ATS begins a staggered transition to an off-base model.
Moving Off Base - December 4, 2025
Off-Base Complete
ATS completes its move off base, relocating the Fort Bliss studio.
Off-Base Complete
The Receipts
- 2024
- Army Emergency Relief Fund Award RecognitionArmy Emergency Relief Fund
- Best Place to Get Tattooed or PiercedUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- 2023
- Best Place to Get Tattooed or PiercedUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Small BusinessUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Place to WorkUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- 2022
- Best Place to Get Tattooed or PiercedUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Small BusinessUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Place to WorkUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Customer ServiceUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- 2019
- Best Place to Get Tattooed or PiercedUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Place to WorkUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Customer ServiceUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- 2018
- MWR Small Business Award
- Top Shop in Fayetteville, NCExpertise
- Rank #4 in NCAll Things NC
- 2017
- Best Place to Get Tattooed or PiercedUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Place to WorkUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- Best Customer ServiceUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- 2016
- Best Place to Get Tattooed or PiercedUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- 2015
- Best Place to Get Tattooed or PiercedUSA Today / The Fayetteville Observer
- WKMLAmerican Tattoo Society sets up first shop on Fort Liberty, now has 11 nationwideRead ↗
- PR NewswireVeteran Ink and American Tattoo Society partner to give back to veteransRead ↗
- DVIDSFort Irwin welcomes American Tattoo Society studioRead ↗
- Tampa Bay TimesNew tattoo studio open at MacDill Air Force BaseRead ↗
- FOX 13 Tampa BayTattoo shop on MacDill Air Force Base reflects changing military cultureRead ↗
- Mad RabbitHow American Tattoo Society will sell $100,000 of Mad Rabbit products this yearRead ↗
- Stars and StripesMore military exchange locations to get tattoo studiosRead ↗
- KTSMFirst-ever Army base tattoo shop opens at Fort BlissRead ↗
- Daily RepublicExchange opens tattoo shop at Travis mini mallRead ↗
Everything Under One Roof
From your first piece to a full memorial sleeve — and the work that keeps it looking right. Start here, then dig into any topic.
Tattooing
→Custom, freehand, and flash across every major style — built for your body and your story, not pulled off a wall.
Explore StylesPiercing
→Professional body piercing from lobes to dermals, done with single-use, sterilized equipment by appointment or walk-in.
Explore PiercingMilitary Tattoos
→Unit insignia, jump wings, rank, and deployment pieces done correctly, by artists who know the culture.
Military TattoosMemorial Tattoos
→Portraits, dog tags, and tribute work to honor the ones we carry — given all the time it needs to be right.
Memorial TattoosCover-Ups
→Turn old or unwanted ink into something you're proud of. Bring it in for a free consultation and we'll map what's possible.
Cover-UpsAftercare
→Heal it right. Our aftercare guidance — and the Skin Reserve line — keep your piece looking the way it left the chair.
AftercareNo Corners Cut
The non-negotiables behind every piece that leaves our chairs.
Hospital-Grade Clean
Single-use needles and tubes, autoclave-sterilized equipment, and hospital disinfectant between every client.
Certified Artists
Every artist is bloodborne-pathogen certified and held to the same procedures at every studio.
Private Booths
Available for cover-ups, larger placements, and anyone who'd rather have their session off the main floor.
Vetted, Experienced
Our artists bring years of experience before they ever join ATS — we hire for skill and standards, not just availability.
Guest Artist Program
Rotating guest artists bring fresh specialties and styles into our studios throughout the year.
More Than A Shop
A consultation tool, a convention, an aftercare line, and a crew that's always hiring. Everything that orbits the chair.
All American Tattoo Convention
The convention ATS hosts — artists, competitions, and the wider tattoo community under one roof.
Learn More →Skin Reserve
Our aftercare line, formulated to heal fresh ink and keep healed work looking sharp.
Shop Skin Reserve →Join ATS
Artists, piercers, and counter crew — if you hold the standard, we're always looking.
See Openings →Affiliate Program
Creators and fans — share ATS and earn commission on the sales you drive.
Become An Affiliate →FAQ
Walk-ins, age requirements, military IDs, aftercare — the answers to what people ask most.
Read FAQ →The Journal
Artist features, style guides, and military-life tattoo guidance from across our studios.
Read The Journal →
