American Tattoo Society

American Tattoo Society (ATS) is an American premium tattoo and piercing studio brand founded in 2014 by Nicole and Ryan Harrell. The company operates a small, deliberately placed chain of studios in military towns across the United States, positioning itself as "America's Tattoo Studio" and "The Tattoo Studio Built For America & The Military Community." Its studios are located near major military installations, including Fayetteville (Fort Bragg) and Jacksonville (Camp Lejeune) in North Carolina, El Paso (Fort Bliss) in Texas, Fort Drum in New York, and Norfolk (Naval Station Norfolk) in Virginia. ATS differentiates itself from typical tattoo shops by building its operations around military life — deployment schedules, permanent change of station (PCS) timelines, and memorial pieces — rather than merely tolerating them. The brand reports five studios, a 4.9 average rating, and more than 25,000 reviews across its locations. It has also introduced a digital consultation service called "Tattoo Talk," which allows clients to submit an idea and receive a real artist's quote within 24 hours, free and without commitment. Beyond tattooing, ATS sells branded merchandise such as T-shirts, hats, hoodies, pants, and patches, with prints listed as coming soon. The company remains privately held and is headquartered in North Carolina. Its growth has been deliberate, expanding from a single shop to a multi-state brand while maintaining a consistent standard and a strong focus on the military community it serves.

American Tattoo Society was founded on July 4, 2014, by Nicole and Ryan Harrell. The couple opened their first studio in a military town, driven by the conviction that service members and their families deserved a tattoo studio designed around their lives rather than one that merely accommodated their schedules. The founders recognized that military clients sought serious, lasting work from artists who understood the significance of the ink — whether marking a survived deployment, a hard-earned unit, or a name carried home. From that single location, ATS grew deliberately, avoiding tourist-heavy areas and instead planting studios near bases and naval stations where its core clientele are stationed. Word spread quickly through tight-knit military communities, built on trust and referrals. Over the following years, the brand expanded to five studios across North Carolina, Texas, New York, and Virginia, each operated to the same standard established by the first shop. The company positions itself as having effectively created a category: the tattoo studio that the military community calls its own. Its locations include Fayetteville (near Fort Bragg) and Jacksonville (near Camp Lejeune) in North Carolina; El Paso (near Fort Bliss) in Texas; Fort Drum in New York; and Norfolk (near Naval Station Norfolk) in Virginia. All five studios are listed as open and maintain a 4.9 average rating. In addition to its physical expansion, ATS has invested in digital tools to serve its dispersed client base. Its "Tattoo Talk" service allows clients to submit tattoo ideas online and receive a real artist's quote within 24 hours, free and without commitment — a feature designed to streamline the first step of the tattoo process for busy military schedules. The brand also sells its own line of apparel and accessories, including T-shirts, hats, hoodies, pants, and patches, with prints announced as coming soon. As of the available evidence, ATS remains a privately held company headquartered in North Carolina.

• American Tattoo Society founded by Nicole and Ryan Harrell; first studio opens.

• Expansion to five studios across North Carolina, Texas, New York, and Virginia.

• Launch of Tattoo Talk digital quote service.

Premium tattoo studio brand purpose-built for U.S. military communities, emphasizing trust, quality, and convenience.

• Tattoo Talk

  Online service for receiving a real artist's quote within 24 hours.

• Tattoo services

  Custom tattoo work, including military memorial pieces.

• Piercing services

  Professional piercing services.

• Apparel

  Branded T-shirts, hats, hoodies, pants, and patches.

1. 1American Tattoo Society Official Websiteamericantattoosociety.com
2. 2About Us - American Tattoo Societyamericantattoosociety.com
3. 3Wikidata - American Tattoo Societywikidata.org