Beyond the Needles: First Place Tattoos

In college, many people look to do something different. Something outside of the box. In Hackettstown, there’s not much that’s different; that’s where First Place Tattoos on Main Street saves the day. 

Open every day 1 p.m. through 8 p.m., First Place Tattoos is located on Main Street near Man Skirt Brewing and offers a variety of tattoos and piercings. It is owned by Justin Booth, who is also one of their two piercers. 

First Place Tattoos has prices that reflect their high-quality work, which means they can be a little pricey- typically around $100 for the cheapest tattoo. However, the work is worth every penny. 

Both the piercers and tattoo artists are incredibly kind and make sure your experience goes smoothly. They genuinely want you to be happy with your end product.

First Place Tattoos understands your budget and is happy to help you work around it by pulling out jewelry within your price range. In addition to this, they also have flash events and piercing specials, which mark down their prices. They also have a Pints & Needles series where they partner with Man Skirt Brewing and have flash tattoos.

Types of Tattoos

First Place Tattoos has a whole staff of people specializing in all kinds of tattoos. Giavanna Maltese specializes in permanent makeup. Don Kincaid specializes in black and white realism. Kat Moose specializes in fine line, illustrative, and traditional. That’s not even all of their artists. First Place Tattoos has an artist for everyone.

“I went with my daughter, and we got matching tattoos done by Dylan. He was incredibly professional and had such an inviting atmosphere. It was a fantastic first tattoo experience,” said Cassandra Vorse.

Vorse’s tattoo represents both her and her daughter’s zodiac signs; Vorse is the Taurus and her daughter is the Aquarius. She came up with the idea when her daughter was born. She forgot about it for a while before mentioning it to her daughter, who latched onto the idea and the two promised to do it together for her daughter’s nineteenth birthday.

“I had no interest in ever getting a tattoo growing up. But after I turned eighteen, I decided I really wanted a bee tattoo,” said Cyclone Chronicle Editor-In-Chief Alexis d’Ambly. “My family and I went (seven of us) to get matching tattoos for my nineteenth birthday. It was my first tattoo, and I was super nervous. Kat made me feel so comfortable. After I got the bee, I really wanted something colorful. I got the butterfly for my twentieth birthday. I'm so glad I went to First Place. The artists treat you like a friend and give fantastic after care advice. I have no regrets. If I ever want another tattoo, I won't go anywhere but First Place.”

Piercings, Too

First Place Tattoos currently has two piercers, Booth and Victoria Coloccia. They use high-quality jewelry made of titanium or 14k gold, that have plenty of options for you to choose from. They’re constantly getting new pieces like anatomically correct hearts to snakes wrapped around pieces of moss agate.

“Justin was super personable, even though when I went it was insanely busy. He took time to talk to the group I went with and made sure we all had the placements we wanted,” said Sussex County Community student Grace Seijas. “I’ve had no issues with my piercing’s healing process and love the way it’s turned out.”

First Place Tattoos offers a vast variety of piercings: ears, facial, oral, and body. First Place Tattoos doesn’t provide a select few piercings like dermal, frog eyes, snake eyes, and smileys.

“I went to First Place Tattoos for my second lobe piercings, as well as both of the cartilage piercings I have,” said repeat customer Olivia Pannullo. “All were done by Justin, who did an amazing job making me feel at ease and like I was in good hands. He’s extremely knowledgeable and knows small adjustments to make based on the individual’s anatomy, like what jewelry would look best where. All staff members have been very welcoming each time I’ve been there, and the establishment as a whole has a very comfortable but professional feeling.”

First Place Tattoos piercers also offer ear curation, when a piercer designs a special piercing setup or plan for a client. They help pick out jewelry and design a balanced look for someone’s piercings.

“I've been pierced by both piercers, and they both were fantastic,” said Cyclone Chronicle staff member Elizabeth May. “Victoria did my second lobes and mapped out where my thirds would go if I ever wanted them. She was super kind and explained everything, which calmed my nerves. Justin pierced my conch and industrial. Each time he answered my questions with patience and made sure I was alright through the whole process. Both of them provide a warm and welcoming environment that makes getting a piercing less nerve-racking and more fun.”

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First Place Tattoos is Hackettstown's very own tattoo and piercing place. In order to make an appointment, you can call or walk in to make one. 

They do accept walk-ins when time is available, but it’s recommended that you make an appointment so you definitely get a slot in their schedule. 

“First Place is like hanging out with friends with the trust of a professional, and we try our best to keep that vibe,” said Coloccia.

To stay in the know with First Place Tattoos, you can check out their Instagram (@firstplacetattoos) or go to their website (https://www.firstplacetattoos.com/).