This studio is something of a dream for those who seek high quality, personal, and cutting edge body modification services. The space is impeccable and the jewelry selection is drool-worthy.
If you're looking for cheap piercings with cheap jewelry, then stay away from here. You're paying for quality and knowledge. They only carry internally threaded jewelry, which is a testament to their commitment to their client's safety.
Nik Moore did my boyfriend's first tattoo, a full blackwork calf piece. Nik worked with him to design a gorgeous custom piece. Nik is in high demand, but the work is worth the wait.
John Joyce pierced my VCH, my very first intimate piercing. Not only was he calming and reassuring, talking to me through each step and explaining what each piece of equipment was for, but he was also swift and precise. My piercing healed within a matter of weeks and months later I am still in love with it. I loved the array of jewelry I was able to pick from, it made my piercing very personal and special.
I can't wait to go back to them for another piece.
I have been going to Scarab since the day they opened. I have gotten 4 cartilage piercings, 2 personal piercings, a labret, ears stretched from 14g to 00, and 2 tattoos completed under the roof of 215 Walton St. I can wholeheartedly say they are the best. The emphasize cleanliness and care, while making sure the client is comfortable. The knowledge they poses on their craft is impressive. They make sure you know what you are getting into, and how to take care of your body modifications long after you leave. Not only have they become my good friends, but I recommend them to anyone and everyone!
Review Source:Currently, I am working in Brooklyn. I plan my visits back home to Syracuse - several hours by train or bus - around my visits to Scarab. That's how awesome this establishment is...
I have worked with Jaime Santos for 20+ hours. Â Sitting in her chair for ink is like spending time with a friend...a very talented and meticulous artist friend. :) Â She's much better about getting back to me than I am about responding to her. Her work is gorgeous and exactly what I want.
John Joyce has pierced me on several occasions. He has also worked on several of my family members. Â I have a tendency to memorialize loss with piercings. Â On a particularly rough day for me, I showed up and not only did he give me all five piercings I asked for but he took his time. We joked and talked about my horrible day. Â He is thoroughly professional. Â
When I'm in the shop, Kaitlin is friendly, knowledgable, and honing her craft.  Whenever I see Sean, he's tattooing or drawing. I have not had the opportunity to work with Nick, but he did my fiancé's calf pieces.  They are strong and detailed.
I contacted Nik Moore about completing a sleeve I had already started. Due to the subject matter of what I wanted I thought his artistry would be a great addition based on his profile on their site/myspace.
It took quite a while for him to get back to me and even longer for him to email me. After I took pictures of the work I already had, created a photobucket album for inspiration images, and emailed him several times he stopped returning my calls and email.
I had been burned already by the artist who started my sleeve and was very selective and weary of going to someone new.
This place will NEVER get my business, no matter how good Mr. Moore's art work is online. Why trust a flake with artwork that will be on your body forever?
I cannot tell you enough how much I LOVE THIS PLACE.
I needed to find a new place for my piercing and jewelry needs as I am in the area to attend school. Being from SF, I am used to HIGH QUALITY jewelry, OPTIONS, and GREAT piercers.
LUCKILY, I found Scarab!
My Original Need:
Infected ROOK for way too long. I needed good ADVICE. I arrived on a Saturday, but John was on out until Wednesday. BUT, a very FRIENDLY and HELPFUL Natalie gave me a TON OF INFORMATION on when he'd be back and, of course, suggestions, on how to best deal with the trouble I was having.
I came back when John was there and he IMMEDIATELY took me into the PIERCING ROOM for a assessment. He was also very FRIENDLY and HELPFUL. Most importantly, he was HONEST about my piercing problem and provided great ADVICE.
How Else THEY ROCK:
I wanted a new piece of JEWELRY, but they didn't have what I was looking for. FORTUNATELY, they offer many OPTIONS for ordering what I want.
Within a week and a half, I received a call from John who let me know my jewelry arrived! Yay!
A very bad me got wrapped up in coursework, and forgot. When my message came up for deletion on my voicemail service I was reminded. It was a month later!
I immediately rang Scarab and explained what happened with meek apologies. John said NO PROBLEM, and to come right over (it was nearly 10 pm).
Not only was John very nice, but he took the time to put my jewelry in! I got a CORKSCREW, and one of my three holes hadn't held jewelry for about 10 years. John PATIENTLY used a taper to feed the jewelry in. It took at least 15 minutes!
When he rang me up, he did NOT CHARGE me EXTRA!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM AND THIS PLACE!
I've only gotten piercings here, but I can never say enough good about John Joyce (the piercer and owner of the shop) and Scarab Body Arts in general. I feel lucky to have had him so nearby to the town I grew up in.
John is an incredibly knowledgeable piercer, and he also does great scarification work. He's done and continues to do his homework to keep on the cutting edge of the body modification industry, and (at least the last I knew) remains consistently active on BME (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bmezine.com&s=68e8084f89a6f878c9bafdfadab780293c45fc4ec0fb3bb71c9de4dbc0eed614" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.bmezine.com</a>), which is basically the piercing/tattoo/scarification e-bible. His passion for and dedication to his work shines through every time I've been in to see him, and he has a very calming "bedside manner" which will put any nervous clients at ease. I would recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone considering getting any kind of work done.
One note: Yelp says this business is wheelchair accessible. It is on the second floor, and there is an elevator, but the last two times I was there the elevator was not functioning. If this could be a problem for you, you may want to call ahead just to make sure you'll be able to get in!
I've been trying to get ahold of one tattoo artist (Pat Stevens) since early November 2008. Â I visited the studio (I live over an hour away) and left a portfolio with a computer image of something I was interested in having done along with my contact information. Â I actually gave the folder directly to John the shop owner. Â I then called every two weeks leaving my name and number and referencing the folder I left during the previous visit. Â In January of 2009 I sent an email with the artwork and by name requested the artist again. Â He finally emailed me after another week and two more phone calls. Â We had several emails back and forth. Â He said he'd have some designs for me in a week. Â A week came and went with no more contact. Â I called the studio three times and emailed Pat directly twice. Â Every time I made contact he promised me an email that night with something. Â To date I've received nothing. Â It's now three months later (Feb 2009) and he still has not provided me with anything. The date we discussed for getting the tattoo has come and gone and his last email was less than professional. Â Pat Stevens may be the greatest tattoo artist in the world, but he is an irresponsible, unprofessional jerk who does not deserve your business. Â It's truly tragic that I have showed him more loyalty as a customer than he quite frankly deserves.
On a positive note, the studio was a clean place, in an ideal location in Armory Square, with a lot more space than I'm used to seeing in a studio.
I heard about this place from some friends and added it on myspace. The piercer posts bulletins about upcoming deals and sales and stuff. He mentioned that he had an apprentice who was almost done with her apprenticeship and who was doing piercings for cheap. We went over and I decided to get my tongue pierced. Even though the apprentice was new, she did a great job and I was very happy with the results. I am planning to go back when I am back in Syracuse. By the way, check out the store above it. They have a lot of brand name stuff for cheap!
Review Source:
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
