Tattoo shop in Shamokin, Pennsylvania — A spotless, old-school shop with talented artists, a relaxed family atmosphere, and one truly life-changing bathroom light switch.
Type: Tattoo shop
Where: 709 North Liberty Street, Shamokin, PA 17872
Artist: Josh Hill
Reviewed: September 19, 2026
As some of you might know, I like getting tattoos. I currently have a full sleeve on my left arm, a few odds and ends on my lower legs, a small back tattoo, about half a sleeve on my right arm, and—oh yeah—both hands and knuckles done.
Most of my work was done in my twenties. Now, as I enter the magical world of middle age, I’ve decided that I basically need to cover all of myself in fine-ass art.
As anyone with tattoos knows—and anyone thinking about getting one should know—it’s important to connect with your artist. After all, they’re kinda permanently drawing on your naked skin.
My naked skin.
Some quick context: I moved from my hometown of Shamokin, Pennsylvania, to the State College area back in 2014 in search of the almighty dollar. After being dissatisfied with my tattoo options up here, I opened the old Book of Face and checked out the work of an acquaintance who had started tattooing around the time COVID hit. I was pretty fucking impressed, to say the least, and so I made an appointment with Josh Hill at Dapper Tattoo in Shamokin.
Now that you have the background, I can get to the meat of this review. You know how Olive Garden has that saying, “When you’re here, you’re family”? Well, that should be the fucking slogan of this shop.
I showed up at 9:30—a bit early, but fuck you, I like being punctual—and walked into the shop at about ten of ten. Josh was already at his station, getting his shit ready.
The first thing that impressed me was how clean the shop was. Since I had just driven two hours, I also had to piss, so naturally I hit the head and found the bathroom every bit as spotless as the rest of the place.
Plus, there was a bidet.
This is a shop that understands my standards when it comes to shitters. There’s also the world’s most amazing, life-changing bathroom light switch. I won’t spoil it. You’ll have to experience that for yourself.
But enough about the bathroom. Let’s talk shop.
The layout is “family style,” with all three chairs next to one another, which is something I tend to prefer in a tattoo shop. It reminded me of the time I used to spend hanging around my grandfather’s barbershop over in Scott’s Plaza in Shamokin. If you don’t know where that is, you’re obviously not originally from Shamokin—but, you know, that’s cool.
I love this kind of setup because it adds so much to the atmosphere. You can eavesdrop on everyone’s conversations, see other people getting stabbed, and shoot the shit with whoever might happen to stop in—you know, small-town stuff. Look, when you have the right people running the place and the right artists working there, it creates a much more relaxed and comfortable experience than a shop where every artist is partitioned off in their own little room. I’m sure there are some people who prefer that kind of setup, maybe for privacy reasons, but it’s just not my style.
When it came to planning my sleeve, Josh’s approach was 100 percent in line with what I wanted. He did his homework, came prepared, and worked with me to go through the ideas, develop an overall plan for my arm, and decide on a starting point for the session. That process took about an hour and a half, which is completely reasonable when you’re designing such a large and permanent piece of artwork.
During the session, a few people I hadn’t seen in a long time stopped in. We laughed, we cried, we traded movie, book, and TV show recommendations—and we genuinely had a good time. That kind of social connection makes a huge difference. Good conversation and a comfortable environment do so much for the overall tattoo experience, and I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed my time in the chair. Technically, I spent part of that time lying on my stomach, which started to suck for my back after a while thanks to some degenerative disc issues—but that’s my spine’s fault, not theirs.
Josh’s artistry and linework surpassed my expectations, and he is an uplifting, positive cat. We talked about a lot of things we have in common, especially our shared love of all things retro and nostalgic. I also appreciated his eye for placement and the fact that he was willing to pull Alyssa and Michael—the husband-and-wife team who own the shop—into the conversation for their input on the piece. They were every bit as welcoming and easy to talk to. Plus, they’re DCC fans, so fuck yeah to that!
Overall, the seven hours I spent in their shop felt closer to two. It’s rare to meet people as down-to-earth as these three, and I can’t wait to go back, finish this arm, and eventually start the epic leg sleeve I have planned using artwork from old DOS and Amiga games.
So, if you’re in the fucking Coal Region and have a hankering to get stabbed, stop by Dapper Tattoo, meet the artists, and schedule some time with them.
It’s an exceptionally clean shop that feels old-school in all the best ways while still having a modern edge. The artists are welcoming, chill, and genuinely skilled, and the prices are reasonable. I drove two hours to get there, and I’ll gladly do it again.
PS: I'll post the work I get here when it's done!
Nobody Asked Rating:
YOU’VE GOT FUCKING MAIL! — I drove two hours to get stabbed there, and I’ll gladly do it again.
How this ridiculous rating system works
- Address: 709 North Liberty Street, Shamokin, PA 17872
- Phone: (570) 486-4261
- Appointments: Book with Michael or Alyssa · Book with Josh Hill
- Social: Facebook · Instagram
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