The owner is an amazing person. He takes the time to really explain things. The shop is very clean which you can see from their procedures and practices. Everything is sealed up in autoclave bags and the staff change their gloves every time. I have been there many times and everything has been great. They communicate correct healing steps for piercings and tattoos, and honestly care about all their customers. Best shop in Syracuse. Read Less

I visited here pretty frequently while I was an undergrad at SU, receiving piercings & tattoos, I try to stop by whenever I'm in town. John is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about the body modification procedures he performs and offers in his shop. Their tattoo artists are very talented and they have a great selection of body jewelry. They're also an APP (association of professional piercers) certified shop. I wouldn't go anywhere else in Syracuse for my modification needs. Read Less

I highly recommend Scarab Body Arts. The place was very clean and hygienic with a total zen feel. I was a walk-in, and I waited about 20 minutes before my piercer came out to talk to me about what I wanted. I was pierced by Kaitlin, and she was very professional. She explained to me exactly what was going to happen and when, she took her time to make sure that everything lined up. I was pretty nervous about it, and her demeanor set me at ease. Thanks Kaitlin, I love the new holes punched in my body, ha ha! I wouldn't hesitate to come back for another piercing should I want one. Aces all the way. Read Less

Love this place! I get my tattoos done here be Sean Morgan and recently went for a daith piercing with John Joyce. Never had a bad experience, everyone is always awesome. And people constantly ask me where I get my tattoo done because they're beautiful. Read Less

I’ve been coming her for years and now it’s the only place I’ll go to get pierced. John and Kaitlin are both terrific piercers and some of the nicest people around. Every piercing I’ve gotten here has healed up perfectly and the quality of the jewelry is the best in Syracuse. They’re not super pricey but they’re not cheap (you’re paying for quality! if you’re looking for cheap crappy jewelry, go to Claire’s.) I’ve been tattooed by Ali and Nik here and definitely need to get tattooed by Sean at some point but these guys are all literally the best. Scarab is super clean (doctor’s office level clean) and everyone there is friendly and informative. I love these guys. Read Less

Extremely clean and professional. I got my tattoo last night with Nik. He was extremely professional and made the 2.5 hour of tattooing easy and stress less. I asked him to add on to a piece that i got from another artist a couple years ago and he did an excellent job putting the 2 together. Great place. Excellent artists. Highly recommended!! Read Less

I went here to get a piercing and was not disappointed at all! This has been the best piercing place I have ever gone to. Kaitlin did my piercing, and she was really awesome and super helpful. The area I got my piercing is extremely sensitive, so Kaitlin made sure tell me a lot of information on how to care for it. What I like the most about Scarab, is that the piercing room is separate from the tattoo area. It even had a lounge area! I 100% recommend to anyone looking for ANY type of piercing. Read Less

The most experienced piercers in the Syracuse area in my opinion. I'd never let anyone else do a piercing since I've experienced the professionalism and skill of Kaitlin. I had my septum done and my conch, both healed well and had no issues. Definitely recommend this place to anyone willing to pay for skill! Read Less

Had a migraine again couldn't take it anymore called john about the daith piercing .told me that they do it went to have it done and he was by far the nicest and gentlest.it was awesome as soon as he pierced it my migraine vanished!!! I highly recommend scarab body arts!! If you have a migraine I recommend john or Kristen Read Less

I got my septum pierced by John recently. I was really nervous but he was really down to earth, answered every question I had and the process it's self. I was very comfortable, the shop was very clean and the jewelry is high quality. Read Less

Kaitlin was awesome. I've had two peircings done by her, forward helix and inner cartilage. She was extremely precise and made sure I was comfortable. She patiently worked with me to find the exact location on my ears that would be comfortable (since I wear glasses). The process was quick and there was little pain. I would highly recommend this place. It's clean and the staff is knowledgeable and always nice. Read Less

Yesterday. I got both my nipples pierced. Sounds painful right? Well it's was a breeze. 24 hours later. I have no discomfort ( not even a little pain ) and absolutely love them. I will definitely be back for more piercings. Including tattoos! Great place. Really professional. Read Less

Extremely clean studio with a warm, welcoming, spa-like atmosphere. No sketchy vibe or intimidation, no dive-y headshop mentality. The staff take cleanliness seriously and go to great lengths to avoid cross contamination. These guys are real professionals. I've been visiting Scarab for over 15 years now and would not visit any other studio. They offer a broad range of services compared to other shops, too - I got my scarification done here nearly 12 years ago. Read Less

I've been coming here for 7-8 years for all my piercing and jewelry, which is the BEST around! None of that fake junk here! I absolutely would only recommend this place for anyone who wants any kind of piecing. John and kaitlin are the absolute best! Sterile and friendly environment will put your mind at ease. If a piercing isn't right for you or something won't properly sit right they are HONEST and will tell you instead of other places that would put money over your safety. Huge selection of REAL jewelry and an all around amazing place........29 piercings and coming in for more ☺ Read Less

Scarab was absolutely phenomenal when I got my industrial piercing with Kaitlin! I hadn't been pierced in 12 years, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Everything was explained clearly, all of my questions were answered, and it was very clean and professional in the studio itself. Kaitlin was patient and helpful when we were deciding exactly where to place the piece in my ear and it turned out beautifully and I had nothing to worry about later on with post-piercing issues with aftercare. I can't speak for the tattoo side of the business, but I will most definitely look into going there when I get one. I highly recommend Scarab for piercing services! Read Less

John did my nostril today and he made it so simple and fast and made sure I knew how to care for it in the end. He also listened and answered all mine and my boyfriends questions and concerns. Will go there for everything now. Read Less

My best friend and I went this evening and got a daith piercing from Kaitlin. It was a very fun experience and I felt minimal to no pain! I highly recommend Scarab because they are extremely knowledgeable and a very clean facility. Thank you again Kaitlin! Read Less

Went to get a Monroe piercing today. Kaitlin was my piercer & she did such a great job! She's very friendly, gentle, & informative! My experience couldn't have been any better! I just moved out here from San Diego & I think I've found a permanent place for my piercings, cuz lord knows I'm not finished yet! �� 10/10 would recommend! Read Less

I was so pleased with my experience at Scarab. Sean Morgan was extremely nice and did an amazing job on my tattoo. I am so happy and would definitely recommend! In the past I also got a piercing here and Kaitlin did an awesome job. Very clean, very professional for both. Read Less

I got my nose pierced here and the piercer made me feel incredibly comfortable, gave me information about how to take care of the piercing, and clearly knew what she was doing. Everything was so clean and professional, the price was so reasonable and I was done in less than fifteen minutes. I strongly recommend! Read Less

I got the right side of my nose pierced pierced by Kaitlin last night and I love it! I have one on my left side too and she spent a lot of time making sure they were even and perfectly aligned!! I previously had my right side done and it was uneven so I really appreciated this. She talked to me throughout the whole thing and explained aftercare to me very well and thoroughly. I will definitely be coming back for another piercing in the near future and will recommend scarab to all my friends :) Read Less

Scarab is a fantastic piercing shop. I got my daith pierced shortly after moving to the area and when I was asking around for recommendations of where to go, everyone pointed me to Scarab. I've had several piercings and tattoos before, and the biggest issue I have with shops is that at times they can be very unwelcoming to new customers. When I walked into Scarab it was obvious right away that this was not that kind of place. Everyone is super friendly and professional.The jewelry they have on hand isn't the world's largest selection, but it is extensive and all very nice. Everything is very clean and sanitary, and the piercing area is very private. I came back a few months later for a conch piercing and received the same high standard if service, and again more recently to have them check it out after I got it caught in something and needed to be told my ear wasn't going to fall off (spoiler: it was fine). I'm sure I'll be back soon to order some jewelry. Read Less

Scarab's is top notch if you're looking for body mods in Syracuse, NY. The store is well lit, beautifully decorated and immaculately clean. Piercers Jon and Kaitlin are both exceptionally talented and professional. Artist Sean Morgan recently did a most beautiful tattoo on me; perfect placing, crisp line work and vibrant color. He was also very patient and helpful designing the tattoo itself. I have never been tattooed by Nik Moore, but his work looks exceptional. They have a new artist as of last month of so, I think, who is also worth checking out. Overall a great experience. I truly wouldn't mess around with any of the other shops in the Cuse. Read Less

I bought a new nose ring after mine disappeared. It is beautiful - they have top of the line products. After I wore it for a few days and realized it was not the correct size, I came back in and they adjusted it for free.  Great service, very clean. Love this place. Read Less

I've lived in four different cities now, and no piercing/tattoo shop can hold a candle to the quality of service, jewelry, and most importantly, PROFESSIONALISM that Scarab offers. Every time I get an itch for something new, I just wish I could transport myself back to scarab and be pierced by John Joyce. If you care about yourself at all, this is the only shop you need to visit. Love you guys :) Read Less

For work a year ago I had to take my nose stud out. I wanted to get my nose re pierced, but the place I went to before is now closed. I looked up the best places to go and this is definitely the best place to go for a piercing. Kaitlin was the one who did it. She was very pleasant and informative. She was dressed nicely and was easy to talk to. She made sure she was going to pierce in the right spot and made sure the scar tissue would be okay to go through. She talked me through what she was going to do before she did it so there were no surprises. She made sure everything would stay in place before she did it. It was a great experience. I had brought in my previous nose ring and she helped me choose one that was closest to it since I really liked it. As for the atmosphere it was very comfortable and inviting. It was cool from the air conditioning, well lit, and had a nice blue color on the walls. There were displays that were neat and orderly of jewellery and binders neatly put together of tattoos and piercings. The entire place was clean and comfortable. The tools were sterile and every needed to be new, was opened in front of me. I liked that there were different options for nose studs at different, reasonable prices. I like my plain silver stud, but there was a large variety of options clearly displayed and I was informed of all of my options. She didn't try to up sell me. She helped me find exactly what I wanted and gave me time to examine my options before deciding on a half done or a ball stud. She told me that if I had any questions after I got home that I could call and I felt like she really meant it. I highly recommend Scarab for piercings. I will definitely be going back if I decide to get any more. Read Less

Very pleased by Scarab's services! High quality jewelry and tools, as well as a very professional staff. I was interested in re-piercing my nipple; I had issues with my old piercing and had let it heal. I was given very good advice on how to let my piercing heal properly this time around. Kaitlin was my piercer and she was GREAT. She was very kind, approachable, knowledgeable, and skilled. I would recommend scarab to anyone looking to get a piercing in the Syracuse area. Read Less

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. Read Less

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.  Sitting in her chair for ink is like spending time with a friend...a very talented and meticulous artist friend. :)  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.  I have a tendency to memorialize loss with piercings.  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.  He is thoroughly professional.  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. Read Less

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! Read Less

This place was awesome!!!! I got my navel pierced here. The people were extremely thorough and sooo nice!!  The place was very clean. I will be coming here for all my piercings and if I ever decide to get a tattoo I will probably go there as well. Read Less

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? Read Less

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 an 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! Read Less

I heard of Scarab through the piercer at Halo, she mentioned to me that she gets her piercings done here. I had a terrible experience at Halo and decided to try Scarab. John,the owner/piercer is very nice,and very professional. I've had a couple piercings done and have been very satisfied. I will only go to Scarab now. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND going for GREAT QUALITY. The office is VERY CLEAN,and great care is taken to have the instruments/jewelry  remain sterile. Read Less

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 (bmezine.com), 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! Read Less

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 (bmezine.com), 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! Read Less

I've been trying to get ahold of one tattoo artist (Pat Stevens) since early November 2008.  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.  I actually gave the folder directly to John the shop owner.  I then called every two weeks leaving my name and number and referencing the folder I left during the previous visit.  In January of 2009 I sent an email with the artwork and by name requested the artist again.  He finally emailed me after another week and two more phone calls.  We had several emails back and forth.  He said he'd have some designs for me in a week.  A week came and went with no more contact.  I called the studio three times and emailed Pat directly twice.  Every time I made contact he promised me an email that night with something.  To date I've received nothing.  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.  Pat Stevens may be the greatest tattoo artist in the world, but he is an irresponsible, unprofessional jerk who does not deserve your business.  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. Read Less

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! Read Less

I checked this place out a few years ago when my friend decided to get his labret pierced.  The owner/piercer was amazing.  Not only did he know what he was talking about, he was incredibly friendly and took the time to answer all our questions.  The studio is impeccably clean. Read Less