Great place, I got two tattoos and they are perfect. Friendly staff and very clean shop. They have a ton of great books to look through to get ideas. If you want a great tattoo this is the place. I will be back soon. Read Less

I got my first tattoo at this shop. Not only is it clean, warm, inviting, and full of cool memorabilia, but the staff is awesome; Tugboat Johnny is an excellent artist and overall awesome person to be around. I couldn’t recommend a better shop. They showed me how to take care of the new tattoo and invited me back for touch-ups. Couldn’t be happier. Read Less

Not just a place where you sit and get a tattoo. This is a place where you can see the history of the art of tattooing.  It is more like a museum of tattoo history. The 2 artists here, Johnny Tugboat & the legendary Chuck Eldridge, are 2 of the best tattooists I've ever met. Talented, experienced and patient. They are very knowledgeable and have so much history in the art form. There is a myriad of art and tattoo books.  So many to choose from. The lovely Harriet, aka The Book Mistress, knows her stuff. She has extensive knowledge on books and tattoos. She is a pleasure to talk too. You must visit Tattoo Archive. You will receive an amazing education on tattoos, find one of a kind books and be able to get tattooed by living legends. Read Less

Have not got a tattoo yet but if the management is anything to go by this is a great place. Very helpful and willing to answer questions. They also have tattoo books for sale and the prices seem fair. The shop minimum also seems fair and the staff seem really knowledgeable. I plan on having one of my next tattoos done here. Read Less

I can't say enough good things about tattoo archive. Before I even stepped foot in the door the employees here were so kind and helpful with giving me directions when I had trouble locating the store. When I met the artist and scheduled my appointment, he was highly professional and very helpful. The store is immaculate and full of intriguing tattoo memorabilia. When I came in on the day of my appointment, I was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful piece Johnny Tugboat created on my arm. It's nothing huge or extravagant, but it was so beautifully designed and simply lovely. I'm so glad I chose this store to have my first tattoo done. It's gorgeous and ill be proud to have it for the rest of my life. I'll be recommending tattoo archive to anyone who mentions considering a tattoo, for the kindness, professionalism, and talent represented here. They even have a guard dog with his own business cards. Went above and beyond to exceed any and all expectations, will be back if I decide to get another tattoo in the future! Read Less

Wow, I cannot say enough wonderful things about this shop and the experience. Shop was beautiful and very clean. Johnny was so friendly and helpful and did an incredible job on my tattoo. Will be returning!! Read Less

I never knew that a tattoo shop could be so rich with detail, history and expertise. I'm so pleased to have met Chuck and Harriet. Spending time with them and talking with them during the process of getting my new ink almost made the actual tattoo obsolete. Such gracious, good people. And such an awesome shop! Looking forward to stopping in and shooting the breeze with them again soon. Read Less

This is a place for more than just beautiful tattoos by incredible artists. It is like a museum showcasing the history and love of the art. It is simply incredible. Chuck to me is a legend and I was honored to have him tattoo me. Johnny Tugboat has a multitude of talents tattoo-wise as well as musically. Harriet is wonderful to talk to and is so knowledgeable on so many things. It is truly a great place. Read Less

Really clean place with a comfortable, welcoming vibe. Chuck is a legend, and the things he and his wife have collected, create​ such a cool environment. Johnny Tugboat did my tattoo -- he is terrific. I love my new tattoo and will definitely be going back for another sometime soon!!! Read Less

Stopping into the Tattoo Archive yesterday with my wife Robin. Both Chuck and Harriett are always a true pleasure to talk to and be around! Full of tattoo knowledge and a wealth of information, but also just really great people! If you love tattoos / tattooing...are a collector / or artist...you owe it to yourself to visit the Tattoo Archive. Stop in, browse around, buy same merchandise, and shake paws with the director of security... Thank you!!! Read Less

Johnny Tugboat is a phenomenal artist. The shop itself is mostly a gallery style tattoo museum, and the owner, Chuck, is unbelievably knowledgeable. If you're looking for a shop that isn't pumping heavy metal (no offense, just not my thing) and is as clean as they come, Tattoo Archive is the place for you.Read Less

This place was so welcoming and inviting. The knowledge I got from there was incredible. Chuck was a brilliant and kind man. He loved sharing his stories and I think it is amazing that someone with as much knowledge as him can stay so humble. And the book mistress was a complete doll. She was so kind and helpful! I definitely plan on returning soon! Thank you guys. Read Less

Personally, the more knowledgeable an artist is regarding how their career came to be, the more impressed I am! Chuck and Harriet are such amazing people, with big hearts, and a fantastic business! From the second I walked into the museum/salon I was in LOVE! I will be saving up to have Chuck do the willow tree tattoo I have been dreaming about for years. I love the security officer too! Read Less

There is nowhere in the country like the Tattoo Archives. Whether you want to browse the amazing picture, shop for a tattoo book from the infamous Harriet Cohen, aka BookMistress, or get an amazing tattoo from the legendary C.W. Eldridge -- you must go out of your way to visit this amazing museum. Located in downtown Winston-Salem, I was stunned when I first visited. These are wonderful people who spend time with you, invite you into their shop like it is their living room - I am pleased and proud to have gone out of my way (on more than one occasion) to visit this legendary museum, book store and meet two legends. Read Less

I'm always suspicious of everyone...Chuck is a legend and he worked magic on a cover up for me.Really, I'm nearly weepy. He hung out with my daughter, we talked religion, politics, local music...he will be doing more work for me. I feel super lucky to have a piece of art by him. Read Less

I can't believe that I'm the first person to review this place! It's not just a tattoo parlor, but a book store and gallery all rolled up into one. Too, it's not at all "creepy" or garish. C. W. Eldridge is a legendary figure in tattooing. As Jason Sweet of tattoodles.com states, Eldridge "has worked with such artists as Ed Hardy, Bob Roberts and Greg Irons, but despite his notoriety, he is possibly one of the most humble people in tattooing." It's true, "Chuck" is a really nice guy. I went in with my wife about six months ago after we'd dined at Skippy's, just because the wood floors, gallery lighting and cool art so intrigued me (there's a model of a ship, photos, heaps of posters, etc.). After we'd around a bit, my wife leaned over to me and said, "You could get a tattoo if you wanted." I was stunned ... Read Less

I've gotten 3 tattoos from Chuck Eldridge when his shop was in Berkeley, CA. He knows a lot about tattoos, but he is NOT a great tattoo artist. He does a good job ONLY if you know exactly what you want and he can just copy and trace the design for you. But if you want him to be creative and design something for you, then he is not your man. I totally trusted him on my first 2 tattoos because he gave me exactly what I wanted. He just copied the drawing I had and put it on my arm. When I went back to him for my 3rd tattoo, I gave him more creative freedom to put together a design for me. The moment he showed me the outline, I was having 2nd thoughts. I should have stopped him, but since he did a good job with my other 2 tats, I bit my tongue and didn't say anything. This tattoo required about 3 or 4 sessions. So after he did the outline, we were done for the day. I didn't tell him how awful the outline looked, but I should have. I just left his shop feeling really bad. For a long time, I was really embarrassed to show people the tattoo he started. I have since finished the tattoo with another tattoo artist who did a very good job of making my tattoo pop and stand out. But to this day, I am still not 100% satisfied with my tattoo because of its horrible beginnings. I am now seriously thinking about getting parts of my tattoo removed.  The more and more I look at the tattoo, the more frustrated I am with the areas that chuck did. I see so much potential  in this tattoo, but Chuck really dropped the ball.  Bottom line, go to Chuck at your own risk. He's been tattooing for over 25 years and he is a tattoo historian. He knows everything about tattoos, but in my opinion, he is not creative or talented when it comes to his drawing abilities. I would never go to him again for my tattoo needs. Read Less