Phillip was nice in coordinating the appointment, and to be clear we left before getting tattoos. Now that that’s been said - we were not offered paperwork when we arrived, we were not treated kindly, we were made to feel like we were an inconvenience and in the way. Renovations aren’t an excuse for lacking in common courtesy. Read Less

Great experience overall. Had a personal large piece (3.5 hours) done by Josh. He did an amazing job of listening to what I wanted and worked with me to put something memorable together. His work is bold and has awesome detail. He takes care in everything he does from start to finish. The shop is welcoming and everyone is friendly and positive. Highly recommend it. Read Less

The vibes here are comfortable and welcoming. Everyone in the shop is hospitable and eager to accommodate. I got my ink done by Josh Autrey. He gave me his best work and delivered a quality tattoo, as well as a really enjoyable time in the chair. Couldn't have asked for a better job. The tattoo itself is brilliant as well; no lack of talent at Salvation. I'll be coming back again! Read Less

I got my first ever tattoo done here this weekend by Nate. The entire experience was awesome. I live 90 minutes away, so I initially called the shop to see how I should proceed with an idea I had for my piece. I spoke with Phillip who was very helpful and professional. I was able to email my images to them, and set up a time to come down to the shop to discuss things further. Once at the shop in RVA I was able to check out the portfolios of each artist to see who best fit my design. I went with Nate because honestly his work is incredible. And it turns out he's a chill, fun, awesome dude to do your tattoo. He printed an outline of my piece the exact size I had described, and had every detail perfect. The finished piece is awesome and his shading work is phenomenal. The shop was clean, everyone was laid back and friendly, and made my wife and myself feel at home. This was an amazing experience and I can't recommend Nate or this shop highly enough! As some advice, they require a deposit of anywhere from $60-100 depending on your piece, however this goes towards the total cost of the tattoo. The price was very reasonable. I will definitely be back. Read Less

I was able to watch Fred work with one of my friends to produce an absolutely gorgeous tattoo! He is a skilled artist - and exceptionally reasonably priced! His shading is unbelievable and he has such an eye for detail! Added fun factor: you are supporting a great local business and helping these awesome individuals live their dreams! Read Less

This is such a cool tattoo shop! My partner took me here to finish a chest tattoo I started a couple years before with Fred Pinkard, an incredible artist. He took us to their upstairs studio above the downstairs lobby so I could stretch out while he worked. I enjoyed the traditional setting while we talked music, life in Richmond and outside the city, and our plans to move there. He did an incredible job, and I couldn't be happier with his work. His wife Katie also works there and is an incredible artist in her own right.Definitely check out Salvation for quality ink. Read Less

Nate and the entire Salvation staff were incredible. Easily the best tattoo shop I've ever been to. They were energetic, positive, and full of personality when we got there. Nate was already prepared with the PERFECT design drawn up when we had arrived, after simply talking to him about it on the phone. We felt like we had their full, undivided attention and dedication to our tattoos. I would highly recommend Nate and team to anyone in RVA looking to get a tattoo, and will quite frankly come back to Richmond for any tattoo I get in the future. Read Less

Went there to get a memorial tattoo for my friend. Initially I spoke to Matt Brotka, who referred me to Nate Moretti. I'm so happy that I got tattooed by him. He did a great job, was very friendly and fast, and managed to squeeze me into a very busy schedule. I will recommend him to all my friends. Thank you so much for the great tattoo! Read Less

I don't have any tattoos but tonight I was on my bike and approached by two angry car drivers who pulled me over, looking to fight. The owners and their NEWBORN BABY interfered and sent them on their way. I have nothing but respect for this couple and they have my undivided loyalty till I'm in the ground. Read Less

If you get a tattoo from anyone here, you will not leave without something awesom!. I'm getting work done by Fred and Katie and they're the most friendliest shop in RVA. Just a heads up, some artists can be booked out for weeks or months, so plan in advance. Read Less

Absolutely great place to go for a tattoo! The folks their are nothing but professional and helpful. I got my first tattoo there and they answered all my questions and did an amazing job! Honest prices and a very clean overall experience. I would highly recommend them. Read Less

I recently decided to have my very first tattoo done at Salvation and I'm so glad I did. Everyone that works there is super laid back and friendly. I chose to schedule with Matt B. and he was so great. He drew out exactly what I wanted and I'm in love with the result! I was definitely nervous about my first tattoo experience, but Matt was so chill and even listened to me gab the entire time which really helped to calm my nerves haha. He was also quick to respond to an email I sent him with questions before my  appointment. There are obviously a ton of places to get a tattoo in Richmond but I definitely recommend choosing this place! Read Less

Tattoo = a piece of art that should be decorated on your soul.  Nate did exactly that!!!  I had a tough time closing out my grandmother's death.  She was an integral part of our family.  I walked into this shop with an idea in my mind.  Nate took the time to sketch it and a week later I now have an amazing piece on my left shoulder.  Nate was able to help me bring closure to "Peggy"s" passing. I am excited to go back to have him tie together my other works as well as add to my family tree which sadly has become my back!!!GO SEE NATE!!! Read Less

Fred is my guy. Met him at a tattoo convention in Rochester, NY in 2010 because I knew I was moving down to Virginia soon. I liked his portfolio a lot so I went for it and got a tattoo that day. It's actually one of my favorite tattoos.When I did finally move to Virginia I hit up Salvation and made an appointment with him. Again more brilliant work. Now I'm having another done by him in April.I'm not terribly familiar with other artists. If you are interested check out their portfolios on the website. Kate is another great artist who does great tattoos for females IMO.The shop is pretty cool. In the big window there's are pictures and trinkets devoted to old time tattoos. When you walk in there's big pieces of art adorning the walls as well as plenty of flash (I don't think it's any of the artist's flash, but I don't know). On a small coffee table you'll find all the artist's portfolio's so you can peruse and look for ideas and styles that take your fancy.At the front desk you'll find extremely friendly people who want to help you get the tattoo you want. You can also call to make an appointment. When you make an appointment you'll need to put down a deposit, $50 usually. I put $60 down on this latest one, which was my choice. You can do this over the phone, which I think is great because I live in Manassas and would have to drive down to Richmond to just to do this (I had to go down for a consult anyway this last time, but I'm not upset because I'm confident the tattoo will be worth it and I love Richmond). I know other shops will only let you make appointments in person.That's all. Definitely a great shop in one of America's tattooedest cities.DON'T FORGET TO TIP Read Less

You can't live in Richmond and not have a constant nagging desire to get more tattoos. We are the third most tattooed city in the country, and I'm honestly pretty proud. With such a high demand for ink in this city, it's no surprise that choosing the right artist and shop for your next permanent piece can be pretty overwhelming. There are literally dozens of incredibly talented tattoo artists in the city, but I wanted to share my experience with a particularly awesome guy and shop.I spent a fair amount of time researching different artists in the area and when I came across Matt Brotka's work, I stopped looking and picked up the phone. I came in for a consultation appointment and went over my ideas and left him with some artwork. The consultation requires a $50 deposit that will go towards the total price of your tattoo. It also guarantees that Matt, or the other artists, will get compensated for their design time, in case you choose not to get the tattoo. Matt was incredibly kind and listened carefully to my ideas and concerns. He was understanding and patient when I changed my mind about a few things last minute and I ended up with an amazingly detailed graphic line drawing of an owl. His precision and professionalism was amazing. I am beyond happy with the final product and would recommend Matt and the Salvation Tattoo shop without hesitation. If you are thinking about your next (or first) tattoo, make sure to check out Matt's website and Salvation's portfolio as well. There are many other talented artists that also work out of the shop. Thanks again Matt! Read Less

Since I have come here to get my sleeve done, I recommend Salvation to everyone. So far I have gotten my work done by Katie who is super chill & rad. I have refused to check out other studios because I am so incredibly happy with the work I have now! Hopefully, I do not have to move away any time soon because commuting to Richmond will probably suck, but I will still do it. Keep in mind-they are big on appointments & are cash only! Their location is in a great neighborhood near the fan/VCU area and they are right next to 821 Cafe. Definitely go to Salvation for your work! Read Less

I think this place is awesome and I don't know what I am going to do when I move to Seattle because Katie is an amazing artist and I'm scared to let anyone else touch my skin!I love the atmosphere in this place - it's very chill. Everyone has been really nice to me. I thought people might laugh when I walked in for my first tattoo since I tend to look clueless, but everyone was great. They only take cash - I don't know if all tattoo shops do that since this is the only place I have been. Any time I have called to ask questions or make an appointment, everyone has been really nice and helpful. Katie is WONDERFUL! She did a great job with my friend's tattoos so that's why I chose her. She did my very first tattoo and then my first "commitment piece" on my chest. I'm still very impressed by the ink and I have a photo on my yelp profile page if you are curious.With my lotus blossom (first one) I wasn't 100% sure how I wanted it. I knew I wanted the lotus but the pictures I found weren't right. She drew it up and added these gorgeous leaves that I wasn't expecting but they definitely gave the lotus that extra special part that was missing. It turned out beautifully and I knew I'd go back for the next piece. A few months later, I did come back and she did my cherry blossoms. Again I still wasn't 100% sure how I wanted the blossoms but Katie created this amazing, original design. It's such a beautiful piece and not only does everyone (but my parents, of course!) think its amazing, I absolutely love it. I can't imagine my body without it. Katie is very professional and fun to be around - the experiences both times were really enjoyable. She was honest with me about my ideas, especially for the cherry blossoms and I'm really glad I went with what she suggested. We went larger in size than I was expecting but you know, if you're going to get a tattoo in a visible place like your chest, you may as well get it done right! I'm glad I did because if I had gone smaller they would have just been weird random cherry blossoms (she pointed that out and I feel like she helped me make the right decision.) She definitely takes pride in her work and she gives it her 100% every time. I would recommend her to anyone! Read Less

After going to Salvation several months ago, I'll never go elsewhere in Richmond. Mike Moses is the bomb. First off, I emailed him with an inquiry for a custom piece. Even though he had a packed schedule and I would only be in town the next weekend (I was mostly away at school in Cville), he insisted that I still come and he'd even stay after closing to fit me in. On top of that, the day of, he contacted me and told me someone canceled and I could come in earlier.I rushed in, was greeted by the best staff, gave them some baked goods, and got my best ink to date. A knife on my left inner upper arm, a matching fork on my right. Mike's so damn creative and passionate about his craft, and funny to boot. A client beside me said that Mike should materialize and sell the silverware he designed for me :) haha.P.S. Cash only, the last time I checked. Read Less