Crucial Tattoo Studio

Meredith Brewington tattooed me at the D.C. Tattoo Expo this past February. She did an absolutely beautiful job and I love the work she did! Throughout the planning, scheduling, and tattooing, she was easy to work with and very professional. It was a cramped and busy space at the expo and she was able to accommodate around all of that. I highly recommend Meredith and I just wish I lived closer to Salisbury!

From the first steps to getting the actual tattoo, it was a great experience. I filled out the online consultation form. Crucial got back to me quickly and paired me up with Meredith. She took the reference pictures I sent in, threw out some more ideas and then created a gorgeous piece for me. The staff is so friendly and welcoming as soon as you walk in the door and the place is super clean. Meredith is so talented, very gentle, and I loved watching her work. 10/10.

Ive gotten 2 tats here from Meredith, and have been beyond impressed! Shes a true professional who truly cares about her work, and her work is brilliant. I cannot recommend Meredith enough (and anybody else at Crucial)!

I have always had amazing experiences at this shop. Meredith is the artist I have been working with and she is fantastic. Clean shop and great environment. This is the only place Ill be getting tattooed for the foreseeable future.

This was my first tattoo, that being said, I was a little anxious about the whole thing. But everything felt right once I stepped in. The studio was well lit, clean, and very welcoming. The greetings were very friendly. Meredith was amazing. Very kind and professional. I absolutely plan to be going to her again. Her work is really amazing and you can tell she cares about what shes doing. Not to mention my tattoo itself was absolutely stunning.

Meredith is absolutely amazing! My first tattoo she was an apprentice and years later still remembered when she did her own first solo tat on me. She was professional, helpful and understanding. She is someone I completely trust with just giving an idea and letting her do her own thing. About to get another one with her, and I can’t wait. Absolutely recommend a million times.

Meredith and I have been working on a large piece on my arm for a couple months now, and it’s hands down the best experience I’ve had while getting tattooed. She’s so nice and great to be around. She’s creative, she took my idea and elevated it to something I couldn’t even have imagined. She’s extremely thoughtful when it comes to her work and she’s talented! I’m so pleased that I chose her for this tattoo that means so much to me. I may get a few tattoos from other people here and there but she is definitely someone who will always be first in my mind when it comes to a large scale project, or just in general. I look forward to getting more work done by her in the future :)PS, if you can believe it, this tattoo is a cover-up.

Very good a knowledge staff. Not gonna lie, I was still a bit nervous coming in since I am still new to area. But everyone was very welcoming and made sure I was taken care of. Answered all my questions, what kind of movies/shows I liked to watch while work was getting done. My tattooist Meredith, was very forthcoming and friendly throughout the process. She checked in now and then and made me laugh. Thank you so much again for making my experience enjoyable and will definitely be back!!

Heather was excellent! She took my idea for a memorial tattoo for my husband and created a beautiful tattoo. During the process she was warm and friendly. She explained everything she was doing prior to doing it. She is a fantastic artist and a great listener.

I have now gotten 4 tattoos from Meredith and have a 5th one scheduled with her about 2 months from now. Everytime Ive been the experience has been wonderful. The way the business is designed, each tattooing area is private and minimizes distraction so you just have to focus on getting through your tattoo. Whether that means watching movies the business plays, listening to your own music, or reading a book you bring, its an overall peaceful environment. It is very obvious that Meredith takes pride in her work, creates pieces to flow nicely in their placements, and gives you a tattoo that youll want to show off! Each idea Ive brought to her, shes taken and knocked it out of the park. I couldnt be happier. I added pictures of my two most recent tattoos.

Meredith and her sister Madison are gifted artists! They take pride in their art and cherish their talents which results in tattoos of beautiful artwork that last forever! I have a couple pieces from them and after 3 years it’s still looks like I just got them done yesterday! They are passionate tattoo artist that genuinely care about the execution of each piece!

Everyone here is always so nice! Crucial is definitely my favorite shop! Meredith is so amazing and super talented! I am absolutely obsessed with the amazing tattoos she has given me. I will definitely be going back to her for more!

Great shop with incredibly talented artists and a super friendly and efficient staff. I literally drive 5 hours for Madison Brewingtons jaw dropping work and Ill continue to do so every chance I get!

Meredith just did my first tattoo at Crucial. I’m very happy with how it came out and she is a wonderful artist!!

I had a tattoo appointment with Meredith and it was amazing. The weeks leading up to it, I had constant confirmations with both the shopkeeps, and Meredith. Meredith made sure to always ask if I was okay, and she even asked if I wanted the cats eyes a specific color since this is my past cat. Plus Merediths twin sister Madison was in the room as well at her station and she was super nice even though I wasnt her client. They were both fun to listen to, and it was silly to hear them sometimes absentmindedly quote whatever movie was on for the client to watch. Everything was clean, and there were drinks and snacks set out by the stations just in case for the clients (and hopefully the tattoo artists as well lol) I wanna come here all the time it was that welcoming. When I finished the payment afterwards, they gave me an option to get some saniderm- which was a first in a tattoo shop for me. I loved it.

Phenomenal service. David (the receptionist) is respectful, helpful, and VERY professional. My lovely tattoo artist, Meredith, did my first two tattoos and I’m in LOVE. I love her vibes, work, and how patient she is. Will be returning asap🤩I suggest you do the same :)

I’m so psyched as I begin the process of getting a first (my artist, Heather, and I are still debating the likelihood of future projects 😆) tattoo at the age of 65! The quality of all of the artists there is amazing and my first consultation was as reassuring as I was hoping for.Heather is delightful to work with, and so far we’ve each “enlightened” the project into a better feel with new ideas as we discuss the details. Still a tad apprehensive (there are things I want that may be too hard to do) as I await her initial interpretation of my design, but am expecting to be wowed into amazement the first time I discover what she was led to create. 🥹(Photos to follow) 🤗

Got a portrait of Elvis with his pink caddy done by Brian... Wonderful environment, incredibly professional! The entire staff is wonderful, however Brian is my artist, less than 24 hours later I have had over a dozen people ask about the king. Will have Brian do my entire sleeve. Crucial is where professional tattoos are done!!

Hands down the BEST customer service! Their use of an online form to match your idea/design with the right artist is perfect and helps speed up the process of articulating what you want before wasting time with just coming in. Especially if time is an issue. I was very impressed with the friendliness and professionalism of the entire staff. There were no surprises and everything was explained to me before committing to them for the work. I was paired up with Eric, who was amazing! This was my first tattoo but not my first time interaction with a tattoo business.

Wish I could post pics of all the wonderful pieces I’ve gotten done here! Service is always fantastic and I’ve had several sessions with Meredith now and not only are the results are a 10/10 every time, it is always the most fun I’ve ever had while being poked with needles for hours on end 😂 I’ll be back many a time for sure 😎

Madison has been INCREDIBLE! I asked for a portrait of my beloved basset hound. She went ABOVE and beyond to make the tattoo way more personalized. Upon arrival I fell in love with Madison’s design. I couldn’t wait to show it off. Session one has been completed and I’m already getting compliments from strangers!Can’t wait to go back to finish this piece. I’ve found true art and passion with crucial that I havent seen from other shops!

I wish I could give this experience more than five stars because everything about my (excruciatingly painful) foot tattoo was amazing.First off, the facility was incredibly nice. Extremely clean, spacious, and had private rooms. This isnt something thats a requirement for me, but having a judgement free space where you can feel comfortable and away from the hustle and bustle of 10 other artists tattooing is nice.As for my artist, I had the pleasure of working with Madison.When I picture a tattoo artist, I generally think of a more grizzled look and heavy tattooing, a bit older. Madison is the total opposite. Shes young and has a kind look about her. I was a bit skeptical at first that this was the person doing the tattoos that I had seen in her portfolio.Let me tell you, though- every expectation that I had was exceeded. For being so young and relatively new to tattooing, Madison has amazing color control and an eye for creating dynamic colors that blend incredibly well, but create depth and liveliness. The colors are vibrant and beautiful. She was also incredibly thorough, ensuring the areas were completely packed and fully saturated. Pretty early on, I can tell if a tattoo is going to need touch ups or if the color is going to fall out some, but I have seen zero issues with my tattoo and have full confidence that its going to be day one vibrant, beautiful, and colorful for a very long time.As a person, Madison was incredibly kind and gentle. Tattoos are a painful and not so pleasant process always, but the heavy handedness and lack of personality can make the process more painful and less enjoyable. Instead, Madison was the opposite of heavy handed and was extremely personable, making an otherwise unbearable five hours a manageable process that I wouldnt mind doing again.Madison joked about being famous. Let me tell you this- being as young as she is, shes only going to get better and its only a matter of time before her name gets out there. I feel very sorry for the people who dont establish her now and develop a repertoire with her because in five, ten years time? Youll be waiting forever to get a tattoo from well renowned artist Madison Brewington.It also might be worth mentioning- I traveled three and a half hours from out of state for this tattoo. There are no shortage of quality shops in my area, but I thought highly enough of Madisons portfolio that I wanted to make the trip and get a tattoo from her, even though it was a long trip.I cannot recommend Madison or the shop enough. I would give them all the stars if I could, but hopefully other people see this and make the dive into an amazing tattoo like I did. I know I wont ever regret it.

Brian is an awesome tattoo artist. My husband and I trust him and crucial tattoo

Madison did a super job. Attention to the details, which are fabulous!

Awesome people nice surrounding n good quality tattoos Meredith is my favorite tattoo artist

Got a larger tattoo done by Meredith and I’m more than happy with what she came up with. Looks fantastic. Everyone is very professional & made me feel comfortable. The shop itself is very cool & clean.

A collection of fantastic artists. RIP Matt Perez. He isnt dead, but he moved to florida before I had the cash to finish my tattoo with him.

Jon did a fabulous job on my tattoo yesterday. The shop is clean, staff is professional and they make sure you understand the after care. I will definitely be going back and highly recommend them to all my friends and family.

I was a walk-in for this was my very first tattoo. I had reviewed the artists on line and chose Cyrus based on his great work in his portfolio. Though they were busy I was told they had an opening in about a couple of hours. I paid a deposit to lock that time slot down. I came in with my idea, discussed it with Cyrus and he went to work. I was thoroughly pleased with his work & my tattoo. In fact, even as I type this I am hoping to get my next one this coming week. Cyrus is hella talented and a really cool guy. Would recommend him without pause.

I had a great experience. Sarah is amazing!! She put my mind at ease. She was fast, efficient and wonderful to work with. Crucial is a very clean and sterile enviornment. I am going back for my 3rd piercing tomorrow and I cant wait!! I am a breast cancer survivor and due to my wonderful prior experiences, I am going to see if they can squeeze me in so I can get a breast cancer survivor tattoo as well!! Top notch service and quality work. I highly highly recommend Crucial!!

Brilliant shop. Got my first tattoo done by Cyrus, who was very keen to get a unique look for my tattoo, and I am glad to say it turned out amazing. Very clean, and very much up to standard! I highly recommend Crucial to anyone. Brian is also a really nice guy!

Brian is an amazing tattoo artist, and all of the staff are friendly! The vibes there are nice and chill

So my sister and I wanted to get matching(ish) tattoos, it was my Christmas present to her. I dont live in Maryland, so I gave her the task of hooking us up with a good place (she already has several tattoos, so I knew I could trust her judgement). Well, I wasnt wrong, and nor was she!! Not only was everyone very friendly, the shop very clean, but our artist did a BRILLIANT job on our tattoos!! He listened to our wants and came up with a beautiful design based on what we asked for. Brian, our artist, was friendly, funny, and gentle. Honestly, I like my artist back home where Im from, but any work needed in the future will be going back to Crucial and Brian. Thank you SO SO much for such great work and really a great time! Made our Christmas complete!!!

Just moved to the area and wanted to start my sleeve. Saw other reviews about the scheduling issue but tried it anyway. The woman was very nice answering the phone, and helpful, but honestly i don’t understand how anyone makes an appointment at this shop. They only do appointment by email.. however I’ve had no response from Greg in two weeks. I even called the shop and she said she would let him know I called about my email to him, especially since he had free time coming up. That was maybe 5 days ago. Still nothing. I understand the artists are busy but a simple reply to an email saying they’ll get back to me would be appreciated. It’s a shame because their work looks awesome and I was really trying to book something. Hopefully they can work out a better scheduling process

Amazing quality, and exceptional service. Ive had many piercings done before (including a dermal and belly button) and I was really nervous for my smiley. Sarah was patient and incredible with both my friend and I. I cant thank her enough for her quick and efficient work and reassurance. The piercing didnt hurt at all! Thank you!!!

This review is LONG over due.My WHOLE family has had tattoos by Jon for YEARS now!I have a huge leg piece of a mermaid & still in the process of finishing. (Will update pictures as we go!)Absolutely perfect & best staff, ever.

Got my first tattoo done today. I got a Linkin Park logo with a small script underneath. Cyrus was really cool and made a good design adjustment. Highly recommend him. Overall, a great first experience.

I expected more communication and customer service; I really looked forward to working with Greg because his work looked amazing.I paid my deposit thru the shop and he stated the week hed be available to do my piece but he never showed up or said why. I emailed him directly multiple times to no avail and then I called the shop but they said Id just need to email him again being they arent responsible because he agreed to tattoo me outside the shop. Weeks would go by without a reply. Now I cant reach him at all.Now Im without the tattoo, my deposit, or an explanation. I feel deceived and disregarded. I caught a L.------------------------------Dear Owner:I know what I said was accurate, I have a detailed email thread to prove it. I dont have time nor care to argue with you being you clearly dont know how to talk to customers and resolve conflict. My review stays. Thanks!

Ive gotten a tattoo by John and a piercing by Sarah, both were great experiences! I accidentally unscrewed the backing of my new forward helix, and Sarah helped me put it back in. Everyone Ive met there so far has been super friendly and helpful.

A good, clean, virtuous tattoo shop, but if you choose this one, DO NOT get Cyrus as your artist. He is pessimistic and unfriendly as a person, and his artwork is mediocre at best. Other than him, a wonderful studio to pick.

Best tattoo shop on the Eastern Shore. Wonderful and highly skilled staff and you cant go wrong with booking any of them. I should know, Ive been tattooed by everyone who works at the shop.

Crucial tattoo is a super cool place!

Jon is AMAZING. He is extremely talented and creative and he is not only easy to work with, but a joy to work with. Just make the appointment and thank me later.

I just got a daith piercing. Sarah walked me right through the whole thing and she made me feel like I knew her my whole life. I will definitely be going back to see her. She is so kind and definitely caring.

Did a great job on a tattoo I got years ago. Very clean and professional

I havent had a tattoo done here and have seen work they have done and the work looks good. However been here twice and the service of not even getting to talk to a artist is what upsets me they will only talk to you about what you want to get as soon as doors open and no other time

LOVE my new tattoo! Eric did an awesome job and is very talented! I can’t wait to come back on the 20th to get it finished!!

The staff here are very welcoming and make sure you feel comfortable with getting a tattoo. Some of the artists are a bit pricey but their work is astonishing.

I go every few months. If youre looking for an artist to do some truly personalized work on you then you have to see Eric Booth. Everyone there is amazing.

Brian is doing a cover up for me wow am I impressed with just the one session so far its a whole new tattoo I can finally be proud of my leg peice would recommend 6/5

Cyrus did an unbelievable job on my wifes tattoos, will definitely be going back!Highly recommend!

My cousin and I went to Brian to get tattoos done and we had a great time! The shop was very clean and everyone was very friendly.

Great people! Very clean and professional. Heather is AMAZING!

Brian is so talented! I love working with him hes definitely one of the best around!

Great experience!!! Eric Booth did an amazing job on a cover up. The 1st of 2 sessions complete and it looks amazing already.

Went to have my Monroe don’t in the lady Sarah push my piercing in slanted so it went through in hit a vein when I only need the whole reopen it’s been I week in my lips is swollen in blu it swole up when I was there I called back people tried to blame latex allergy which it is not as I payed 55 for a broken vessel in blue face was refunded almost a week later

Great artist but i would have to say Greg is my favorite ive been getting work done frm him for years.

Brought my daughter here for a tattoo she has wanted for 3 years. She was impressed with the service and quality work.

The artist are the top of the line. It is hard to be seen or communicate with someone. I think their prices are high, but beautiful work has a a price.

Best tattoo shop ever and such amazing artists

Got my first tattoo here and they did a very good job. They made me feel at home 😊

Brian rocks. Everyone is friendly and non judgmental. You wont be disappointed

I just called the shop to ask about an aprenticship and when the woman on the phone told me they already had some I tried to ask another question and she just hung up on me no warning no explanation. This shop came so highly recommended and not only was that disappointing it was just plain out right rude.

Worts customer service ever i call the store the set up an appointment the first thing she says she got 12 min lol sad your not the only place to get a tattoo in maryland.

I have been here numerous times for my ear & nose piercings & Ive always had a great experience.

Sarah did our piercings and she is fantastic! She is funny, informative and quick!

They do great work. Eric Booth has done just about all of my work. Highly recommend

Amazing work everyone has been very complimentary about my tattoo. Even my doctor was WOWED!

Fantastic job has walkins fri sat 1200 sharp ask for sirus but all artists there are the best

Very good work very clean place great people

Eric is awesome and did amazing work with my tattoo. Ill be back for more.

Do they tattoo 16 year olds with parent consent? if so, how much would it be on average for two tattoos?

Always get my tattoos here. Always very pleased.

I absolutely love it here, everyone is very professional and talented.

Great work and ideas to make your tattoo work best!

Friendly staff. Very Talented artists!!! Eric is Amazing!!!!!!

If you want GREAT PRICES, GREAT PEOPLE AND MOSTLY GREAT TATTOOS?!?!??!!!?!? Go to crucial tattoo!!

Great artists, amazing tattoos!!!

Great place, CLEAN, great staff and beautiful art! Thanks Brian!

Tattoo exactly what i wanted. Will definitely be a repeat customer.

Its was great Eric is good.

John is amazing. Would recommend

Brian does a great job!

Wonderful to work with, very friendly and professional

Excellent Staff and Beautiful Tatts

Because my spot to get my tattoo done

Excellent Artists

BEST TATTOOS ON THE SHORE!!!

Best tattoo place around!!!

Best shop ever

Awesome

Brian is the best!

Cyrus is gifted

Cyrus is great

Greg is the best

Thanks sarah!

Love my tattoo

Clean, professional,

Awesome !!!