Hardwire Tattoo & Body Piercing

My daughter and I went and got our matching tattoos by Hollie at Hardwire. She just turned 18 and this tattoo was her first. I let her pick it out for us. My husband (her daddy) passed away in October and she wanted something as a memorial tattoo. She chose a tattoo in his handwriting...and it couldnt be more perfect.I do believe I have a new artist to go to. She is new to Hardwire and brand new to inking people. 2 weeks new. She did a great job and was an absolute sweetheart! She was gentle and explained everything to my daughter as she went along.I also got one from Sid a couple years ago as well as Justin 20 something years ago. So basically what Im saying is...this is the tattoo shop you want to go to if you were wondering.

Came in as a walk in and Paul exceeded my expectations! I absolutely love what he did with making a simple design come to life. I will definitely be coming back to see him when I’m in town.

Hollie was amazing! It was my sons first tattoo for his 18th birthday and we couldnt have gotten a better artist! She was patient and helped him relax and feel comfortable! Definitely going back!

I highly recommend this tattoo shop! My best friend and I showed up as walk-ins for ankle tattoos and they fit us both in on a busy Friday afternoon. The entire staff was friendly and welcoming and made the whole experience super great! Paul did mine and Holly did my friends and I cant say enough positive things about both of them. They were extremely professional but also very accommodating and friendly. They seemed to genuinely care about their customers and made sure we both left happy. This was hands down the best tattoo experience Ive had.

I did a walk-in tattoo with my friend and Hollie did a fantastic job on my ankle piece! She was super friendly, communicated well, and was very accommodating! My tattoo came out amazing and I look forward to coming back and getting more work from her. The front desk person was also super friendly and informative as well. Everyone we spoke to that was on staff had a friendly attitude and it was the best tattoo experience I have had.

Jordan Hill was absolutely AMAZING and her work is beautiful!!!! She is so welcoming, kind, and makes you feel so comfortable when talking with you, planning out your tattoo and even when you’re sitting on that chair getting a beautiful piece of art on your body. She turned a really, really bad tattoo/experience of mine with another artist into something absolutely beautiful and she helped bring peace to my mind with that. I highly recommend her! She is a wonderful artist and I will be going back to her for all of my future tattoo’s! :)

My best friend & I flew into NC from our respective states and drove to Wilmington for our bestie vacation. We have talked about getting a simple matching tattoo for years. After looking through reviews, we popped into Hardwire to check them out. Scott did my heart outline (which has a lot of meaning for me). He was chill, relaxed, calm, and easy to talk to, which I appreciated since this is my first tattoo. I know it may not be a piece that highlights the breadth of his artistic ability, but Im TRULY THANKFUL he was the artist to do my first tattoo that means so much to me. THANKS, SCOTT!

I got a navel piercing done less than a week ago. In that time I learned that they didnt pierce based off my anatomy and with too small of a bar, resulting in me having to remove it and let it close. $100 wasted.

Just an absolutely great group of people! They are very friendly and experienced and I will not get a tattoo from anywhere else but there!

I got my tattoo in March and about two weeks after I got it it already started fading which is really disappointing. I did all the proper aftercare for it. I just went with my friend for her walk in tattoo and her artist was rude. He did not speak to her the entire time as if he was in a bad mood. If you’re in a bad mood don’t take clients, she was on a waitlist you didn’t have to take her. Also when did a no hovering policy come into place? And if a no hovering policy did come into place why are there no signs?

Pretty awesome place! Clean,open and the staff was nice. It is a tattoo place so people with piercings, tattoos and occasional cussing from customers. Also don’t talk about politics here. I was waiting for a tattoo having to listen to a workers opinion and it can be frustrating! You either end up lying to avoid a fight or disagree and cause a problem. All in all got a tattoo and walked out with an overall good experience!

Sid is phenomenal! Great personality and great work. I could not recommend someone better. I will definitely be going back, he makes the 2 hour drive worth it!

I had the best experience as a first timer getting a tattoo. Jordan was amazing. She made me feel very comfortable the entire time and I could feel how excited she was to do my tattoo. I am in love with how it turned out. And I will definitely be going back to Jordan for my next one! She is @zesty_ink on instagram!

I had a tattoo In Memory of my daughter and 2 granddaughters we lost in a fire 7 1/2 years ago, what a great job! He designed it himself and took his time, my first tattoo Thank you! I couldn’t be more pleased my brother gave him extra money! I just cried when I seen it! My sister-n-law got the same one little different colors, still looks good! These guys are number1. !

My boyfriend and I decided on a whim while we were downtown to get tattoos we had each been thinking about. (Non matching, just his idea for his and I my own). We walked in to see if taking walk-ins and couldn’t get a clear answer. But we decided to walk downtown for a few and enjoyed a beer while we waited. Shortly we were called they could definitely get us in and to walk back over. (We were literally across the street) I’m so thankful we decided on a whim to come! I’m still lying in the tattoo chair getting a thigh tattoo by Will - and I could not be more pleased! He’s extremely talented, kind, funny and professional. I can’t speak for my boyfriends tattoo artist as I haven’t had much interaction with him but from what I can tell - the same goes for him, (Zach). Will immediately was eager to start on what I wanted and has been extremely pleasant to work with. I will definitely be back and will book ahead next time (I’m not a on the whim person normally 👀) to see my good friend Will. If anyone is looking for a tattoo, I 10/10 recommend Will.

My favorite place for tattoos and piercings. I was a walk in on a Tuesday evening for a small black and white tattoo. Scott was great. At other shops I’ve been to, artists can be annoyed with having to do small simple tattoos outside of their normal style but he was kind and knowledgeable. It was a very chill environment, even got some free waiting room entertainment. Will go back for sure

Will banga is a beast, did a amazing job on my cover up and a hell of a guy!

My two experiences here have been amazing! I have been with Jordan both times and I am obsessed! Her attention to detail is incredible, I follow her on instagram (zesty_ink) and love all of her work, its absolutely stunning. I highly recommend checking her out if youre looking for a talented tattoo artist!

Adding an extra gold star in my review. I went to Hardwire after my appointment at another location was canceled last minute. I’d had my heart set on getting one for so long. So, I figured I’d try to do a walk-in, even though it was a Friday night. They said they might be able to get me in since there were five artists working, but there were no guarantees. No problem. I had this entire night dedicated to getting some ink and having some dinner. My husband and I went to dinner first and came back. There was a bit of a wait, but not unexpected and not too long. Sid was my artist and he is just AMAZING. He puts you at ease from the get go. He gave me a chance to take a look at his work before agreeing to get it done, which I appreciate as a new customer. He had my husband and I laughing throughout the entire session. The BEST tattooing experience I’ve ever had. Can’t recommend him enough!!! Will definitely go back for any and all future work.

Thank you Jordan! It was great meeting you and getting my 2nd tattoo here. You inspire me because you are passionate about your work. This is something Ill have forever, so I can wake up every day and always be reminded of your attention to detail. In addition to your talent you were a great conversationalist and made me laugh.Update: Fantastic job again!

Decided to do a walk-in and get my first ever tattoo done... I got tattooed by a very talented girl named Jordan. She absolutely nailed the line work and everything! Great prices too , I recommend!

I went to hardwire on Front st. for a new tattoo with a New artist & was kind of skeptical. When I tell you they blew me out the water! My tattoo turned out over a thousand times better than anticipated. I will not be going anywhere else! The shop was clean, everyone was nice & made sure I was comfortable! If I could give higher than 5 stars I would! They are amazing!

Excellent experience at Hardwire. Staff are helpful and friendly. Sid is a master at his craft. Great chair-side manner. Brutally honest but in a funny way. Love the extra work he did on my concept and to capture the details of the tattoo. Would go back again and highly recommend.

I’ve gotten my last 8 tattoos here and the quality and service is unmatched. Scott and Jordan are so talented, kind hearted, and easy to work with. They both are just such great artists with an incredible eye for detail. There’s no one I trust with my tattoos more than them. The establishment is always clean and everyone here is friendly and respectful. Also, Hollie the receptionist is so patient and sweet to everyone who comes in. It’s just a really welcoming environment.

Showed up as a walk in at Front street and asked for a cover up on a small letter at the top. Will came out from the back, tossed out some ideas and we went with a rose. This was wayyyyyy over my expectations though! Absolutely stunning and successful cover. On top of that he touched up the lines that were already there. Will was 10/10!

LOVE HARDWIRE! This is a great shop. Its clean, its organized and the folks that work there are really friendly and accommodating. Look, I know the stigmas around many tattoo shops and do not worry, this place doesnt have those. If you want a tiny tattoo or a huge original piece of art, you are welcome. If you arent sure what you want, they can help you. Ive gotten five tattoos from Hardwire and my husband has an entire arm worth of work from them and each one has been done well, with professionalism and by cool people. Come on down and check them out!

Matt Donnelly did my tattoo this afternoon and it was amazing. He was able to take my ideas and create an amazing piece. Hes very knowledgeable and helpful and quite the artist.The atmosphere in the building is awesome and the rest of the staff are very friendly and helpful.HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ARTIST AND SHOP.

I was a walk in with a tattoo I’ve wanted for a long time. Lee was excited to do it which hyped me up even more. He absolutely killed it! 10 out of 10 recommend and will come back!

My friend got her ear pierced just one and a normal spot and cost $80 and did include stud but that feels kinda high.

Fantastic experience! Will and Scott were awesome. My husband and I were walking ins and didn’t wait too long. Super clean, staff was great, artists were super professional and excellent to work with.

Love A.K. Typical tattoo shop. Been a handful of time and happily referred many people who stop me to admire my work. AK is the brother Ive always wanted. Great work and conversations.

Got a Friday 13th tattoo from Scott, it was a wonderful time. Least painful, cleanest lines I’ve had in a decade of getting tattoos. Hollie at the front desk was great, and so was Jordan another artist at the shop. All around a very clean, very nice shop with a great atmosphere and even better staff

Sidney Baggett was amazing! He’s an incredible artist and is fun to be around. Photo is fresh but I could not be happier! It’s by far my favorite tattoo I have. ❤️

This place is wonderful! Everyone is so friendly & very helpful. My daughters & I went together to get tattoos with Matthew Allegretto...two of us getting our first ones & he made the experience so easy & fun...will recommend this place to everyone. Thank you for making this a fun memory for us!

Put in my name and phone number and was called approximately 2 hours later saying they were ready for my tattoo. Could tell they were closing down and didn’t want to do much more, granted it was a Monday night. Front desk worker was overall very rude and asked if I had anything to drink tonight. I had one drink with dinner but felt absolutely fine. Of note, I know the effects of alcohol on coagulation and one drink will not have an effect on such. It takes more than 2 drinks to affect blood clotting to such a level. However they declined to do my tattoo for this reason. I believe they just wanted to go home for the night. Very unprofessional. Would not recommend.

Will (downtown location) did a solid job on my brother and Is tattoos. Excellent execution, and down to earth guy. Ill drive from Greenville, SC any day to get inked by this guy. Didnt wait long at all, and the design was original as well! Great shop!

Only place hubby and I go to get our ink done now!! Staff is awesome and makes your idea art! They do beautiful and amazing work! I highly recommend them! I picked a few to show how awesome they are here!! We will be getting more done again!

My cousin and I came in looking to get Rook piercings. Dave was really great! He made the process very easy and relaxing. Highly recommend.

Not sure how long the piercer has been piercing, but perhaps he needs to brush up on his piercing skills. My daughter came in to get her nipples pierced and was pierced with way too short of a bar in both nipples leaving no room for swelling/healing, but the piercer used two different sized bars(9/16 and 1/2). Her bigger nipple (that was pierced with the smaller bar than the smaller nipple) was swallowing the opal ends that were used. Since I run a piercing/tattoo shop (not in NC), she asked what she should do because it didnt look/feel right to her. I recommended that she go back ASAP and have him put in longer bars before matters got any worse. She went in the next day and was told no, he didnt want to cause more trauma. She was to take some ibuprofen and check back with him in a week if things didnt get better. Thank goodness she decided to drive up for a visit and have one of my piercers take care of her, otherwise it could have ended up being an ER trip to get the jewelry out. She now has the appropriate size that should have been used to begin with (3/4) so her piercing has room to breath/heal. Ridiculous that the piercer:1. didnt know any better as far as jewelry size goes2. refused to help by putting in longer bars after his screw up

Amazing artists! My tattoo is beautiful and the artist was professional and respectful. The shop was clean and all the employees were great. 10/10 would get another tattoo here.

Huge shout-out to Sid at Hardwire tattoo shop man your work is amazing thank you so very much for honoring my late mother with the coke bottle tattoo. Much love and respect to you guys. A+++ in my book. I will definitely be back.

Will did a wonderful job on my walk in tattoo! He was willing to add extra details that made it look fantastic! Everyone in the shop was super helpful and sweet!

Great work by Paul elevating my pineapple and adding the surrounding colors and flowers!

Zac was incredible during my experience. It’s been a couple days and I am ecstatic with that tattoo I got. Me and my friend were a walk-in and ended up waiting a couple hours, which we didn’t mind at all. We had a great time chatting with Staff and hanging out. The vibes are great and the staff is all friendly and kind. 10/10 recommend!

Went down for a day trick to get couple of tattoos. Jordan and Will are great artists and we felt very welcomed. Going back again later!

Hi, my name is Madi. I’m 18 years old and I went into Hardwire with my best friend, looking to get my first 2 tattoos. I was recommended by my parents to go to a man named Sid. Sid did a lot of my parents past tattoos, and let me tell you, he was absolutely PHENOMENAL. Sid is an AMAZING ARTIST. He has been there for 18 years! The pricing was extremely fair. Sid made me and my friend feel very welcomed. He made me feel so comfortable and got me whatever I needed. I can’t explain how incredibly kind this man was. Overall, it was the best first experience I could have asked for! I definitely will be going back.Thank you so much Sid!!

This was my first time visiting Hardwire. Sid was kind enough to fit me in really quick due to a cancellation which was awesome. This is my third tattoo and honestly the only one I truly like. Sid was super nice and had a sense of humor which made my nerves fade. He took the time to discuss and draw everything out the way I wanted it! His work is gorgeous and I cant be any more thankful. All in all, would definitely go again if I decide to get another one.

Sid was the absolute best, he had great personality made me feel very comfortable and has great work!! The drive was well worth it and I will definitely be back!

Me and three friends all dropped in last night to get a gum ball machine tattoo of Pokémon. Jonny did all of ours and he’s was amazing! Great line work. I got black and gray while my friends got color. All look great. I can’t believe he’s only been tattooing for a few months. He was sweet and dealt with our antics like a pro! Def recommend him to all. I plan on returning sooner than I should, today I hope🤣

I have been to this location twice. Once with out an appointment and once with an appointment. Make sure you call ahead and leave a deposit with the artist, kinda a respected thing to do. My artist was Sid, both times, he did a fantastic job and i get complimented on them all the time. Super chill artist who knows what looks good and will advise you to make sure you get exactly what you want! The best experience i have had with an artist and service. Sid is very talented, and has the customer service to go with it. Appreciate the ink Sid! I will be back!

My artist was Sidney and it was the best tattoo experience I’ve had! He was very thorough in his tattoo design to ensure i got what i had envisioned. He is very light handed and always made sure I was comfortable throughout the entire process. He was very friendly, personable, and professional. He even stayed after closing to finish my tattoo! Highly recommend!!!!!

Jordan was phenomenal when my best friend and I came in to get my 4th but her 1st tattoo. She was very helpful with placement!

I always ask for Sid. He’s the best guy I know that I’ve asked for for almost 5 years now. Really great guy. Really great people. I have loved every piece that I’ve gotten here, and the atmosphere is always great. I’ve had great times here. Would fully recommend Sid and every one else here. They’ve been around a long time. And I hope they stick around for even longer.

Chloe greeted me warmly as soon as I walked into the building. She was very upbeat, knowledgeable, and professional as well as just a nice person. David came in soon after and he was just so trustworthy and kind. David made me feel at ease and trusted him He wasn’t impatient with me when I misunderstood what position he wanted me. He just patiently kept explaining until it got through my thick skull. The piercings weren’t pain-free. But they weren’t bad at all. Aftercare was fully explained to me and I was given a number to call ANYTIME I had questions. Hardwire is a great place. I’d go just for an excuse to hang out. They’re sweet, wonderful people who know what they’re doing. GO TO DAVID AT HARDWIRE FOR ALL PIERCINGS!!

I went last weekend to get a tattoo with someone. There was a bit of a wait but that’s because we were walk-ins! Our tattoo artist was Paul. He drew up various sizes of the tattoos and helped us decide which one would fit best. He is so laid back and nice I highly recommend him to anyone wanting to get a tattoo done hit up Paul.

I went here as a walk in with a handful of my in-laws and a vague idea of what I wanted for my first tattoo — not exactly a recipe for success- and I had the BEST experience. Matt Allegretto is possibly the nicest artist on earth. He took all my requests in stride and was so incredibly helpful and patient. Matt went above and beyond to be sure I was happy with the design despite the fact that it wasn’t based on his artwork. Then he proceeded to create a gorgeous tattoo that I am so thrilled to have! 10/10 I can’t recommend him enough as both an artist and a delightful person.

Excellent place with excellent service. Helped four of my friends and I to walk in minis an hour before close. Great artist! Matt was great ❤️

Jason on front street was awesome! We were about to walk away from looking but he seen us on the street and asked exactly what I wanted. He showed us his work and I quickly agreed for shading and extra writing added to existing tattoo. He made it look perfect and completed it a short time. He was very clean, professional and very very nice and respectful. I will definitely be back again for future work!

I’ve had two spur of the moment tattoos done by Sid, who did an amazing job of taking my vague idea and making it perfect beyond what I could ever imagine. He’s so fun to sit for; a genuine guy that makes you feel at ease. Super friendly staff and great atmosphere. Worth the wait or a trip to Wilmington for!!

I walked in hoping to get a nose piercing with no appointment, was greeted kindly and was told there was one person in front of me, and that it would be a short wait if I was willing to do so. The wait was no longer than 10-15 minutes. David made the process so comfortable, he allowed me to make sure the placing right, talked me through what he would do and kept talking to keep my mind off the rod going in my nose! Afterwords I was prepped with what to do and how to clean the new piercing. I recommend this place, and will definitely go back for any piercings needed, and maybe a new tattoo!

My cousins and I were visiting from Florida. We came into Hardwire at about 8:00 last night wanting tattoos for all 3 of us. They said they werent sure if we would we would be able to get seen due to the number of people ahead of us. But, they put our names down on a list and said if we wanted to wait around we were welcome to, so we did. Not even 40 minutes later our tattoos were being drawn up. We were all very pleased with our tattoo artists, they all did a wonderful job! I would definitely recommend coming here. The place is clean and well kept, all of our tattoos were perfectly executed and reasonably priced. Thanks Hardwire for a great experience!

Jordan did my tattoo @zesty_ink , she did an amazing job on my first tattoo and I wouldDefinitely do back to her again !

I really like this tattoo shop..everyone is pleasant and they work with you on your design..and so far I have worked with only 2 of the artist but plan on going back for more art wk. I love how everyone has a specific skill set but they still give there advise..fine lines I like and jordan was awesome to work with. And Sid awesome artist.

Had the most wonderful experiences ever super friendly even though there was a little confusion In the beginning it worked out I am very pleased with my art piece Paul my artist at Front Street did amazing job and Lee is Co- Worker did amazing job by being able to get me what I wanted thank you guys so much as so as it heals will be posting pictures

I worked with the apprentice named Jordan! She gave me some AWESOME hand tattoos, was professional, friendly, accommodating, and went out of her way to make it as good as it could be. I’m SO happy she was the one to give me my tattoo. She also let me play music to calm any nerves I may have had! BEST tattoo visit anywhere I’ve had.

There isnt a single negative thing that can be said about this Hardwire Tattoo Shop. Its one of the cleanest, friendliest and most professional shops Ive EVER been in. (And Ive been in many)From the very first time i walked into their shop theyve all treated me with respect and like family. Always giving the best advice because they care.Sid Baggett is my artist and hes absolutely phenomenal. Hes one of the coolest and most down to earth artist Ive ever met. Hes done a few cover-ups on me and theyre flawless. Youd NEVER know they were cover-ups. In my opinion hes the absolute best at what he does and I trust no one but him to give me the quality of work Im looking for.Every artist there is great in their own unique way. I promise, you will NOT be disappointed in the atmosphere, location or quality of work you receive from this shop!

I have had several tattoos done at Hardwire by Sid. He is absolutely an amazing tattoo artist. His line work is clean, shading spot on. My most recent tattoo has color and even the blending and the detail in it is phenomenal. Clean, professional and really captures your vision. I highly recommend getting a tattoo by Sid. I will most definitely be going back for some more ink from him.

I pulled in a while back to ask a few Questions about tattoos and while I was there the receptionist Meg I think it was. She was very Knowlegable and attentive. Honestly Thanks to her I will be using the business here in the near future. If anybody else has the pleasure of working with her please let her know how awesome she is. Couldnt imagine working with another person at the front desk.

Went in for a spur of the moment tattoo and Sid went above and beyond for me! Hes such a sweet guy and so easy to talk to and really laid back. Plus his work is absolutely stunning!! Highly recommend :)

I did a walk-in last night while I was in town, I waited a couple hours (which I was expecting to) and it was well worth the wait!! They let me leave and walk around the city while I was waiting. Will did a GREAT job with the line work and got me in and out super fast. He was to the point and you could tell this man had been around the tattoo block a few times. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience! I will be back to see him ☺️

Don’t ever leave reviews but here goes! Went in here to have them tattoo a footprint of my newborn on my ring finger which is a tough tattoo. After waiting 10 mins without anyone greeting me I went back where there was someone on the computer asked if I could chat when he had a minute. He stares at me so I ask do you have a minute he responds with a simple yes so after showing him the idea he starts laughing at me while saying he’s not laughing at me then brings me over to the other tattoo artist and tries sharing the laugh so I was like you know what I’m all set and he responds with oh stop being so sensitive. To which I responded not being sensitive just don’t like your business. If you want poor tattoo work with people that have even worse attitudes go here!

Sid’s the best! He has done 8 tattoos on me and all of them look FANTASTIC. I plan on having him do many more. His care for detail and design (plus his music taste) are definitely worth scheduling an appointment with.

Got a tattoo from sid last night, not only did he do amazing work he didnt question anything about the design and placement that i wanted. he went above and beyond to make me fell comfortable and appreciated as a customer. i will definitely be going back to him for my next piece for graduation. 10/10 would recommend going here because all the staff was wonderful and does great work.

Decided to get a tattoo while on vacation, walked in and got set up right away.

I went on a pulse to get a tattoo an it came so lovely so much til I am ready to go back great service ATM on deck The apprentice was warm and welcoming I enjoyed mi visit with Sid what an amazing tat he help me put together thank you 🤓❤️🤭🤗 I crown them 10 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

First time getting a tattoo the staff was great and wonderful. Conrad my tattoo artist was amazing and great, he asked if i was 100 percent on the picture I wanted and I told him no and he drew the most beautiful tattoo combination of what I wanted and it turned out 100 times better than I could imagine. I will definitely be going back to see Conrad whenever I get any another tattoos. If you are an individual looking for a great place to get a tattoo done I would HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone i meet.

Sid is my go to guy at Hardwire! Sid is extremely talented and great with fine lines. He pays great attention to detail and took a few images I showed him to turn it into exactly what I wanted. I’m so happy with his work and I’ll continue to use Sid for continuing my sleeve. Hardwire is super clean and Chloe at the front was very nice/professional.

I have had several tattoos done other places and they were okay but AK is a game changer. He listens and is patient and also very informative with your wants. AK does a great job and is quick but yet efficient. If you go to him you will not want to go any where else. Thanks for always coming through with awesome work.

Everyone was really nice, took my nine year old to get her first ear piercing. Tim was the artist who did her ears. He was GREAT!! Told her every step he was making. Made her comfortable and she made no fuss was quickly done after all was explained, very clean and sterile environment. For any parent this is the safest place to take your child to for there first piercings. Thank You for a great experience.

Walked in with an idea of what I wanted and Sid took it to a whole new level. He added a lot of personal touch and detail to my tattoo and it was fantastic to see an artist care as much as he did about the quality of his work. I couldnt be happier with the tat. Highly recommend Sid.

I had been to Hardwire before to get my belly button pierced by Tim and had a good experience so I came back to get my first tattoo done there by Sid and I told him how much money I had and gave me a really great deal on them. He was professional but also friendly and laid back. I got two diamonds one on the back of each of my heels and I am absolutely in love with them I always get tons of compliments and I couldnt be happier with them 💜 11/10 would recommend

I have been getting tattooed by Sidney (Sid) Baggett for 10yrs now and he has never disappointed me. He is very clean, very easy to talk to, funny, energetic, and truthful. Not only myself, but numerous family members and friends see him as well. I have, and always will recommend him to anyone who asks. I get nothing but compliments on all of my tattoos.

If I could give this tattoo shop more stars, I would. Beginning with our first interaction when we called them, they were patient and polite, did their best to accommodate us, and answered all of our questions. We got tattooed on one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year, by a professional skilled artist (shout out to Will... Follow him on Instagram @wilbanga) who was meticulous enough that I am definitely going back to for larger pieces of work in the future. Bravo.

My wife and I got our first tattoos with Sean. He did an INCREDIBLE job!!!! He was so patient with us and got us the perfect tattoos. Highly highly recommend Sean and Hardwire! We had a great experience and we will be back.

I am so beyond happy with the tattoo I got from Will. I brought in an idea and he transformed it to fit me perfectly. He took his time to make sure every detail was absolutely perfect. Everything was very clean -- even when he had me flip over so he could reach the underside of my arm better, he cleaned the table so I wouldnt have to lie in possible germs where my feet had been. Hardwire was also incredibly responsive to the messages I sent them -- they responded within minutes (as opposed to some other places who took up to five days). Seriously, this place is worth a visit, and Will is worth trusting.

Had my first experience today at hardwire and enjoyed every minute of it. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Jordan gave me two awesome tattoos of exactly what I asked for. I would highly recommend this place and her for your next tattoo! I know I will be going back!

My experience with this shop started on a whim. My best friend and I wanted to get matching tattoos but it was a holiday weekend. We came into Hardwire and everyone was really nice and helpful. We got who was next available which happened to be AK. He listened to what we wanted and made sure it was absolutely perfect for the both of us. This was a year ago. Since then I’ve come back two more times to get tattooed by AK. I live 2 hrs away and gladly make that drive to have work done by him. I can honestly say he’s an artist who truly cares about his work and clients. Everyone there is great but I highly recommend AK, hands down!!!

Visited Hardwire while vacationing. Clean facility, helpful staff. @Samanthatyrant was extremely helpful and accommodating with both design and scheduling. Very talented and you can tell she enjoys what she does. Very engaging while tattooing. She went above and beyond in both her time and talent. Will definitely go back and have her do more tattoo work for me.

Getting my first tattoo, you could say I was a little nervous. I had been to other tattoo shops before a friend recommended Hardwire. When i entered Hardwire I was immediately greeted by a staff member in the front. I didn’t have an appointment, but it was explained to me that wasn’t a problem and I was talking with an artist shortly after I arrived. My artist Sid, helped me find the design I wanted on the internet after I explained what I was looking for. He was professional, and courteous and helped put me a ease during the entire process. The price he quoted me before we began was actually less than the quote I had already received from 3 other tattoo shops in town. After he completed the tattoo he explained to me how to care for my new tattoo, even giving me some ointment for free! I couldn’t be happier with my experience at Hardwire, and have recommended them to all my friends. And I get compliments on my new tattoo by everyone who sees it! Thank you Hardwire!

Ive been going to Hardwire for 8 years now & I love it. The art that Sid does for me is always exactly what I want & spends time with me to make sure, working over details with me beside him. I have five pieces done by him & they all healed quickly & still look so amazing. I get complimented often & I always recommend people to talk to Sid.

Ive used Hardwire for most of my tattoos, and couldnt be happier. Mike G. is my go to guy, but Im quite confident I could use any of their artists employed by the shop. Top notch customer service, professional and talented artists for reasonable prices. Will definitely be going back in the foreseeable future to finish my sleeve and start planning my next one.

I have gotten 2 tattoos and 1 piercing at Hardwire and all of them were a great experience! Both AK and Sid are amazing artists that I plan on going back to again and again. Sid will take your idea and make it 100 times better! He really takes his time to make sure every last detail is absolutely perfect before he wraps you up and goes through specific care instructions. AK is also very nice and does an amazing job making sure that you are getting exactly what you wanted!

WOW. Sid is the modern day Picasso— just absolutely fabulous. I’ve had three pieces done by him and I couldn’t be more happy with them. Not only is he talented, he gives you a comforting and enjoyable experience by conversing and connecting with his clients. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking for a stupendous artist with a splendid personality.

Felt invisible and not hip enough to be helped. A couple employees seemed totally tweaked out. They were no help what-so-ever and it didnt seem like they knew anything about the artists or what was in the cases. Photo books were filled with blotchy looking wall flash and the jewelry was seriously overpriced! Perhaps, if you want some tourist crap and feel like being judged by rude twenty-somethings go for it! But, if you want decent art or to feel like an appreciated customer - dont even bother. I guess this shop survives mostly off of its location and first-time impulse purchases. Ill never set foot in this nasty place again! Felt like I needed a shower after I left! I highly suggest to anyone getting ink- especially for the first time - research your artist and do a little comparison/interview before taking the plunge. Even if you dont have any previous ink - a true artist will give you the time of day and not just treat you like you arent cool... its a life long choice, make it wisely!

I had went to get a tattoo and had Sid as my artist. He not only did an amazing job but is very personal with you. Definitely will be going back to him!(:

David is a great piercer! Ive had nine piercings in San Francisco, so Im not an expert, but I know something! What I can tell you is that David is excellent!

Will did an amazing job on my tattoo. Most artists wouldn’t touch it but he tackled a complex tattoo with no issue. It looks great. He took my ideas and freehanded the work to combine the tattoos that I wanted into one. Thank you!! I’ll definitely be coming back.Please change the music. The metal screaming is painful to listen to.

Walked in for a tattoo and Conrad was my artist! He made the whole experience fun and did an amazing job on my tattoo! I was worried about a piece that is so close to my heart, but he took his time and made sure I was in love with every single detail! Definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a tattoo!!!

Staff was amazing! Very professional, clean and accommodating. The artist, Nathan Gates, did a great job and even went as far as to give my daughter a faux stencil tattoo just for fun. We couldnt have been more pleased. :)

Very friendly staff! Was able to walk in and get an artist with only a short wait.The artist explained every step of the process as well as aftercare for my new piece.Would highly recommend.

We sat for over an hour while someone was drawing my wifes lavender tattoo. The guy didnt even know what lavender was. Came to us with an attitude and said either get it my way or go, so we left. How are you going to charge 200 for a tattoo that I cant even choose. DO NOT RECOMMEND

This place was great! The guys did such a great job on not only my tattoo but those of my husband and brother and sister in law. We all went in together and the shop was quick and thorough. Incredibly happy.

Sid Is AMAZING!! He is super sweet and personally my favorite artist. Everyone has great personalities as well. I love this shop and plan on coming back! Thank you sid for being phenomenal at what you do :)

Came in with my family and all 3 of us were greeted promptly and given amazing tattoos. Sid did my piece and was very nice and funny. I am always 100% happy with my experience here.

Best staff and tattoo artists by far. They are professional and experienced. Not only have I gotten tattoos here, but, my wife as well. My daughter has had her piercings done here. Awesome place. Theres no need to go anywhere else.

Me and my 2 other friends did a walk-in on June 30. I got 8 (quarter-size) stars, color coded for the birth months that I want. I wanted it to fade and Andrew just made it into 2 different shades of color. Again, it does not fade. The price was $200 when it was done I ask how about $160 he said in a stern tone thats not want we agreed upon I said I was willing to pay $150-$200 at the beginning. During the session Andrew said hes been doing tattoo for 22 years.My friend got a rose for his mom they said $300 but with 20% because of the use of credit card and not cash, with a $40 tip came out to $400.Lastly, my last friend got a quote on his triceps for $100 which looks great.The people at the front were nice.

I went to hardwire not long ago to get my first nose piercing. This was also my first piercing entirely so I wasn’t well versed on pricing for piercings. Well the service was great and the staff were very friendly. But, I then started looking at other piercing shops and found that they’re DRASTICALLY cheaper than hardwire for piercings. I was charged a $100 for the jewelry, piercing, and nasal spray (just go to a pharmacy and get saline spray). Some places charge as low as $40 so, I would go to another place. You can save money somewhere else!!!!!!

Stopped by a couple of months ago for a simple, small tattoo. Artist priced it at $180 -- way overpriced, especially considering that after I shrugged it off and went through with it, the ink was super low-quality and the shading was done poorly. The guy was also just weird and gave off a really strange vibe, made some kind of threatening jokes, and was overall very unpleasant to be around.Ive been through some multi-hour tattooing sessions, but this 45m quickie was definitely the worst experience Ive had yet.EDIT: The shop is now trying to claim this is a fake review because Im not in their records. Sounds to me like this particular artist was just as bad at record-keeping as they were at handling my tattoo. Ive spent six years of my life in Wilmington, and I used to work right across the street from Hardwire... I think I know which business Im reviewing. Disappointed in the juvenile response.

I had an amazing experience with Sidney Baggett at Hardwire Tattoo downtown! I was so nervous because it was my first tattoo. If you are looking for a tattoo artist go check him out you will not regret it!

Yeah ive been getting inked last few weeks from will. over all a real strong artist and the others are too. Only critiques for will be to go heavy handed on the line work sometime it dont hold as bold as it should, but no problem for me to get it gone over very quickly haha. excellent tattoo quality and good attention to detail from artist will. Btw ill be there like next week again i need some long hours soon.

A.K. did a great job with my memorial tattoo and was so nice. He drew up something for me in a short time with just a few small pictures to go by . I love the tattoo and his work is very clean and precise. I will be back soon and recommend him to others.

I went in Hardwire Tattoo on 07/06/18 and proceeded to get a tattoo behind my ear. I was put with the artist Andrew, whom one did not introduce himself, and two did not properly and effectively do his job throughout my experience. We sized the tattoo and I was lead to the back. He then told me the price would be $120, which I thought was extremely overpriced. At this point I was contemplating whether I wanted to get the tattoo done or resize it. Andrew tries to bargain with me by throwing in the numbing ointment and tattoo care items. After debating with myself, Andrew then proceeds to tell me he is going to charge me whether or not I decided to get the tattoo or not because he had already opened something with the needle. I never told him that I wanted to proceed with the tattoo until he threatened to charge me. I continued to let Andrew do my tattoo. In the end he did not give me any ointment as bargained or go over proper cleaning procedures for my tattoo. I literally paid him and that was that. He also did not wrap my tattoo. I will definitely be talking to the manager, owner, or whoever about this matter because I was definitely not treated fairly for what I paid.

They cost more than some other tattoo and piercing stores but it is because you are paying for experience and cleanliness. Would highly recommend getting your piercing done here. I never had a tattoo before so I cant comment on their tattoos but My daughter went to another tattoo shop the lady did her nose piercing and she wasnt satisfied. They didnt take the time to Mark her location and it was way off and she was not satisfied with it so we came here to get it done over and was very satisfied.

I’ve been to hardwire before and was excited to get a tattoo with a friend who was in town. When I called about appointments I was told that walk ins are available and that If we came earlier in the day it would be fine. We arrived just after opening to be put on the wait list and told it could be an hour or longer. We got lunch , went and got a coffee and after 2+ hours with no call decided to go back and wait. We waited for about another 45 mins in the salon and finally getting bored asked how long we still possibly had. We were told probably like another 2 to 3 hours so we left and went to get pedicures. Only to be called not even an hour later. We decided to skip out on the tattoos there because her only option for is was sorry I have to move on. If we had been told proper timing to begin with we could have not wasted so much time sitting around. I think they need to do some more communication between artists, clients and front desk in order to properly inform walk ins on the wait time.

Amazing experience for first tattoo. AK was professional and an amazing artist. We sent him pictures and he was able to draw exactly what we wanted. AK gives every customer his personal attention and access for after care! All staff at hardwire were friendly and helpful but I highly recommend AK!

This is an amazing shop. My wife and I have both had tattoos done here and were treated with nothing but respect. Our work was done by AK who does beautiful work. We both were very pleased with everyone in the shop. We were quoted a price and that is what we paid. We searched around for months to find a good local shop and we wont go anywhere else.

I havent gotten anything done yet (planning to come here on a weekend coming up). I will say, out of all the places Ive looked at for getting my first tattoo done, this place looked and felt the best. It looked clean and organized. I researched their website first (its very helpful with tips and care) and I would like to mention you should definitely go in and look at their portfolios if youre getting a custom piece done rather than just relying on the photos on their website. The portfolios in shop give a better idea of each artists range and personal style. The lady at the front counter (Im sorry I cant remember her name :( ) was so nice and helpful! She was also really patient with my questions, I wanted a ball park price range for my custom piece so she sent me to the back to talk about it with someone(Again, not sure the name- Im bad with names obviously-) He seemed like he was in the middle of something with a design program on the computer and came off a bit impatient or exasperated with me. I understand that Im not going to get an exact figure, thats impossible, but I figure that was poor communication on my part as the process is new to me. Ill either give another review after I get my piece here or Ill update this one.

Absolutely love the daith piercing that I received from Tim last night. He was very good at putting me at ease as I was quite nervous about getting pierced. The piercing was placed perfectly and looks amazing. I had a great experience, and definitely plan on coming back soon, everyone was very nice and great personalities.

The professionalism at hardwire is unmatched. Typical tattoo shops are full of rude, overly opinionated artists and that is not the case at hardwire. Ive been going to Sid for quite some time now because of his ability to take an idea and transform it into a beautiful work of art. Although Sid is my main artist, I have seen the artistic ability the other artists there possess such as Chuck, Will and Justin the owner. Ive brought several friends who have had work done and absolutely love it. I would definitely recommend this shop to anyone.

My sister recently just got matching tattoos from this shop and we were more than please with the professionalism and quality of the staff and their work. We had the pleasure of working with RJ and he made the process quick, easy, and painless! I will definitely be returning back to this shop when I visit back home! ☺️

My girlfriends and I spontaneously popped in the shop tonight to get a couple of little jammers. Sid did an awesome job on my dainty little Saturn! He also went above and beyond and touched up another little tattoo of mine. Plus is was SUPER friendly. We are from out of town so next time I come down I want to come back! Thanks again Sid! ;)

I love getting my tattoos from Sid at hardwire Downtown. He isn’t just great at it he makes you feel comfortable and always has banging music playing. He’s the only person I want tattooing me! Go check him out! ❤️

If you go here make sure you know who you’re getting and trust them! My friend and I had the plan to get tattoos when we went to Wilmington for her birthday, we researched places in the area and was set up to make an appointment elsewhere , that day came and the place we were going to had an emergency and were unable to do it, this was our last day there so we couldn’t wait for them to be available . That’s when I looked up other places that take walk-ins and hardwire seemed good, we called ahead and she said it’d be a 30 min- hour wait which was fine with us, we get there and no one else was in the waiting area, the lady took our info and said it would be 30 mins max until someone came to help us, we said okay cool and waited, and waited, and waited. We were there 2 and a half hours before someone came to see what we wanted, I understand things like this, time varies, but if we had known it would take so long we would have gone elsewhere. At this point a guy comes up to us and asks what we want, any interaction we had with him was very short and blunt on his part, he took our ideas , both very simple, only linework, small words we had the font picked out so it was basically just a copy and paste. The work he showed us looked exactly how we wanted so we agreed. We get back to the room and he was handling everything very unprofessionally, kicking chairs in his room, smoking, not to mention he didn’t speak one word to us the whole time which would have been appreciated to ease nerves, but regardless he made it a very uncomfortable experience for us. At the end he gave us no information on aftercare(thank goodness it wasn’t our first tattoo) and I almost immediately regretted coming here to get it done. I’ve given myself a tattoo before and I could tell he was going way too deep in some areas and expressed concern, which has now led to some blowout on a couple letters for both me and my friend. Overall I get that we were walk-ins so some things would be difficult, but I wish things were handled more professionally and that he had given more care to his work on us.*****After this review was left Sid called me to make it right and offered to cover up the tattoo properly with whatever I wanted, at no charge.

I had my rook pierced at another local place. After the 3rd ball fell off in 10 days and the other place wanted me to pay for the balls or buy new jewelery, I decided to take my business elsewhere. I spoke David and Chloe (his apprentice) and they advised me I was having a reaction to the metal they used to pierce my rook and that they would replace the jewelery with the best technique they could and if the balls fell off to just let them know and they would replace them with no charge to me. David replaced my jewelery and let me know everything that was going to happen. He advised on the proper cleaning techniques and made recommendations for solution to use. I will most definitely use him again when Im ready for my next piercing qhen these heal. Top notch service from him and his apprentice!!!

Went to these guys twice. Once for a nose piercing and the second time for a belly piercing and they did a wonderful job on my daughter both times. Havent got a chance to get a tattoo from them yet but I will be going soon.

3 of us get tattoos all done by Sam. Clean facility and helpful staff. Sam was extremely accommodating, talented, passionate and made all 3 of us feel comfortable. She goes above and beyond. I will definitely go back to see her.

My wife and were in Wilmington for our honeymoon and wanted to get matching tattoos like a bunch of dorks. We did our research and found Hardwire. We cant recall our artists name, but he was super friendly. The shop was clean and had a great atmosphere, well probably be back again in the future.

Out of towner and got rejected by another shop in Carolina Beach due to not having an appointment. Called in and even though they couldnt promise getting me in they wanted me to come by. Even came with my own stencil. When we got there not only were they more than willing to get me in he spent time perfecting what i brought in. Condrad was the man and a great artist. New to the store but I bet hes got a great future in Wilmington! Thanks for the laughs dude 🤙

Went in tonight right at 9 wanting my nose pierced. Tim stayed and did this for me. He was excellent! Very meticulous with his work! I will definitely be back for him to do the other piercings that I want, and so will also of my friends! He was excellent! Wish I could give him 10 stats! Thanks Tim!

What an amazing experience, the staff are so friendly and patient. Profeesional, clean, upbeat, and light hearted environment. We were so indecisive and they made our visions come together. Definitely reccomend for a fantastic tattooing experience.

I’ve been to this place multiple times.My first experience was okMy second, wasn’t quite good, they told my mom, my daughter, my son, and myself to wait in the back and that we were next. We did just that, for them to turn around and say no one can do you guys’ tattoo now.Wanting to give the benefit of my doubts and thoughts (maybe because we are black), decided to go again only for the receptionist to say to me we are closed but allow a male (white) to walk in and have a seat! 🤔🤔 now my daughter and I are confused 🤷🏾‍♀️.Very long story shorter no tattoo and the disrespect high levels.Btw I never became indignant towards anyone either times!!!

Went to have my septum pierced earlier this afternoon. The guy was very nice and made sure I was comfortable the whole time which made the experience great! However, when I got home I realized one side of the piercing is further back in my nose than the other, which makes it hang crooked. Not quite sure what to do about it.Had to change my review because after reading this, Tim contacted me and told me how to fix it and Dave contacted me as well and there was nothing wrong with the piercing! Impeccable service! Will definitely go back.

Sid is freaking amazing ! He takes his time such a good person an has outstanding talent !!

My wife and I really enjoyed our selves here felt like home. Thanks again guys!

I highly recommend hardwire everyone there is super friendly and the tattoo artists know what their doing. I also highly recommend AK, i live 3 hours away and i won’t let anyone tattoo me besides AK. He is really quick and has a good eye and he gets to know his customers i recommend my family and friends to him.

Walked in to get my first tattoo. Jordan helped me out and came up with a great design. She walked me through the process and gave me a great tattoo experience. Will definitely go back to her.

I got my nose pierced here this past Thursday. I was very pleased with it. I spent less than 30 minutes but the staff was super friendly and welcoming and helpful. I will definitely be coming back. I will also recommend this place to anyone and everyone.

Absolutely love this place! Everyone here is friendly and welcoming. Kamran does wonderful work.when I was looking for a tattoo artist I contacted two from Hardwire. When I showed one what I was wanting I let him know I had also contacted Kamran. After he looked at what I wanted he actually told me that Kamran’s style was better suited for what I was wanting done. Most other artists would not have suggested going to another artist. I appreciated his honesty and I am very happy with the work I had done by Kamran. His attention to detail and concern with how I was doing during the process was awesome. Highly recommend this place!

My first impression of Hardwire when walking in is it is a very CLEAN tattoo studio. The vibe is super fun and chill! Kamron, Sid, Will, and Chuck are really good artists and great guys! The piercer guy Tim is really nice too and is going to pierce my babys ears as soon as my husband says shes old enough.

Took my 12 year old daughter to get her ears pierced. Staff is super friendly, answered all questions, calmed her fears, and Dave did a fantastic job with the piercing. Clean, friendly atmosphere. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for quality work.

Jordan did an amazing job with my tattoo. Shes an amazing artist and I highly recommend her. Shop was clean and everyone was very nice. Great experience.

Paul is THE man. I’ve spent years waiting to find an artist that made me feel comfortable and listened to.. finally found that at hardwire. Paul knew exactly what I wanted and got to work sketching up a few different styles of triostar stromanthe leaves. After picking my favorite, he sized the sketch up and down and helped me with plotting placement.Paul is Seriously such a great, kind and talented guy and I’ll definitely be going back to see him.

I wish I had more hands to give this four thumbs up. Ask for Jason who I think has the lightest hands of any tattoo artist Ive ever had. Clean, respectful and professional, I highly recommend this place for your first tattoo or one of many.

I walked into Hardwire without an appointment after driving about an hour from Myrtle Beach. I really lucked out by finding Will, because he gave me a beautiful cover-up tattoo that Im proud of. He did an excellent job and was super nice.

This was the only place my sister and I used to go when we lived in Southport. Wed make the drive all the way to Wilmington to see Phil and I got some great ink done on my flowers. I almost wish we still lived down there...I havent been able to find another artist who was as kind, fun, and who did such nice work.

Jordan did my moth tattoo and I love it!! She was very patient, and polite. She took my little sketch and made it into an adorable piece! Highly recommend!

This was my 5th time going to Hardwire Tattoo downtown. Sid Baggett has done all my tattoos. I would highly recommend Hardwire and Sid to everyone. Sid was very professional and takes great pride in his work and that his clients are happy.

First tattoo, such a great experience. Zack was awesome and so was Nate. Got matching tattoos with my mom and they came out perfect, even calmed our nerves :) would definitely return.

If you’re looking for a great artist in the Wilmington area this is the place to go. Kamran is extremely talented, friendly and professional. He’s very attentive to your ideas and you won’t leave disappointed. The attention to detail in his work is amazing.

Got my first tattoo here and I couldnt be happier. It was a pleasure to be worked on by Sean. He was a joy to talk to and worked closely with me to get the best possible outcome. Highly recommended!

I had a rook pierced in one ear and a 3rd lobe piercing in the other done by Dave. I was a little indecisive about what I wanted and he was very patient and kind. He had a calming demeanor and made small talk to distract you (thanks!) and did the piercings quickly and correctly. Does a cartilage piercing hurt - yup - but that has nothing to do with Dave or the shop. I have little to no soreness today and they look great. Thanks Dave!

Loved it was so happy with it if im ever in the area again definitely will be stopping in for another tattoo

I have been going to Hardwire tattoo for the past 10 years since I moved here. I have had Mike Guilbalt and Kam both do tattoos on me. They are all great artists and know what they are doing. My newest piece was just done on friday by Mike and I am absolutely in love with it. He understood exactly what I wanted, knew the meaning behind it and made it perfect. He is very professional and courteous. Highly recommend Hardwire tattoo. I wish I could post a picture of my newest piece of art.

An amazing shop! We walked right in with no appointments and they fit all 3 of us in. Super clean shop and everyone there is very nice! Super affordable as well!

Friendly, professional, and very passionate about her work. Jordan is a fabulous artist and I absolutely love every tattoo she has done on me.

I called yesterday 5/16 to see about making a appt, and a guy answered the phone saying they accept walk ins and we’d have to come in to get on the list. So my husband and I went in that night around 6:30, the front desk girl seemed nice asked what tattoo my husband wanted and got his name & our phone number and said they would only call us twice with a 5-10 minute grace period to get there so we should hangout downtown. So here we are, it’s 8:30 STILL waiting and no one bothered to call us to let us know that they wouldn’t be able to squeeze him in today. I called today to ask why no one let us know, the lady that answered the phone told me “the list is a same day list” I then asked her so why would no one have called just to let us know that you couldn’t fit us in the schedule, instead of leaving us hanging and making us wait for hours and hearing absolutely nothing?! We were never notified that it’s a “same day list” OR if we couldn’t be fit in they wouldn’t even let us know! The lady answered saying “I’ll let them know for future, thanks” in a smart rude voice. Like I did something wrong? Just common courtesy. I won’t be getting any services done at this place.

My birthday weekend in Wilmington, ladies and I decided on last minute matching tattoos. We showed up at Hardwire Tattoo, they were professional & amazing to each of us. I would definitely go back if I lived in the area!

I had an ok experience everyone was nice and I even got a discount on my tattoo touch up but all I wanted was a crescent moon in my finger and its been about a week and two days and it looks like my tattoo was drawn on and is barely there on one side and I paid 60 bucks for that and even tipped the tatoo artist 15 bucks. So overall i wouldnt recommend this place to anyone unless u want a tattoo that looks fake and drawn on. Thanks for wasting my time and money.

Sid is my artist, been getting tattooed by him for years. He’s the only artist I trust for me and my son. Give him an idea and he makes it 10 times better. We make the drive up from Charleston whenever we can to get tattooed by Sid.

Horrible experience. Got there at 12 and was told we were next on the waiting list. They said the accept walk ins but there is no set time when we would be able tattoo. We were told on the phone that we wouldn’t need a appointment for a small finger tattoo. We waited from 12-6 and was still not helped. Front desk staff were very rude answered idk to everything. Would never give us a round about time or anything. Saw all the staff take several smoke breaks and didn’t even speak. Very rude, end up leaving and was still never even called. The owners response is also a lie. I have proof we never got a call back. I will never refer anyone to hear. Very unprofessional. Staff very unprofessional.

I didn’t personally come here for ink but I came along with a friend yesterday. Clean shop and was the only shop around that was able to take a walk-in on a Sunday. Unfortunately the artist was veryyy slow and seemed to “not be all there” not sure if he was just tired or what but ultimately my friend is happy with her work so that’s all that matters!

Went in to get a piercing and one of the ladies at the counter had an attitude. I mean her eye rolling and facial expressions said it all. Made me uncomfortable and change my mind on getting anything pierced. The piercer on the other hand was knowledgeable and answered my jewelry questions no problem.

OMG!!! The best downtown and the customer is by far the best in the area. RJ did a great job with a simple sisters tatoo. Annie is the right person who represents the shop very well. Thank you for your kind service.

We took our granddaughter to get her ears pierced yesterday, with her parents permission. She is only two, but very clear and decisive about what she wants. We searched a wide area to find someplace to do them that did not use a gun for the process. And found that Hardwire Tattoo and Body Piercing in Wilmington fit this criteria. AND they were willing to pierce a two year olds ears. May I say Tim was AMAZING with the process. Our granddaughter loves her earrings, had an awesome experience getting them. Thank you again Tim!

Updated Review: I initially got my medusa pierced here by Dave. Knowing my body rejects nickel I asked for a titanium bar just in case. About 3 days in I noticed it wasnt healing how my piercings usually do. There was swelling and the bar was going into the back of my lip and almost being healed over. Not to mention its slightly crooked. I knew the bar was too short as well and after a few days of hoping this would pass and taking copious amounts of ibeprofen, I went back to the shop to get it checked out. Another piercer, Tim, was working. At first he hesitated in changing out the jewelry, but he took a look, spoke to another person, and changed his mind. Immediately after the jewelry was changed to the PROPER (although still not titanium) type the swelling went away and it has healed perfectly ever since. He explained to me that the jewelry Dave used was meant for an EAR piercing (the end was not broad enough to be in a lip!), it was too short to accommodate swelling, AND it was NOT titanium like as asked and PAID for!! I paid $85 (including a $15 tip) initially and it sucks that it was not done right at all the first time. Long story short DONT GET PIERCED BY DAVE. He did everything wrong that could have been done besides at least being sanitary. The only reason I am giving 3 stars (it would be 1) is because Tim saved my lip and did it without charge. The shop is also very clean and the other employees were friendly and helpful. I will only go to Tim in the future. I never got reimbursed for paying for titanium jewelry (that wasnt really titanium anyway) that I cant even wear, but at least they fixed my piercing for free.

Hardwire Tattoo & Body Piercing on Cedar Ave is awesome. Ive been seeing Phil for awhile now whenever Im looking for some new tattoos and hes absolutely AMAZING at what he does. Knows exactly what hes doing. Especially his shading. I travel from Myrtle Beach just to get my tattoos from him.

Love this place! Zach is the best super detailed & prices are unbeatable!

I worked at this shop for almost 5 years. I love the shop and location. A big open shop with private rooms. All the artist are well rounded, kind of have to be! There’s all kinds of random tattoo requests being in a tourist/college town but they can do it all

I have several tattoos. I stopped in and got one at hardwire. The guys hands were constantly shaking. He ripped my skin in multable places. I asked him how long he had been tattooing. He said 4 days. The tattoo is simple, crooked and has untattooed skin in black areas. I do not reccomend this place.

Great studio! Have used them my last 3 visits. Sid is the greatest! Understands my wants and crazy ideas and puts it on. He’s amazing!

These guys were great! They took wonderful care of me (my 3rd tattoo) and my mothers first tattoo. Clean and professional, reasonably priced.

Went in to see what they could do for me. The 2 guys were talking behind the counter didnt even care I was there. When they did talk to me they had to look at the list to see who was next. Well I got the guy behind the counter. So I told him I wanted something like this showed him a pic. Hes like what about it he just acted like he didnt want to do it. I asked him about touching up on I have he said there was nothing he could do to fix it. Well he was wrong. I found a shop after looking around that was able to fix it all i wanted was the saying traced didnt feel that was to difficult. If you dont want my money that fine I have no problem going somewhere that makes me feel wanted.

In September, I had both of my nipples pierced by Tim. I was sooo excited and nervous to get them done. Everything went well, at least I thought for the most part. Within in a week, I began to notice that the barbell was too short. I called the shop and they told me to come in so they could check it out. Dave, looked at it and told me to go have a seat. He came back and told me that they needed to be taken out b/c they would never heal. Apparently, Tim pierced through my areola on BOTH nipples. It was a complete nightmare !!!!! Dave apologized and apologized and I did speak to a manager as well. I came back just the other day and Dave pierced them properly. Although, it did hurt far worse than the first time, I couldn’t be any happier. 3 stars only b/c of the first piercing nightmare.

Went to get my tongue pierced by Timothy on Monday of last week and had an amazing experience. The guy Tim was very upbeat and well experienced of what he do. His costumer service was on point.

If i could give 0 stars i would. DO NOT go here for a piercing. i got my nose pierced here and was charged 55$, which is ridiculously overpriced. i was treated very well, but the piercing was completely botched. the jewelry i was given did not fit my nose properly and fell out every night i went to sleep. the aftercare spray i was sold was ineffective and my piercing became infected multiple times even though i used it and treated my piercing religiously. i’ve since had to go to a different store to get new jewelry and aftercare advice and i was genuinely embarrassed to show how terribly my piercing was done, especially since i paid so much.

Sid was awesome. Very professional and fun. We felt very relaxed and comfortable. Good clean and solid lines. No scabbing, great color, and easy on the skin.

Do not go to Kam. He charged way too much for 2 of the same small tattoos on my fiancé and I. It seems they do this because of location and college town to take advantage of tourists and college kids. His line work is awful. We will never go back!I’m hoping the end comment in your response is part of your signature since that is very rude and unprofessional. I’m no tattoo virgin by no means which is why I know this tattoo is definitely not steak.

Will did an amazing job on my tattoo and I was very impressed with his work. Anyone that wants great amazing detailed artwork go here it is well worth it

Sarcastic backlash from the owners clearly shows lack of respect for the customer. Negative stars.

I gave it five stars because when I got my first tattoo there the guy did amazing I dont remember his name... But the next time I went in there to inquire about a tattoo I got two different quotes about price and I just didnt feel like my questions got answered so almost likely be going somewhere else for my next tattoo.

My experiences have been great nearly every time, even when there was a decent amount of waiting time the shop is super cool and so are the employees.

Very rude, i went in to get my first tattoo and as a gift for my wife. The guy who talked to us was very rude and unprofessional. I do not care about a tattoo you got on your a**. You were very insulting to my wife and myself. I dont care what superstition is behind a name tattoo. For you to make those comments toward us and scrutinize what i wanted on my body is very unprofessional.

Great staff!! Our daughter got a stud in her nose and ended up passing out unexpectedly. The whole staff was very attentive and caring to ensure she was good!

Just got my second tattoo from them. They are awesome. Great work. Staff great and friendly. Would highly recommend to anyone and for those first timers.

Chuck is amazing!! I got both of my tattoos done by him and theyre fantastic! On top of that he is an amazing guy and goes above and beyond for his clients!

This is a great place. My boyfriend and I both got tattoos done by Marc and he did a fantastic job, very nice, personable and knows exactly what he’s doing.

If you have an idea for a tattoo Sid will take it and turn it into something amazing. He does most of my tattoos and they always turn out to be beautiful and theyre definitely one of a kind.

Will (Downtown Location) helped my brother and I and was nothing short of professional. Did a fantastic job on my first tattoo. Definitely going back!

Extremely pleased by the work Craig did. Attention to detail is important to me and I can tell by the great work that its important to Craig. I would definitely come back and have him do another master piece.

Went to have a new, larger gauge helix earring put in. The guy was nice enough, but his hands trembled, and the first needle he put in didnt have the tip (or end?) he needed, so he had to take it out and put another one in. All of this would have been OK if the new ring I bought from them hadnt caused my ear to swell up and become incredibly sore. After about three days I couldnt stand it any more and had to take it out. The swelling went down within about a day after I got that thing out and its been fine since. Ive had this piercing for 20 years and have put just about every type of metal in it with no problem before, so I have no idea what the hell that thing was made of, but it wont be going back in my ear. They also didnt give me any instructions on aftercare (even though I specifically asked about them) or what to do if I had problems. He just said Youre good to go. Definitely a Do Not Recommend.

Waited 6 hours to be told several times I’d be in shortly. Great artists but the wait wasn’t worth it. Left without a tattoo, I would’ve been there 8 hours had I waited for the actual tattoo process.

Asked if they accepted walk ins (on a Saturday) was told there were a few people ahead of me & they would call me. Hung our downtown for couple of hours, ate dinner, still waiting for call, now its Monday evening.

Awesome. Squeezed us on as walk-ins. Very nice and polite, too. Very clean studio. Will be back.

Great staff. They can accomplish ANYTHING YOU WANT. Very smart and friendly. Even if you dont quite know what you are looking for they can take any idea to.o the next level and make an unbelievably awesome work of art for you.

This is the best place for your piercing and tattoos! Ive got all my piercings done here as well as my tatts. Zack Hunter is the best artist around, I recommend him to anyone!

Artist are extremely talented and friendly, my first experience was so positive, I got 5 tattoos there in less than two months

I went into this place Sunday while visiting Wilmington and got my tragus pierced on my ear. I got my cartilage pierced there a couple years ago and they did an awesome job, so I wanted to go back for this. FIrst the guy that was taking me back says - I have to go out and have a smoke first - which was rude, he stunk as his hands and breath were all over me. Then I pick out my jewelry, I asked for a stud b/c I liked the look - he says OK and grabs it and takes me back. His hands were so shaky! He said he had a coffee with 3 shots of espresso....not what you want to hear when someone is threading a needle through your ear! He goes on and then loses the jewelry after already putting the needle through...ouch! Then says....uh, well...what do you want to do? Um, I came in for a piercing so I say - do it again. He had to thread it through again, ouch again. Got it in (stinking and shaking the whole time!). I went about my day and night and came back to Raleigh....my ear was super sore and swollen....the next day as I am cleaning it, the back ball came off. I emailed the owner and asked for my $$ back b/c I figured I would need to take it out now as I couldnt get it back on. NO RESPONSE. I went to a local tattoo shop and the first thing the lady says was You got this pierced yesterday?? With THAT jewelry???. She said the ball came off b/c my ear was so swollen (which it should not be) and that b/c he used an earring with teeth it probably cut up the inside of my tragus. She said she could re-do it with a hoop (what you SHOULD always use) but it was so big b/c of the swelling I took it out. $40 down the drain and my ear is still swollen and painful! I would NEVER recommend this place.

Go see Lee! Had an awesome experience getting inked by Lee he does awesome work and is super funny!

Sid is amazing. Worked well and not heavy handed. Amazing conversation and absolutely love my artwork.Edit. 6 months later and my piece still looks perfect!