Bound For Glory Tattoo

I had a fantastic experience today at Bound for Glory. I had actually been here once about three years ago to get a tattoo fixed (I had gotten it done at a different shop), and I had an amazing experience then, as well. That’s why I decided to entrust them with my most recent tattoo.
Being an avid David Bowie fan, you can imagine how devastated I was when I learned he had died. About three or four days after I heard the news, I decided to get the «Aladdin Sane» lightning bolt as a tribute piece. Not only did John Lemon give this piece meticulous attention and care, he also let me put Bowie’s music on Spotify so we could listen as he worked. The tattoo came out exactly as I pictured it, and it was just the perfect tattooing experience overall. Should I decide to get another tattoo, I will definitely be coming back here!

They should change the name of this place to Bound For Disappointment. I went in to get a small tattoo, no more than an 2″, basic black linework, that any first year inker should have been able to do with his eyes closed. They charged me $ 100 for something that should rightfully have been no more than $ 40. And when it healed up I saw that every point on the tattoo that should have been sharp is blown out, and the rest of the linework is blurry as hell. I went there because it was spur of the moment and I figured that there was no way they could mess up such a simple design. WRONG! Maybe there are other guys there better than Jeremy, who did my tattoo, but I’ll never risk it again. Also, while I was there getting the work they were openly mocking the customers and their tattoo wants right in front of me. Extremely unprofessional. Save your money and your skin. These guys are scratchers of the worst order.

I am so pleased by the experience I had at Bound for Glory. The shop was eye-​catching, not to mention, clean. I felt as I was in a safe and professional environment.
I was tattooed by Jeremy Miller and he was a charm. He did a fantastic job, paying attention to detail while also getting the job done quickly.
The price for the tattoo was fair, although for the piece’s beautiful quality I expected a lot more.
Everyone in the shop is friendly and helpful and I will definitely come back when I am ready for my next tattoo. You can tell that the artists there love what they do and are pretty fucking great at doing it.

I had a cover up done by one of the Artists at BFG. He did the job, despite some black bleeding through which is totally normal given the nature of the tattoo he was covering. Roses are standard and nothing to brag about. Thick lines, looks pretty much the same as all the other rose tattoos he completes. They stick to what the know and what sells. Dragons, Koi Fish, Traditional Roses, etc. Very traditional tattooing, not the place if you want something custom, realistic or modern.

I only came here to buy jewelry. The man that sells the jewelry is only there limited hours and it’s cash only. He was really helpful and had a great selection. I would have given it 5 stars based on my experience with him, however the other employees were using a lot of crude humor which made me uncomfortable.

Very upset with my tattoo, The shop is clean and the staff is friendly. They are a little more expensive then most places at 175 $ per hour, no matter who the artist is. I’d say that was a good price for what you get but for what I got. I think I just had a bad experience. My tattoo was changed mid way through getting the tattoo on me and wasn’t told. And my suggestions to change it he didn’t do. Even after he said he would.
I think this place would be great if you want simple, flash art style, but if you want a great piece that you can show off and have a «wow» factor. I would look elsewhere.
As for my artist. I expressed how I felt about my tattoo and explained the things that were wrong and without saying it-I’m sure he agreed with me. He offered a full refund but I only took half of what I paid and thanked him for his time. GL.

I went into this shop to get an estimate for a wrist, bracelet-​type tattoo (I’m female with two other tattoos, one custom on my back). I brought a picture of the kind I wanted as well. When my friend and I walked into the shop, a burly-​sized dude with red hair (reminded me of a biker) was behind the desk. No hello, no smile, nothing. One of THE BIGGEST things I look for at tattoo shops is customer service… will I be greeted with a smile? NO, not here. When I showed the guy the pic I printed and explained I wanted it on my wrist, he immediately said it would be difficult to do because of the details (bracelet of pearls with pendant of skull inside ‘hanging’ from bracelet). When I told him I wanted the pendant part to be placed on inside of my wrist, be proceeded to tell me that it would’nt look right at that location as it would appear upside down. He suggested I place the pendant on the top of my hand, which I don’t want!!! When I asked for an estimate, he quoted me for $ 200– $ 350! Which one is it… that’s a $ 150 price range!!! The dude lightened up towards the end of our short visit because I think he realized we were not staying to book the appt. Too late to be nice! I live in SI and simply wanted to get an idea of how much this shop would charge due to all the great reviews (& due to convenience of living on island). I got my two other tattoos at ‘Hand of Glory’ in Park Slope, BK which I absolutely LOVED! From the second I walked into their shop, I was greeted with a friendly smile. From the front desk staff to my artist, DON IVO, I was treated with respect and professionalism… and at the time, it was my first time getting tattooed! I returned to Hand of Glory and Don, showed him the pic of bracelet tattoo and NO PROBLEM, NO DISAGREEMENT, just happy to oblige. Although I didn’t get all the pearls because admittedly it was too much detail for my tiny wrist, Don designed a bracelet for me (took a week) that in the end, looked better than the pic I brought in… and I even got the detailed skull inside the pendant INSIDE my wrist, which he did not dispute or argue against. AND, he quoted me a specific price after he designed the piece (& way under $ 350)!! Mind you, I trust true artists’ opinions if they suggest something different but to completely alter my idea is not cool… it’s my body after all! HAND OF GLORY TATTOO will only do custom art, with $ 100 minimum, but if you want beautiful art, go to H.O.G. where you’re treated with respect from artists and front desk staff who have friendly dispositions. Needless to say, I’m planning to return there for a larger piece on my side/​ribs!

Mom wasn’t thrilled with my new tattoo. At 72 she’s still a mother and her middleaged son getting another tattoo didn’t sit well. But she came around…
Recently I visited Mom at her home and unveiled the latest imprint, still scabbing up. It had been awhile since I went through the healing process — I got my last tattoo in 1985. At the time tattoos were illegal in New York City and weren’t anywhere near as common — or accepted — as they are now. After the last tattoo I hadn’t planned on getting another. But then something remarkable happened. I found my birth mother after a 50 year separation. I figured if anything warranted some spilled ink, this was it.
In 2010 I took my family to meet Mom and her significant other, my step Dad. After the meeting I legally changed my middle name to Mom’s maiden name — the surname I had been born with, prior to adoption. Summer vacations to Mom’s place are now something of a tradition but I am still stunned by the whole experience and so this year I decided to mark the occasion.
I did some research and it turned out that the best tattoo parlor in my area was a short hop from my home. I stopped by «Bound For Glory» to make an appointment. Almost immediately I felt at home. The business card of the owner was a pleasant surprise — next to his name was written «L.A.M.F.» My first tattoo was «L.A.M.F.» A fan of Johnny Thunders, I got his tag line tattooed on my arm in 1979 — after meeting Johnny during his tenure in Ann Arbor.
Before going to the shop to have the work done, I spent a day working out an original design. It wasn’t overly complex. Ink runs over time. I took my sketch to Bound For Glory and showed my design to a guy named Mike Bee. Mike’s a big guy with lots of tattoos. I suggested a scroll around my family name — Mike said, «No, that would be too much.» I smiled. A guy covered in tattoos telling me that a scroll would be too much was pretty funny.
I said okay.
I liked Mike and trusted his judgment. Meanwhile Tom, another tattoo artist, and Simon, the young guy working the front office, were polite enough to listen to my stories about Johnny Thunders, Slayer and Black Flag. Tom agreed with me that Keith Morris was one of Black Flag’s better singers and he offered to play Keith’s new CD for me while I was being tattooed. It was nice to hang out with guys who appreciated «old school» punk.
But that wasn’t all we had in common. I mentioned to Tom that I had a tattoo on my shoulder — at 25 years old my most recent — done by a guy named Mike Malone from Brooklyn. Apparently Malone had passed — and was something of a legend. Who knew? Mike Bee asked if it was okay to photograph the Malone tattoo. I said sure.
A short time later I left Bound For Glory pleased with my new tattoo and with a few stories to tell. The stories were almost better than the tattoo. And I like the tattoo a lot.
A week later I unveiled the tattoo telling my Mom, «Now don’t get mad…»
Mom wasn’t happy. But after I told her the story about how Mike Bee, a large guy you wouldn’t want to anger, had a German federal eagle on his calf surrounded by text, my Mom softened. The text said, «I love you Grandma» in German. Mike got the tattoo when his Oma was dying — in time to show her before she passed. You just can’t make this stuff up.
After hearing the story about this guy’s Oma, my mom disappeared into her bedroom. She returned with a stack of newsletters from the Berlin (Pennsylvania that is) Historical Society. One of the articles had a paragraph about my ancestor.
Johan Friedrich Altvater left Berlin in 1766, landing in Philadelphia. He was one of 100 families that emigrated from Germany. The article was surprisingly detailed, a real gift. And before I left Mom said, «I may not like tattoos, but I do appreciate the gesture…»
I am grateful to have been blessed to find my birth mother after all these years, to have reclaimed my birth name, to learn my history — and to sport the German colors on my shoulder, beneath the «Altfather» family name. Every time I see the inscription I smile. For Johnny Thunders, for the guys in Black Flag — who I met in Miami in 1982, for Mike Bee’s grandma, and for my own family.
What a gift this experience was — from Mike Bee’s moving story to my mother’s remarkable gift to me: my history. And I have something on my shoulder that reminds me of this experience every time I see it.
I enjoyed my time at Bound For Glory and I gotta hunch you will too. They do good work and give a damn about their clients. You can’t beat that with a stick. Maybe I’ll see you there.

I have pretty much a tattoo per every shop on the island, save for Ron and Dave (which is funny, ’cause it’s one of the best), and I had never, EVER seen this place, despite being extremely familiar with the neighborhood. But a friend recommended me to her friend Tom Connors, and I took a chance, considering her tattoos of tiny black birds came out… like tiny black birds.
Walking in was weird. It’s so… clean. I mean, I’ve been to clean establishments, but this place screamed tidiness. Then it kinda has this old school, vintage sorta vibe, swinging doors and whatnot. This is in stark contrast to the big iMac sitting on the desk.
I tell the guy what I want and with whom, but never actually talked to Tom because he was busy, which… seemed odd. And they charge… by the hour? And require a $ 60 deposit? All of it was very different from the fly by the seat of your pants of Island Tattoo, and others I’ve frequented. And nothing to pick out on the walls! They specialize in custom work. Refreshing! I made my appointment and then left.
Came back on my appointment date and here’s the meat and potatoes of it: EXCELLENT WORK. Knowledgeable staff, talented professionals, in a clean environment. I went back the next week for another by Tom. Highly recommend him, or anyone else. They’re giving Ron and Dave’s a run for their money as best on Staten Island.
I heard that two other guys were booked for two months, and I asked if they were famous and I didn’t know them or what. Turns out they’re just that damn good.

Nick Caruso is an amazing tattoo artist. The piece Nick did on my arm is the most amazing looking tattoo I have and I couldn’t believe how fast he was. It’s a beautiful shop. They take what they do very seriously and at the same time seem to always be having a great time.
I love this shop enough to go back to Staten Island over and over again.

Given that Anthony Bourdain lied about the quality and quantity of tiki bars on Staten Island, Bound for Glory (and Dave Borjes specifically) give Staten Island an actually awesome reason to exist (unless you count Vinny from Jersey Shore…). Staten Island was exactly as I pictured it — basically, it’s just like Southern Connecticut. The only reason you’ll find me back here is to get more work by Dave — because he did an excellent job with my time bomb tattoo. Or, cute round bomb that I wanted instead of explosives because I know in my heart that it’s a time bomb. :D
Dave has an amazingly light touch. I have been afraid of moving to my inner arm for a long time, and this was definitely a great experience in terms of popping that cherry — it barely hurt at all, and definitely wasn’t any worse than any other spot I’ve been tattooed. Notably, the bottom of this tattoo is basically at the crease of my elbow, and it still didn’t hurt badly to have done. If you’re interested in a classic, traditional style tattoo, Dave is definitely the artist for you — my bomb is adorable and fun (explode!), and the color is really excellent. I look forward to Dave continuing to tattorize me… next time I will suck it up and get one on my calve.

A great and very friendly studio. And Nick is great. I would like to go back to get more work done.

NOTE: If you wanna spend 50 $ on a small little meaningless tattoo — this shop is NOT for you. They specialize in custom pieces.
What sets Bound For Glory different from other shops is it’s pure appreciation and respect for the art of tattooing. This shop is so clean and cozy, and the staff is very professional.
I got my first tattoo here, and it’s safe to say that my skin belongs to Mike Bee for life! He is very light handed and the amount of attention to detail and his creativity astounds me.
My first tattoo experience was an amazing one, and I’m so glad I got my first piece done here.
A gem amongst other tattoo shops.

Nicest looking shop I’ve ever been in without feeling like an all out art boutique. or a crack den. Some shops today feel more like Starbucks than a tattoo shop. BFG borders perfectly on tradition and modernity. Its a classy joint and you won’t be hearing blaring hip hop or seeing some guy get his haircut across from your table like in some other fly by night shops on this island that shall remain nameless.
The staff is friendly and knowledgable. Two attributes that are a must in this industry in my honest opinion. The artists (Nick, Mike, Magie, etc… sorry if I left anyone out) work with you to design your custom piece and guide you in the right direction based on their expertise. The staff is always ready to help you schedule your appointment and are johnny on the spot keeping the place spotless.
Best shop hands down.

I had been getting tattooed for a while at Flyrite Tattoo in Brooklyn, NY where I was fortunate enough to meet Nick Caruso. Bound For Glory opened up shortly there after where I was fortunate enough to get tattooed by Nick himself. He has done an extremely large piece on my upper theigh and beautiful script on my upper wrist. Both areas which can be extremely sensitive, Nick made it practically painless. Not only is he extremely fast, he is so light-​handed. I have my next appointment booked and you guys should get in on this too! The staff is extremely friendly, so don’t be shy to call or email them with any questions.

Go to Bound for Glory and see Mike Bee. He is a talented, creative artist and has done several of my pieces, all of which look amazing! People are constantly stopping me on the street to admire my ink! I will continue to go to Mike and have more work done. The shop itself is clean and professional while the vibe in the shop is cool and comfortable. Definitely go check it out and get good, quality work done!!!

NICK CARUSO IS THE BEST REASON TO COME TO STATEN ISLAND EVER. Well… unless you’re some kind of Wu-​Tang historian. No, Nick is still a better reason. I would follow him from Flyrite to the ends of the earth, because he is the best tattoo artist ever. You should go see him!
And the receptionist is hot, too.

Nick Caruso is one of the best artist I have ever come across in all my years of being tattooed and it’s about time he opened his own shop. He only demands the best so that is what you will get at Bound for Glory. I have referred many people to him and they have all come back and told me that they were more than happy with what he did and felt extremely comfortable with how clean and comfortable the environment is. Your missing out if you don’t check out this studio!