Studio owner Thomas Buckley talks with Selectwoman Christine Hoyt as she looks through his image books on Friday.
ADAMS, Mass. — Hardline Studio opened its books on Friday, offering a variety of original tattoos created by owner Thomas Buckley. For him, this has been a longtime dream.
He has been a tattoo artist for more than 15 years and many wore his artwork at the ribbon cutting attended by the Board of Selectmen.
"It got into me," Buckley said when asked how he got into tattooing.
"I was drawing pictures and I was forced into it. It chased me down. I couldn't go anywhere, I couldn't even go to a restaurant with my friends and family without someone being like, 'Hey, by the way, I know you're eating but when you start tattooing, please call me.'"
Even the studio's name has been a long time coming, as he chose it in high school.
"I made cards, they were dorky, I wish I still had them," he said.
Selectwomen Christine Hoyt and Ann M. Bartlett, and Selectman Joseph John Nowak Jr. commended Buckley on his grand opening and expressed appreciation for joining the town's business community.
"We want to thank you for making this investment in the town of Adams," Hoyt said.
The space at 38 Park St. has undergone a dramatic change from a former tanning salon into a moody, modern studio. The mostly black interior is accentuated by pops of red and Buckley's ballpoint pen artwork lines the walls.
He described the location as "prime" after a two-year search in his hometown of Pittsfield. The building, owned by Matthew and Ashley Lavelle, has an Airbnb upstairs and clients who come from out of town get a discounted rate, Buckley said.
"It was just a perfect fit," he said, explaining that the landlords took care of him, making sure everything was streamlined and easy to navigate.
The front reception area will have arcade games and the tattoo chair is positioned in a curtained area for privacy. There is also a consultation area and, in a separate room, Buckley will make custom rugs — a craft he saw on Tiktok and wants to "raise the bar" on.
Buckley explained that he works with customers so they get the tattoo that they want, working in "every style, anything that you like, I like."
"If you want a tattoo from me don't be afraid, speak up, your art matters here," he said.
He highlighted the shop's use of sterile, disposable products that do not touch him, the floor, or anything else. The tattoo ink was also selected with preferences and allergies in mind.
"I use organic, vegan, gluten-free, all American-made stuff," he said.
Buckley has a long-lived passion for art with some time spent studying it in school. The grand opening was filled with former clients proudly displaying his work.
A friend explained that the Grateful Dead piece on his shoulder was done more than a decade ago and has held its color without his body rejecting it.
The shop offers both walk-ins and larger work that requires multiple sessions.
"I'm here for you," Buckley said.
