Custom Tattoo
Original designs drawn for one person: you. Black & grey realism, illustrative blackwork, fine line, color, cover-ups and freehand. Consultations are free and the sketch is always made with you in the room.
Newtown's first tattoo studio · Est. Bucks County
Philly Joe
Where Art Meets Skin.
Custom tattoos, cosmetic artistry, and fine piercing. Built around your story, drawn by hand, and inked to last a lifetime.
The Studio
A room built for art, not an assembly line.
Philly Joe Tattoo Studio opened its doors as Newtown's very first tattoo shop: a reclaimed-wood, low-light space on Sycamore Street where the chandelier glows over the staircase and every wall earns its character. Founder Joseph "Philly Joe" Thomas has spent twelve years behind the machine, and he built this place around a simple idea: a tattoo should feel like a collaboration, never a transaction.
Walk in and you'll find resident artists working in black & grey realism, fine-line illustration, neo-traditional blackwork, cosmetic tattooing, and jeweled piercing, each one obsessive about their lane. Bring a half-formed idea or a full reference folder. We'll sketch with you until it's unmistakably yours, then make it permanent.
12Years behind the machine
5Resident artists
1stStudio in Newtown
Black & grey realism
What We Do
Services
From a first small piece to a full custom sleeve, every appointment starts with a real conversation about what you want to carry.
Cosmetic & Permanent Makeup
Soft, natural enhancements that wake up every morning ready: brows, lips, and lash-line definition applied with a delicate, skin-first technique by our cosmetic specialists.
Fine Piercing
Curated ear stacks, dermals, and single statement pieces with quality jewelry and clean, careful placement. Walk in for a fresh hole or plan a full curation appointment.
Private Bookings & Gift Cards
Reserve the studio for a private session or group event, or hand someone the best kind of blank canvas: a Philly Joe gift card toward art they'll keep forever.
Hands On Skin
The Crew
Five artists, five obsessions. Find the one whose style already lives in your head.
Philly Joe
Founder · Black & GreyTwelve years deep and still the first one in. Joe built the shop and sets the bar with bold realism, smooth gradients, and big-statement pieces that read clean from across the room.
Mic
Tattoo · Dark & DetailedHead down, machine running. Mic lives in the heavy, moody end of the spectrum: texture, contrast, and detail you only notice on the second look.
Kelsey
Illustrative BlackworkEtching-style linework, birds, botanicals and bone. Kelsey's pieces feel pulled straight from an old engraving and reborn on skin.
Melissa
Fine PiercingThe eye behind every curated ear. Melissa builds piercing layouts like jewelry design: balanced, sparkling, and placed to flatter.
Ieva
Cosmetic & PMUPermanent makeup with a feather-light hand. Ieva's brows, lips, and definition work look like you, only more awake. Never overdone.
Your idea, our hands.
Not sure who fits your piece? Tell us what you're after and we'll match you to the right artist.
Start a BookingThe Work
Gallery
Healed and fresh. Tap any piece to view it full size.
More Than A Tattoo Shop
Events in Newtown
Joe is building a home base for the neighborhood. When the machines go quiet, the lights come up: comedy, poetry, karaoke, and nights you will only find here. Pick a night below and dive in.
Tattooing With a Twist
Signature Night
Tattooing With a Twist
The flagship. The night that started it all: a live act, walk-in specials, and the whole studio buzzing. Every other event here grew out of this one.
The Punchline
Comedy Night
The Punchline
Ink. Wit. Night. Local and touring comedians, BYOB, and an intimate lounge vibe under the chandelier. Limited seats, and they go fast.
Spoken Skin
Poetry & Spoken Word
Spoken Skin
Art for the ears, ink for the soul. A curated evening of poetry and performance in a room built for storytelling. Come to read, or just to listen.
Ink & Vibe
Karaoke Night
Ink & Vibe
Bring your best voice. Tattoo specials run while you sing, the mic stays hot all night, and nobody leaves without a story. Let's ink and sing.
Curiosity to Creation
Learn The Craft
From Curiosity to Creation
Ever wanted to feel a machine in your hand? Our intro experiences pull back the curtain on the craft behind the ink, no experience required.
See the Full Events Page
New dates drop on Instagram. Reserve your seat by phone or DM.
Book & Visit
Let's make something permanent.
Every appointment is held with a deposit that goes toward your piece, and we ask for 72 hours' notice on any change so your artist's time stays protected. Ready when you are.
- Studio 159 North Sycamore Street, Newtown, PA 18940
- Call / Text (215) 201-5582
- Email Phillyjoetatts@gmail.com
- Hours Open 6 days a week · Call ahead for walk-in availability