American
Dream
Tattoo

We do not currently have a piercer or offer jewelry sales. We are always happy to reccomend someone if you are looking for suggestions.

Yes! We usually have walk-in availability but that may change depending on the day's appointments. Walk-ins are available on a first come, first served basis and we cannot guarantee artist availability without a deposit and appointment. We recommend calling us ahead of time to ask about daily or weekly availability. Keep an eye out on our social media as well because we will typically post walk-in availability on our Instagram.

We are unable to provide price estimates online, that is something you need to discuss directly with the artist you work with. There are many factors that go into pricing out a tattoo, and we cannot accurately give you an estimate without final say from the tattooer. American Dream Tattoo has a shop minimum charge of $200 and tattoos are priced out by the hour with varying rates depending on the artist.

The internet is your friend! Instagram and pinterest in particular are great places to look at other tattoos to see what you may like or dislike. The artist will work with you to make sure they have everything they need to design your tattoo for your appointment, but it is always good to start off with any of your own ideas.

At this time we are not looking for any apprentices and do not have any apprenticeships available. If we are looking for anyone, we will be sure to post updates on our website and social media pages.

Cosmetic tattooing requires different education and licensing and cosmetic tattooers are expertly trained in things like placement and color matching. If you shoot us a message or give us a call, we'd be happy to recommend where to find quality cosmetic tattoo services.

Pain tolerance can very greatly depending on the location of the tattoo, types of needle used, and personal stamina. Some people describe tattoo pain as equivalent to getting scratched by a cat or dealing with a bad sunburn.

We do not provide clients with numbing cream. You may ask your artist about using one, but it may not be a viable option given the size or location of the tattoo. Please do not use a numbing cream without discussing it with your tattoo artist beforehand.

Anyone age 18 or older with valid government photo id is able to get tattooed. Specific artists will tattoo 16 and 17 year olds with parental consent and proper documentation. Please call the shop or stop by for more details.

Most tattoo artists do not tattoo fingers or the sides of hands. These tattoos are extremely prone to blowouts (ink spreading) and rapid fading and ink loss. They are difficult to heal and not recommended. If you are still wishing to get one, your artist will let you know what can be done to help keep the tattoo looking its best, but the tattoo will be exempt from receiving free touch ups due to the fragile nature of the area.

Yes! We have gift cards for American Dream Tattoo as well as gift cards for each artist. You can stop by the shop to purchase a gift card with either cash or credit. Please note that with our busy schedule and limited booking availability, purchase of a gift card does not guarantee an immediate appointment spot or any additional scheduling availability.

Usually if the skin is fully healed there is no issue tattooing these kinds of areas. However, all skin is different so we recommend checking in with a tattoo artist about placement of your tattoo over textured skin. For fresh scarring we usually prefer clearance from a physician to be sure the area will be sustainable for a tattoo.

Unfortunately, no. We have to be very strict about this rule in particular. In compliance with ordinances from the Westfield Fire Department, we are only allowed to have a maximum of 7 people in the shop at all times including staff. This leaves us with only enough room for the client getting tattooed. However, we are located off the main street of a bustling downtown and we always suggest walking around town to do some shopping or find something to eat while waiting for the appointment. If you ask a staff member, we would be happy to offer up tips about our favorite places in town!

Make sure that above all else you are dressed comfortably. We recommend dressing in layers so you can adjust to the temperature of the shop if you are warm or cold. Wear loose-fitting clothing that can easily be moved to have access to the area that is being tattooed. There is always a chance of spilled ink and stains, so wear something you won't mind getting messy. If you are getting tattooed on your back we recommend a long sleeve zip-up or button-up shirt or jacket. You can wear it backwards to cover your chest and keep the area on your back accessible. Each station at the shop has a fully-private hospital curtain so we can always pull them closed for your session.

The only thing we need you to bring is yourself, a valid government photo id and a form of payment. A non-expired passport or license will do fine.

We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express along with Apple and Android pay services. We can also accept payments via CashApp. Tips can be left for your artist both in cash and on a credit card charge.

We provided a helpful map of the town's parking options you can check out by clicking here. The closest available parking to us is right across Prospect street in Westfield's Public Lot 1 in front of Trader Joes. Parking is 50 cents an hour. Parking must be paid between the hours of 10am-6pm Mondays thru Saturdays and is free on Sundays and federal holidays. This lot limits parking sessions to 4 hours so if you need to be parked longer you may need to start a new session. You can also pay for parking via an app. Let us know and we can assist you with this.

We recommend eating a decent meal within four hours of your appointment time. It's not a great idea to eat anything that will be too greasy or heavy, and avoid caffeine around the time of the appointment to avoid unwanted shaking. Avoid drinking 24 hours before your appointment and remember to keep hydrated! Hydration is important for the body's healing process. Arrive to your appointment freshly showered and well rested, and bring along a pair of headphones, a book, or something small to keep yourself entertained if you are in store for a longer appointment.

You should not be getting tattooed if you are drunk, high, pregnant, breastfeeding, sick, covid positive, pre or post surgery, currently taking blood thinners, steroids, or antibiotics, sunburnt, dramatically tanned or using self tanner, or if you are planning on spending a lot of time in sun or water like a vacation. Please talk to your artist or give us a call if you have any concerns and we will be happy to address them and reschedule if needed.

Typically a design isn't complete until you arrive to the shop for your appointment. Your artist will keep in touch if they have any questions or need any additional input for your design. When you get to your appointment you are always welcome to review the design and discuss it with the artist before the application process.

Tipping is standard in the tattoo industry as with any other type of cosmetic procedure but always optional. We always appreciate tips and can accept them in cash or credit. A typical tip is about 10-20% of the cost of the tattoo.

Please make every effort to arrive on time to your appointment or even 10-15 minutes before if possible. We understand that these kinds of things are out of anyone's control though, so if you are running behind please give the shop a call at 201-367-1628 to give your artist a heads up and estimated time of arrival.

Booking processes are different from artist to artist. You can visit their profiles on our website for information about how to schedule. Please keep in mind our artists are incredibly busy and may not be able to contact you or book an appointment right away. Books close periodically to manage availability for clients.

Generally, no. Appointments are typically booked months in advanced and bookings fill up pretty quickly. If it is a small and simple tattoo you can ask an artist about going on a waitlist to be contacted if they have cancellations, but a spot is not guaranteed and each artist waitlist policy may be different.

Yes. Before you are guaranteed your appointment, you must leave a deposit with your artist. They will provide you with information on payment. The deposit is to ensure you arrive to your scheduled appointment and will not be refunded if you fail to show up to your appointment or communicate with your artist. Deposits will be applied to the final cost of the tattoo.

Considering weekend dates are usually in high demand, being able to come in on a week day will always give you a better shot at available appointments. Tattoos need a few weeks to properly heal so we don't recommend scheduling an appointment if you'll be expecting to spend a lot of time in the sun or water while healing the tattoo.