When you first walk in, Gallery X looks like your typical jewelry shop. With an open floor plan and glass cases littered throughout, it’s hard to imagine that so many people come here for their tattoo and piercing needs. That was the goal for James Harvill, body piercer and owner—to create a special space that combines his love for body art and entertainment.

“A lot of people walk in the door and they start to turn around and leave (because) … they think they’re in a jewelry gallery, an art gallery or just something where they’re like, ‘I’m not in a tattoo shop,’” Harvill said.

After two years of discussion with friend and employee of the shop, Ryun King and Harvill decided to open Gallery X in 2019 with visions of a tattoo shop like no other.

“I envisioned a shop where we can have art gallery showings for local artists, sell local art and have live performances with music within the gallery … and then I wanted it to be a jewelry gallery,” Harvill said. “So with all of those mixed, it’s not your traditional tattoo shop at all.”

Harvill started in the business over 26 years ago when he walked into the shop of well-known regional tattoo artist Jerry Riegger in Metropolis, Illinois. Riegger had worked under renowned artist Doc King, starting in 1972 after King broke his arm and could not tattoo. Doc King worked in the Midwest from 1912 to the 70s as a tattoo artist and was the “world’s most decorated man” when he worked in circuses.

Back then, tattoo stencils were transferred onto the body using an acetate stencil which matched a tattoo flash either in a book or on the walls of the shop. These acetate stencils, made from the tattoo flashes, could be used multiple times. Many of these tattoo flashes used in shops across the country were original designs of Doc King.  Riegger was Doc King’s only apprentice.

Harvill walked into Riegger’s shop as a 19-year-old because he enjoyed the environment and talking to “the old man.” Even with little to no knowledge, Riegger suggested that Harvill give body piercing a try, which he has done for more than two decades.

“Everything I do here, I feel like I (learned) from Jerry,” Harvill said. “Other than the entertainment stuff… the business is ran pretty much how (it was when) I was brought within the business itself. Learning how to manage the business is really what I mentored under Jerry (for).”

With Riegger’s business philosophies in mind, Harvill and his staff strive to keep the shop in an environment that is clean, friendly and welcoming to all.

“They take care of people here,” client Chelsea Jones said. “I’ve been to some other (tattoo shops) in this area and I don’t feel like it was nearly as much fun, I guess is a good way of putting it. It isn’t just coming in, getting it done and going home.”

The shop has three body piercers and six full-time tattoo artists, all with their own unique styles and capabilities. Both Harvill and Ryun King, who is Riegger’s son and a body piercer at Gallery X,  talked the wide range of clientele they get from all across the Southeast.

King said this could be attributed to the accepting environment, that is well kept and unlike any other shop he has been to or worked at before.

“You could go anywhere as long as you’re comfortable and you’re having a positive experience, and not (being) taken advantage of,” Harvill said. “So in that sense, come here ‘cause you’re not going to (experience) any of those things.”