Growing up, Adam Lauricella was fascinated by tattoos. “If and when I saw one, which was a lot less common then, I just always thought it was cool,” says the proprietor of Graceland Tattoo in Wappingers Falls. “In high school, my aunt used to take me into the city of Newburgh so I could find tattoo magazines at the bodegas and gas stations. This was before the internet, so they were the only places that had them in the ‘90s.”
Tattooing didn’t initially occur to Lauricella as a career path, though he did get his first tattoo as soon as he turned 18. But after attending college at SUNY New Paltz for theater art, he grew increasingly inspired with each piece of body art he acquired. “I really liked and respected the person that was tattooing me,” he says. “After spending a lot of time with him, I saw that it could be a pathway. I always say tattooing chooses you; you don’t choose it.”
In 2003, he opened Graceland Tattoo (a name that blends homage to Elvis with a nod to the shop’s welcoming spirit), and over the past two decades it has become one of the most-sought-after tattoo and piercing shops in the Hudson Valley. This year, the shop took home the first place Chronogrammies Readers’ Choice Award for Tattoo Parlor for the fourth year in a row.
A step inside the West Main Street shop is an experience all of its own, with retro vibes that match the team’s affinity for the classic linework of traditional American tattoo art. The shop is roomy and clean—with hospital-grade sterilization meticulously observed for all piercings and tattoos.
The independent artists—including tattoo artists Cookie and Dana Hex, and piercing artist Allison Lahikainen—who set up shop at Graceland are knowledgeable, dedicated, and share Lauricella’s respect for the art form’s history, along with his commitment to complete customer satisfaction. “I deeply love my craft, my shop, and the people I work with,” he says.
Shop manager Noelle Cafaro and assistant Abby Hoffman have been key to the shop's success. “We have a very caring front end team," Lauricella says. "They juggle a lot between the artists and the clients and are so important in the day to day." In addition to the thousands of flash designs displayed on the walls, Lauricella and his team are always down to create a custom piece of artwork that feels as individual as each of their clients.
"Tattooing is a very intimate art form. You are working on people, so the approach calls for a blend of talent, skill, and at times, empathy. Sometimes we tattoo clients over several sessions...many years, a relationship develops, it can inspire you to be very present for them during the creative process," Lauricella says. “And I always try to put good mojo on it, whether they realize it or not. I’m grateful every time we’re chosen, for someone’s piece or for a Chronogrammy. There are a lot of wonderful artists out there, and the most important thing is that the client makes the right connection.”
Graceland Tattoo
2722 W Main Street
Wappingers Falls
(845) 297-3001
Gracelandtattoo.com
