We recently connected with Chris Smith and have shared our conversation below.

Chris , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

After serving in the U.S. Navy, I began working various jobs in Amarillo, TX to support my family from airplane mechanic to truck driver to hazardous waste disposal. I was laid off from hazardous waste disposal about 20 years ago, and I began spending time in a tattoo shop in Amarillo. I went from loiter to shop manager to piercer to apprentice and finally – tattooer. I had an established clientele and did well for myself in Amarillo. I have Amarillo clients that still travel to Roswell in order to get tattooed. In 2021, my family and I took a risk and moved to Roswell, NM in order to be closer to family. We had no idea what to expect regarding the tattoo market, and it took several months to navigate licensing, find a location to rent, and open up shop with many ups and downs along the way. After opening, the business took off. The shop was doing well, and I began to build a steady local clientele as well as serve visitors that often come back each year to see us. We are loving the Zia, UFO, and alien tattoos! Big Sci-Fi nerds here! Within three years, we knew we needed to upgrade. We took another risk and bought a larger building and added an additional tattooer to better serve Southeast New Mexico and the Roswell Visitors from around the world. We hope to add more guest artists in the future!

Chris , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been working in tattoo shops for about 20 years. In 2021, I moved to Roswell, NM from Amarillo, TX with my family and opened up Two Swallows Tattoo LLC. The name “Two Swallows” comes from my time in the U.S. Navy. It is said that when the birds – swallows – were spotted from a ship, there was hope that land was close by. It also indicates a specific number of nautical miles that a Seaman has traveled. Our shop is a family business, and we aim to present ourselves as such – with a hint of old school punk rock skater kid.

I am a professional and diverse tattooer. I enjoy American Traditional, Japanese, color work, black and gray, script, fine line, cover ups, fix-ups and many more. I can do flash pieces, custom tattoos and special requests. I am also experienced with small tattoos to larger scale work such as arm and leg sleeves, chest pieces, neck tattoos and back pieces. This past year, another tattooer, Jessi, joined the shop. She specializes in black work, black and gray, fine line, portrait and realism, abstract and tribal, and more.

We consider ourselves a “street shop” meaning we accommodate walk-ins upon tattooer availability for smaller scale work (palm size or smaller). We also have availability for appointments involving larger tattooers or if this just works better for a client’s schedule. Jessi and I are big fans of walk-ins! The tattooers in the shop charge by piece, and the price depends on size, placement, shading, details etc. For larger scale work, we encourage clients to stop by for a free consultation as the pricing and process works a little differently. I prefer in person consultations, but I also encourage clients to message, call or email me for inquiries or questions. I love meeting new people and chatting with existing clients.

As a shop preference, we only tattoo persons age 18 years old and older. We do not tattoo minors – even with parental consent. Customer service is very important to me! I love my job, all the tattoos I do, my clients, and I am always happy when the tattoo machine is in hand and running. Each tattoo that I do – I consider an honor to do for my clients. It is the hardest, but most rewarding job that I have ever had. I hope to do it for many years to come.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Location has been very helpful for us. Being located near Main Street Roswell – within walking distance of tourists attractions has been great for attracting walk-in clientele. Customer service, cleanliness, and quality of work helps promote the business via word of mouth and google reviews. I have been using social media – Instagram and Facebook – to promote and advertise for various events throughout the year, as well.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think there are several factors that helped build my reputation within the tattoo market. I completed an official apprenticeship many years ago, and continue to learn from tattooers that I admire. Having a growth mindset has helped me to continue to improve my craft. Consistency in quality of work and customer service contributes to a positive reputation. My goal is longevity and quality of tattoos, and I aim to be honest during consultations if an idea may need to be adjusted or changed to reach these goals. Being personable and creating a fun environment has also been helpful in building the reputation.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @2swallowstattoo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/104582412063754?ref=_xav_ig_profile_page_web_bt
• Other: email – [email protected]

Image Credits

Photo of shop – inside and outside credit of Brayden Bittle; photo of Chris – credit Kari Perez