WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — After traveling the world and tattooing professional athletes and famous musicians, a Dallas-based tattoo artist has set up shop in downtown Wichita Falls.

Josh Williams has been around the tattoo industry most of his life. He got his start at a tattoo shop owned by a friend’s parents in Deep Ellum on the east side of Dallas.

“We were hanging out with the tattooers and they all had like, you know, cars and money and motorcycles, chicks, and they’re fighting, you know,” Williams said. “And it’s like, Yeah, I want to do that for sure.”

After serving as an apprentice for a year, Williams became a tattoo artist in 2007. From Elm Street Tattoo in Deep Ellum to the world-famous Aloha Monkey Tattoo Shop in Minnesota.

Eventually, Williams ended up back in Texas, and after opening up a shop in Lewisville, he was ready to get out of the big city. It was his wife, who grew up in Burkburnett, who put Wichita Falls on Josh’s radar.

“You know, with her family being here and having a small child, we were like, Man, we need to be around more family,” Williams continued. “And, I loved it immediately. I didn’t think I was going to like it. I told her, I was like, Let’s just go look. Found [a] house we loved, bought it, moved out here. And I’m full-blown hooked. I love downtown.”

In fact, that’s where he got the name for his shop: from an old nickname for downtown Wichita Falls back when it was in its heyday.

“After World War 2, Wichita had the most factories in any other place in Texas. So they nicknamed it that like I found this postcard,” Williams said. “It had a big sign that said, Welcome to Factory City. And it said, like, best shopping, cheapest gas, or something like that. It was booming.”

Over the past decade or so, downtown Wichita Falls has been coming back to life, something Williams is excited to now be a part of.

“I want it to thrive down here,” he said. “Like, I love seeing all the, the newer stuff opening and it’s all like kind of mom and pop stuff, you know. It’s like, oh, a new bar, a new brewery, a new restaurant… I mean, I just like the area. I want it to be cool, you know? I want downtown to be the coolest.”

Williams has made quite a name for himself over his career, and he’s got an impressive list of names that he’s done ink for.

“I tattooed a lot of the Stars players: Cody Eakin, Jamie and Jordy Benn, you know, a handful of football players, Mavericks, mostly athletes, but a lot of musicians,” Williams explained. “I just recently tattooed a guy named Jellyroll, like his band.”

It’s not just famous people, either. Williams has tattooed people from just about every walk of life, from punk rockers to pastors.

“You know, soccer moms and doctors and lawyers. And, I mean, I tattooed a couple of surgeons, and I mean, you name it, we get all walks of life now,” he continued. “It used to just be the underworld, and now, it’s everyone.”

So no matter who you are, or what kind of ink you want, Williams said he wants to make it the best possible experience for you.

“If you want that infinity symbol and you’re willing to pay me money to put that on you and wear it forever,” he said, “I want that thing to be the best infinity symbol you’ve ever seen.”

Art that’s on your body forever, that you’ll never stop loving.

To make an appointment at Factory City Tattoo, stop by the shop located at 713 10th Street, near the Wichita Falls Public Library, or message Williams on Instagram.