James Dupper got his first tattoo when he was eighteen years old in the U.S. Army. From then on, he was hooked. While stationed at Fort Hood, he spent his days working on base and his nights training as a tattoo apprentice.
“I couldn’t believe that this was someone’s job [and] they got to just tattoo people all day,” James Dupper said. “After that, I just spent all my time trying to figure out how to become a tattooer.”
The background
After his time in the Army ended, Dupper and his wife, Brooke, opened their first shop in Killeen in 2015. Brooke Dupper was a full-time educator, instructional coach and assistant principal until four years ago when the couple opened their second location, Iron Rite Tattoo South, in Georgetown.
Dig deeper
Brooke and James Dupper expanded their brand again in January 2025 with Cedar Park’s first tattoo shop, Don’t Tell Mama Tattoo.
“We had 12 walk-ins [on] our first day open,” Brooke Dupper said. “It was a Wednesday and… ever since then, we’re so thankful that we literally just hit the ground running.”
The process of opening the city’s first studio required several steps. It took the couple about six months to find a landlord willing to rent to them, and another three months to obtain a special use permit. Cedar Park City Council approved the special use permit Nov. 21.
“Obviously, it was really hard to get in here, but once they let us in, it’s been the best city I’ve ever owned a business in by far,” James Dupper said.
What they offer
Don’t Tell Mama Tattoo features seven artists specializing in American and Japanese traditional-style art. However, the shop tries to offer something suited to everyone’s taste, James Dupper said.
“We have artists who [do] portraits [and] I do a lot of fine line stuff,” he said. “We try to steer the client to the right artist for the job.”
The shop offers custom tattoos or pre-drawn flash designs. Don’t Tell Mama Tattoo also accepts walk-ins daily with an emphasis on quality customer service.
“We want everybody to have a good time from the second they walk in until when they’re done,” Brooke Dupper said. “We really care. It’s on your body forever. So, we want them to be happy with it [and] we want to be happy with the quality of our work.”
The tattoo shop specializes in American and Japanese traditional art styles, but has flash and custom options for everyone, owner James Dupper said. (Katlynn Fox/Community Impact)
Staying local
The shop also prioritizes giving back to the community year-round. Don’t Tell Mama Tattoo typically holds bi-monthly flash events in partnership with local nonprofits or charities and donates a portion of earnings to the chosen organization.
“We do what we can to work within the community and with nonprofits [at] every opportunity,” Brooke Dupper said.
What’s next
In 2026, the shop will host three flash events to commemorate Friday the 13th in February, March and November. Each artist will create individual designs, and Don’t Tell Mama Tattoo plans to have door prizes, raffles and local vendors at the events.
