Get inked for $13 on Friday the 13th at these North Texas tattoo shops

If you’ve been wanting another tattoo, this Friday, June 13, is the day to do it.

Some associate Friday the 13th with bad luck, but in tattoo culture, it’s a great day to get some cheap ink.

The event has roots in the North Texas area (Dallas, to be specific): On Friday, June 13, 2008, Elm Street Tattoo shop co-owner Oliver Peck decided to tattoo the number 13 on as many customers as possible, back-to-back, for 24 hours. He ended up tattooing 415 people, and Friday the 13th became associated with getting tattoos of the number 13, or, later, tattoos of different flash designs that incorporate the number 13.

The concept of getting a “13” tattoo dates back to sailors’ legends:

“Sailors would often get the number 13 tattooed so that bad luck would see the mark and pass on by them,” according to Good Pain Artworks in Grand Prairie.

Most parlors offer pre-drawn, small designs that they are willing to do for as cheap as $13. Whatever you end up with, just be sure to tip your artist. A standard tip for a tattoo is between 15 and 20 percent of the total.

While almost every tattoo shop offers cheap deals, here are 10 North Texas parlors where you can get inked for on Friday, June 13.

Where to get cheap tattoos for Friday the 13th in Fort Worth

Bonehead Tattoo:

• 7944 Camp Bowie W. Blvd., Fort Worth from 3 p.m. until supplies last

• $13 flash tattoos

• Cash only

• Select from predetermined designs

Lucky Horseshoe Tattoo:

• 1426 N. Main St., Fort Worth from 1 p.m. to midnight

• $13 tattoos

• $130 tattoos available Thursday the 12th

• $13 basic piercings

• Walk-ins welcome

• Cash only

Spinning Needle Tattoos and Piercings:

• 2711 N. Main St., Fort Worth from noon to midnight

• $20 flash tattoos

• $20 piercings

• 100 designs to choose from

Villains Ink:

• 1717 W. Berry St., Fort Worth from noon until 10 p.m. (while supplies last)

• 2x2 inch tattoos for $20

• 3x3 inch for $40

• Arms and legs only for tattoos

• $13 traditional piercings

• $30 and $50 non-traditional piercings (full list on their Facebook)

• All services are charged an automatic $7 tip

• Walk-ins only

• Cash only

BeastMode Tattoo Co.:

• 14150 Trinity Blvd., Unit 120, Fort Worth, from 10 a.m. until supplies last

• First come, first serve

• $20 flash tattoos

• $20 piercings in select areas

• Arms and legs only

• Cash only

Where to get cheap tattoos for Friday the 13th in North Texas:

Da New Kandy Shop:

• 3610 S. Cooper St., Arlington, starting at midnight June 12

• $13 flash tattoos

• $13 piercings

• All services have a $7 tip-out

Good Pain Artworks:

• 112 NE 4th St., Grand Prairie, from 3 p.m. to midnight

• $33 flash tattoos

• $53 flash tattoos

• $7 tip

• $10 added for red ink

• Arms and legs only

• Walks-in only

• Predetermined designs to choose from (not eligible for customizations, unless you want the “13” removed from any)

Diamond Tattoo Parlor:

• 510 E. Pipeline Rd., Hurst, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

• Tattoos starting at $40

• Black outline and shading only

• Color is an additional fee

• Arms, legs and back of shoulders only

• Piercings starting at $13 with a mandatory $7 tip

• First come, first served

Ink Theory:

• 951 Winscott Rd., Benbrook, from noon until the “ink runs dry”

• Flash tattoos starting at “the lowest prices around.”

• Walk-ins only

• Select designs available to view in shop

Ella Gonzales

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Ella Gonzales is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Ella mainly writes about local restaurants and where to find good deals around town.