BREMERTON — The Clinic Tattoo in Bremerton held a super sale on Valentine’s Day, offering a select list of flash art for only $14, with an $11 tip.
“We did a sale all weekend,” said Mandy McKenzie, shop manager. “But today (Valentine’s Day), because we have such great customers, we decided to do a $14 sale. Little bit of love, little bit of hate — we’ve got it all.”
The flash art on Valentine’s Day was only $14, a huge sale: the shop minimum is generally $60, with an hourly fee of $100-$150.
The Clinic Tattoo, which opened a few years ago in Bremerton, is owned by Erin Ashleigh. According to McKenzie, The Clinic Tattoo is the only tattoo shop in Kitsap County owned by a woman.
“We’re family oriented,” McKenzie said, “and we love customers and pieces big and small.”
McKenzie said The Clinic Tattoo has a lot of long-time customers “who come back all the time,” but they enjoy seeing new people, too. She added that this event was in part a way for the community to get to know the newer artists at The Clinic Tattoo — Paul Weaver and Eric Flint. Since Ashleigh is on sabbatical, they were doing all the tattoos on Valentine’s Day.
This is the first time the clinic has offered flash art so affordably on Valentine’s Day. McKenzie said they usually do similar sales on Friday the 13th.
“It’s been wonderful,” McKenzie said. “We’ve been busy since before we opened.”
Chelsey Freeman and Luke Bendorf were among those who visited Clinic Tattoo for a new tattoo on Valentine’s Day.
“We just saw the post that it was super cheap and thought they were cute,” Freeman said.
Bendorf added: “I like tattoos, so I just decided I’d get another one because it’s affordable. And it’s good art, a good idea, good concept. No one else is doing it around town. It’s a good way to pull in some flash art customers, people who enjoy it.”
Flash tattoos are prepared designs that are often relatively simple in design and quick to complete. The Clinic Tattoo’s Valentine’s Day-themed flash included, in the “love” category: turtledoves, bow and arrows, locks and keys, love potions, flowers and more. The “hate” category included broken arrows, broken hearts, daggers, love letters on fire and more.
“We saw the post on Facebook (about the event),” said Amber Coe, who visited The Clinic Tattoo with Corey Phillips. “We wanted to do something kind of out of the box for Valentine’s Day.”
The sale may be over now, but McKenzie had a message for everyone: “We’re here all the time, trying to get people covered in beautiful art.”
To learn more about The Clinic Tattoo, visit theclinic ta2.com or www.facebook.com/TheClinicTattoo.
Michelle Beahm is a reporter with the Central Kitsap Reporter and Bremerton Patriot. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.
Eric Flint begins tattooing a turtledove on Amber Coe at The Clinic Tattoo on Valentine’s Day. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group
Amber Coe shows off her new turtledove tattoo, by Eric Flint, at The Clinic Tattoo. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group
Paul Weaver starts work on Luke Bendorf’s tattoo on Valentine’s Day at The Clinic Tattoo. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group
Eric Flint starts work on Corey Phillips’ flash art tattoo on Valentine’s Day. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group
Luke Bendorf shows off his new flash tattoo, by Paul Weaver, on Valentine’s Day at The Clinic Tattoo. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group
Paul Weaver transfers one of the Valentine’s Day flash tattoos onto a stencil at The Clinic Tattoo. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group
Paul Weaver tattoos Chelsey Freeman with flash art. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group
