Did you put off getting a gift for the loved ones in your life who are looking to make a lasting change? San Luis Obispo County’s array of eclectic tattoo and piercing businesses can help you slide that holiday present in just under the wire.
Cherry Blossom Tattoo
Atascadero’s Cherry Blossom Tattoo offers gift cards for any amount. Shayla Day, one of the shop’s artists, recommends getting one worth $100 since Cherry Blossom has a $100 minimum to ink tattoos. Day herself gave gift cards to her friends and family when she started working at the shop.
“They were all, ‘Don’t buy me anything. I just want to get a tattoo,'” she said with a laugh.
Day inks tattoo aficionados with her colleagues Alexander DeCarlo, Daniel Martinez, and Cherry Blossom owner Robbie Rittenhouse. When it comes to taking the tattoo plunge, Day said checking out an artist’s portfolio is important to find what style you like. Once that’s narrowed down, must-haves include cleanliness and a good rapport between the artist and the client. Better communication results in a better tattoo.
The tucked-away tattoo shop focuses on larger custom pieces. Cherry Blossom artists prefer sessions by appointment, but walk-ins are welcome too.
“There are lots of reasons to get a tattoo,” Day said. “Personal expression is important to a lot of people, so is getting a memorial to a loved one, and some people just think it looks cool.”
3530 El Camino Real, Atascadero; (805) 461-8287; @cherryblossomtattoo on Instagram.
True West Tattoo
True West’s tattoo art and aesthetics play into the old-school cowboy culture of California but with an edgy twist. Horses, wolves, scorpions, cowgirls, birds, plants, and skulls are frequent imagery that artists Lisa Bracero, Haunnah Nisle, Eric Jones, and Julian Gomez ink on skin.
Manager Bracero told New Times that True West’s genre is American traditional, but the artists are skilled in black and gray, fine line, and other styles too. True West offers gift cards for sale, and the shop minimum to get a tattoo is $100. It’s open seven days a week from noon to 7 p.m.
1027 Marsh St., suite A, SLO; (805) 439-1515; truewesttattoo.com.
SLO Piercing
SLO Piercing takes pride in being the “first and only” body art studio in the county to have an Association of Professional Piercers—the oldest and longest running organization for professional piercing—member on staff, according to its website. The appointment-only shop also offers ear styling where piercers work with clients to reimagine existing piercings into a new look. Treat your loved ones to the art by purchasing physical or online gift cards. Until Dec. 25, the store is also offering a 10 percent discount on e-gift cards worth $100 or more.
474 Marsh St., C, SLO; (805) 441-4820; slopiercing.com.
Electric Monarch
Known for solid neo-traditional tattoos that feature flowers, women, animals, and more in saturated color, Electric Monarch brings high-quality inking to SLO. The shop’s designers and artists are Skylar Grove, Trever Carter, Josh Rodriguez, Daniel Fonseca, Rennie, and the occasional guest artist. They take care of walk-ins as first come, first served, and offer a shop minimum of $100 for a tattoo. Purchase gift cards from Electric Monarch for any amount.
1453 Monterey St., SLO; (805) 439-3116; electricmonarch.com.
Deep Blue Tattoo
“If anyone is stumped on what to get me for Christmas, I’m a size three to five hours in tattoos,” declared a cheeky promotional post on Deep Blue Tattoo‘s Instagram.
The Grover Beach tattoo and piercing shop is primed for last-minute holiday gifting, especially with gift certificates available for any price. Under the watchful care of piercer Deane Rozas, piercings on almost any body part go for at least $60, including the jewelry. The shop tattoo minimum is $150.
The South County shop has been a staple spot for tattoos and piercings since 2000. Tattoo artists Jason Munger, Sean Shiroma, Ryan Thor Gudmunds, Grey Van Kuilenburg, and Clifton Cross specialize in a plethora of styles like fine line, black and gray, and traditional.
1328 W. Grand Avenue, suite B, Grover Beach; (805) 481-4110; deepbluetattoos.com. Δ
Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Last-Minute Gift Guide 2023.