Places like Ann Arbor's Name Brand Tattoo parlor are learning to accommodate those who come in to get inked on a whim with specials like "Get What You Get". The way the deal works is that you come in and pick a design, blindly, out of a box. The image that you pull out is now your new tattoo, but its only $50 (tattoos, even the smallest plain black ones, start at $65). If you don't like what you pick you are allowed to choose again, but beware its $10 for each additional selection.
Name Brand tattoo has been around for 10 years, and front desk worker Tim Blumberg shared that he has noticed a significant increase in the amount of people coming in to get tattooed. When asked why, he explained that "it is becoming more socially acceptable" to have body art. An estimated average of 2-3 people come in per week to try their luck with the "Get What You Get" deal. With such a high number of customers getting tattoos blindly you have to wonder how much thought goes into the selection process when it comes to all other tattoos. Tim told us that in his experience people get tattooed because that find it "aesthetically pleasing", after thinking for a brief moment he added that it's "not everyone, but definitely the majority".
The "Get What You Get" option was originally the idea of the California tattoo artist, Justin Shaw. While he was sleeping one night the idea just hit him and although his wife told him that it was stupid everyone else seemed to love the concept. The idea is now being utilized by a fair number of tattoo parlors across the United States.
Adam Shrewsbury, a tattoo artist at Name Brand, explained that he has found that "people always get what they need or deserve" from the "Get What You Get" box. "Even if a tattoo is random, over time it will gain meaning" and within year the new tattoo owner will have learned all of the significance that goes along with their selection.
So if you've got the guts and find yourself in need of a new look or maybe even some thrill in your life consider heading down to Name Brand Tattoo and give your luck a go.