Two ways to get tattooed here. Walk in, pick something off the wall, and leave with it. Or bring us an idea, let us draw it, and come back for your appointment. Here’s how both work, numbers included.
Short version: open 12 to 7, seven days a week. Walk-ins every day. 18 and over with ID. Cash. $100 shop minimum, $100 deposit on appointments.
Walk in
If the door’s unlocked, somebody’s here to tattoo you. Come in, look at the walls, talk to whoever’s at the counter. Small stuff and flash usually happen the same day. If the chairs are full or your piece needs drawing time, we’ll book you right there. More on that in Walk-Ins Welcome, Seven Days a Week.
Or send us the idea
For custom work, start with the tattoo request form. Subject, where it goes, roughly how big, and any references you’ve been saving. One of us reads it and gets back to you about a consult or an appointment. You don’t need a finished idea. A subject and a body part is plenty. The rest of that process is in Custom Work: From Your Idea to the Drawing to the Chair.
Flash off the wall
The walls are covered in flash: sheets of designs painted to be tattooed, some by tattooers who’ve been gone for decades. Point at one, we size it to you, and it goes on. It’s the oldest way there is to get a tattoo, usually the cheapest, and a fine first one. Flash Off the Wall covers it.
What it costs
We charge by the piece, not by the hour, and we draw for every client, so “how much” gets a real answer once we see the idea. Shop minimum is $100. That covers a small name or a simple design with limited shading or color. Bigger work gets quoted at the counter or after you send the form. Large projects are quoted as a whole and paid session by session, so you know the full number before the first line goes on. The ranges are on the FAQ, and Dave’s full price guide is on davetedder.com. We’d rather you know the number than guess at it. The full rundown on pricing, the deposit and what’s included is in What a Tattoo Costs Here.
The deposit
Appointments take a $100 non-refundable cash deposit, and it comes off the tattoo. Bigger projects, bigger deposit, same deal. Need to move your date? Give us 24 hours and the deposit moves with you, as many times as it takes. Same-day cancel or no-show and it’s gone. We held that chair for you.
Before you come in
You have to be 18 to get tattooed in North Carolina. No parental consent, no exceptions, so bring your ID. Cash only. There’s an ATM in the shop, but it charges $3 per $200, so plan ahead.
Eat first. Wear something that gets out of the way of the spot and that you don’t mind getting a little ink on. If you’ve been drinking, come back tomorrow.
The day of
Custom work: you see the drawing the day of your appointment. That’s on purpose. It’s drawn for your body and your placement, and the only way to check size and flow is in the room, with the stencil in hand. If something needs changing, we change it then. Nobody picks up a machine until you’re happy with what’s in front of you.
A small piece is usually one sitting, and you’ll get a time estimate with the quote. Big work is booked as full days. Outlining a sleeve isn’t worth splitting into short appointments, so plan on giving up the day. Eat, take breaks, stretch. Nobody does their best work rushed, on either side of the machine.
Afterwards
The first two weeks decide how your tattoo looks for the next twenty years. Bandage on for thirty minutes to three hours. Wash it with antibacterial soap and water, pat it dry, let it air out, then a thin layer of white, scent-free lotion. Less is more. No soaking, no sun, no picking. Peeling, cloudy color and itching in week two are all normal. The FAQ walks through every stage, and Dave’s aftercare guide goes deeper.
Touch-ups: small tattoos get one free within six months. Hands, feet, fingers, neck, face and head aren’t included, because they fade faster no matter who does them. Sleeves and bigger projects have a touch-up session built in, about six weeks after the last paid session. Either way, we look at it once you’re fully healed.
Who you’ll meet
Four tattooers: Lauren Tedder, Dave Tedder, Cabot Lerue and It’s Glitter. We’re in and out on different days, so ask who’s in, or name somebody on the form. Meet the team and look through the gallery. Lauren and Dave keep their own sites with deeper portfolios and booking: laurentedder.com and davetedder.com.
Where we are
123 Roosevelt Blvd, Havelock, NC 28532, straight across from the main gate at Cherry Point. Grey and yellow building. Look for the duck or the big tattoo sign. You can’t miss us. (252) 447-0511. Open 12 to 7, every day, family owned since 1983.