FORT MYERS, Fla. — For anyone looking for a tattoo, Friday the 13th means getting a deal on new ink, rather than bad luck.
The day usually marked by superstition has become a day of sales for most tattoo shops, offering discounts as much as half off on tattoos.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on how tattoo artists celebrate Friday the 13th:
“We’re just in that type of industry where we do weird stuff all the time,” said Samantha Vinski, owner of Sinful Passions Tattoos in Fort Myers. “I really don’t know the history behind it, but I know everybody knows that Friday the 13th is the day to come.”
Tattoo enthusiasts like Kalina Mukdasnit try to get tattoos every time a Friday the 13th sale is happening.
“I come for every Friday the 13th, no matter who is doing it,” said Mukdasnit. “This is probably my fifth or sixth time.”
Vinski told Fox 4 that the sales have become so popular that her shop is staying open until 4 a.m. the next day to accommodate customers, who could wait hours for their turn in the chair.
“In the past we have had people sleeping on the floor, you’re literally stepping over bodies at 4 o’clock in the morning,” said Vinsky. “We’re kicking people out at six and still have a waiting list, we can have people waiting all night.”
This year, Vinski expanded the day from just having the sale, to hosting a block party of sorts to keep customers entertained while they wait.
“To keep people here and occupied and busy we like to get other small businesses involved, food trucks, whatever you’re selling or make at home just bring it out here,” said Vinski.
The next Friday the 13th will happen in December, then again in June 2025.
