if you guys havent noticed. or dont know by now. el loco has been challenged over and over to a "tattoo contest" and they refuse. if they are so called the best. then take the challenge. there are many people out there that can take out el loco. eddie is good. but not the best. dan.. amateur..john. hes good. ive seen his work. and roland. well. what can i say. ive covered up a lot of his work hes done. the show they hosted was weak. very few artist. very small location. and some of the artist dat attended the show. lets just say even i was doing better lining than them. if you are gonna invite the best of the best. then do so. dont bring in chumps like buena suerte, darkside of the mood and stuff like that. lets have a lil valley show to expose all local artist. trust me. theres already people out here that take out el loco with their eyes closed.

UNDRGROUND IS BETTER

HATS OFF AND MUCH RESPECT TO EL LOCO TATTOO, I HAVE GOTTEN TATTOOED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT SO CALLED ARTISTS LIKE KUJO,MACK,FRANK...AND HAD TO GO TO JOHN AT EL LOCO TO COVER UP AND RE-DO...THE BEST ADVISE I CAN GIVE TO ALL OF YOU IS GET IT DONE PROFESIONALLY NOT BY SOMEONE THAT LEARNED TO WORK THE GUN IN PRISON, OR IN THE STREET. IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE BUT IT WILL BE WORTH IT... EL LOCO DOES HAVE SERAN WRAP AND STERILIZING MACHINES AND ASIDE FROM THAT... EL LOCO HAS THE BEST LOOKING GUYS WORKING ON YOU.....KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK......DAN, JOHN, EDDIE AND THE REST OF THE GANG.... LOVE YA -JESSICA

I got inked at Fine line and they did a great job. They broke the needle in front of me. I have no complaints. I would go back if I could. Also, I feel like you all are making a BIG deal about this. If you are so concerned about "health" issues. Go to your kids schools and i'm pretty darn sure your favorite restaurants are infested. Good day :]]

Get ready cause its on!!!
ELT PROMOTIONS PRESENTS.................................
2009 SOUTH TEXAS TATTOO FIESTA
APRIL 3RD,4TH,& 5TH, @ PHARR CONVENTION CENTER.
FOR CONVENTION AND BOOTH INFO CALL 956-423-1999

The Health Dept. would not be able to help someone out with a messed up tattoo!!

just out of curiousity, who scarred your tattoo.. i got a piece from there. well. i wasnt really happy with the lining of the tattoo. but the shading was aight. not the quality i wanted. but came out ok.like you i fell victim to da low price. i should of payed more and gone to el loco. but either way.. instead of having to nark on them shops , the person that called channel 4 should of called the health dept on that one artist that messed his up..

No, it isn't a sad rumor. It is called the Tattoo Fiesta in April 09. Now let's just see if the mastermind heading it up invites all the good competition, or he invites only those he feels will make him look good(no comp). Seems in the valley only the mediocre shine.

Get to your point. Who are you accusing of being "on something" while tattooing? You better have proof. Just because you think someone is "on something" doesn't mean it is concrete. It was proven these clowns had no license. This isn't about other shops you are trying to burn. It was about the unlicensed clowns!! Why doesn't anyone get that? Proof. From what I can tell this is just another vendetta against another shop. Prove it. Name names, point it out. If not, be silent.

If someone is on something then the public should know especially while getting tattooed.

On top of that it is illegal. Which means against the law.

So you condone illegal activities?

Unlicensed shops and illegal activities should not be tolerated. Just because you are licensed shouldn't let you get away with it.

The licensed shops, regardless of the extracurricular activities, are way above those unlicensed. This is what is trying to be prevented. No one cares what extra things they do. When will you people get it? YIKES!!!

Everyone keeps dissing the unlicensed shops. But the "licensed" shops don't do much better.

What about the "extra curricular" activities they are doing while tattooing?

If that is not a violation what is?

South Texas Fiesta? Sounds like your local food mart. Come on people.....i have yet to hear about any tattoo convention anywhere south of San Antonio. Being on the limewire of the tattoo industry I would have caught wind of that by now . If you ask me this conversation is over......Fineline and Addiction will never come to terms with the fact that they started on a horrible ( illegal) note and even if they did get approved for a real license there is no possible threat to the surrounding shops on account of there being NO real artist within there little gang like presence . I feel so sorry for the people that got pieces (if you wanna call it that ) from those places . Get checked at your local AIDS station.....seriously .

for days, and days. Rather than those affiliated with Addiction or Fine Line coming forward and apologizing for how they deceived the public and put those people of Harlingen at risk, they or those affiliated with these shops, if you could consider them that, come in here and blame El Loco, and other shops for their demise. I am the person that contacted Team 4 News through a mutual contact, after an attempt to correct a horrible piece of work obtained from the filth called Addiction Tattoos, which is what it was called when I walked in there. It was infected,scarred, and I was victimized. I also sent a person who works with the health department into the building to see if there was a license present, and you know the answer to that. I did my research before I pursued this. I have no affiliation to any shop, keep telling yourselves it was some sort of vindictive act of jealousy because of your exceptional tattooing skills.
Hah! If it makes you feel better, feel free to do so. Was I to blame? Yes, to a certain extent. I should not have been tempted by a low price, but I was. You can call this bluff. I can assure you, this isn't the case. Fineline fell into the trap only because they had no license. I made no report towards them. Once again, this should clear the air for any shop out there. I am glad I did what I did, and I beg of Ryan to continue his work exposing the bad, and making sure things stay legal in the RGV. Lots of people count on him, and others to protect our sense of well being. We are just consumers that walk in, pay for a service, and walk out. The city, regardless of them wiping their hands clean from this when they were contacted, should also be held accountable in some way. Such a huge city should have strict ordinances for these places, not just count on the state to do it all. I also thank the person/persons that made sure this got to Ryan. You know who you are. Who knows how many people we have kept out of harms way thanks to this story. Stop posting blame posts, here it is!!! If you walk into an illegal shop, please report them. I will continue my fight.

No they are NOT intimidated. " Why did they hate " dude , what do you not understand about doing things illegally ? "Professional"!!!! come on bro........they got shut down!!!!!! ELT customers would never switch over.....FL and AT were probably only tattooing family and close friends. No sane person would pay for crap that was being produced in that building.

they may not of been intimidated. but why did they hate. its not bout the law thing. instead of them lil kids at el loco to approach the matter professionally. they hid behind mr. ryan wolf. and let him do the dirty work. one of the artist at so called "addictions", not once spoke bad bout el loco. but i guess you guys got mad cuz some of you guys customers went to them or fine line. lol. i believe they should step up. but why do they have to prove themselves to someone that already hides behind the camera?

JUST AN FYI, THERE WILL BE A TATTOO CONVENTION HELD APRIL 3RD, 4TH, AND 5TH OF 2009. SO BE READY!!! STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO. :)

Region:
11
License:
0104892
Name:
Outlaw FL Tattoo Shop
Address:
218 W Tyler Ave
City:
Harlingen
State:
TX
Zip:
78550
Telephone Number:
(956) 428 - 3215
License Information:

Type Document Control Number Issue Date Expiration
Tattoo Studio

447986

06-18-2008

06-14-2010

Fine Line reissued under someone else. Congrats for being legal. As for all of Ryan's work, it was useless. They were never punished, and exist now, same location, different name. haha Sad world.

No one was intimidated by those shops or artists. They were breaking the law, simple. When are you going to get it? If they were such good, respectful artists, they would have done things the right way. Also, what are your boys afraid of? Do it for the art? Nah, tell them to show up and prove themselves. It's never going to happen. They don't have the chops to do anything but hand out the water.

well. i aintgonna lie. eddie just might be on of the best artist in harlingen, but ive also heard he has the tendacy to hurt customers. he has a very heavy hand. people say low quality work comes out of kujo's.. yes i always see customers there. El Loco is just an organized shop.. but their artists are just like all the others. Why is it el loco is tryin to put everyone down for. . eddie and john. by far. are very good. Roland, well he is still learning. Yes the other shops are shut down. could it be el loco was intimidated by the artist from the other shops... i believe so. instead of being professional. they hid behind the doors. yes. there should be a tattoo convention but not to see whos the best. just to exploit the art form.

Lets make this happen....who's gonna make the first move? Where the top doggs at ? Calling out the best.............soap handlers take your positions for water boys.................

I agree with the guy that said there needs to be a valley tattoo convention about the art only. Someone needs to set it up. Perhaps Eddie, since he is mentioned the most around here, or is the most known. Can't call someone the best without seeing the rest. It hangs in limbo until the public decides.
Illegal tattoos almost always equal bad art. NO ONE will go to you. Just scrappers looking for scrap.

My new illegal tattoos are teh hottness! Watcha!

Other than Kujo and Eddie how are the other artists or workers from their shops?

Kujo being here or not being here really doesnt matter . The art coming out of that shop is very low rated if you ask me . El Loco has way more class and Eddie is a far better artist. Hats off to EL LOCO!

With only 2 shops left in Harlingen. Which one is recommended the most? Who is a better artist Kujo or Eddie?

going to sift through them and be selective, why not just stop the ball rolling? Everyone should be heard. Noticed you are being selective. I wonder how many more are missing. ???

For those who have commented others work, it is always best to let the public decide for themselves, that is a fact. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, why not be like Mr Lopez, and be a professional, and quit sending others in to rescue the reputation of those you feel were wronged? Just like he stated, be a professional, and take the criticism and learn from it. That's the way it has to be. We can't always please everyone. I can kind of see where they are coming from. This profession is a profession where people should not be able to come in from the outside, know absolutely nothing about the industry, or art for that matter, and open shops without a license, or without proper experience. If shops want to hire people with poor portfolios, remember, in the end it is the shop that takes the reputation, and in no way harms the artist, as the artist can move to another shop. In no way is this swaying off topic. It goes back to trying to make changes, let the state know there should be more requirements for those seeking these licenses, be it classes in cross contamination, art, etc, so that humans aren't used as practice pads. Remember, this artwork is permanent, and stays with the client forever. There is no need to cry about it. Perfect your art, have experience, be legal before you decide to make victims out of people. It is wrong!!! None of this sways off topic, it all goes hand in hand. Remember, these are human lives in your hands!!!! Going from retail to overnight tattoo artist without any experience is indeed risky. In the end, words do not decide where a client goes for work, it's the work that speaks for itself, the cleanliness of the shop, the professionalism, and overall reputation. :)

All I got to say is hating is the sincerest form of flattery. Sounds like people are spending too much time on myspace.

As a girl I'm glad there is a female artist representing.

I am an art collector and i would love to see what the RGV has to offer as far as skin art. Hopefully the local artists can set their pride aside ( as it is evident that there is enough going around ) and put something together.....it would be a great thing for the community and for those who wanna walk the walk and talk the talk to sling it out on the open floor and yes for those that nag about this being off topic I understand that but i am hopeful that something good can come from what damage these illegal shops have done in our town.......Let the inking begin.....God Bless

THIS IS ENTITLED TO ADDRESS UNLICENSED SHOPS YET THERES PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THEN CRITIZE OTHER ARTISTS WORK BE HAPPY ITS RUN LEGALLY IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE ARTIST OR WORK GO LOOK FOR ANOTHER ONE AND QUIT CRYING ABOUT IT ,AS FOR THE ILLEGAL SHOPS ITS NICE TO KNOW SOMETHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT

The valley needs to find out who is who.....calling out all the real tattoo artist out there. Lets have some friendly fire and have a real Tattoo Convention..none of this Iron and Ink bs.......something about the art not bikes and what not........i'm all about it..are you ???????????????????????? and the illegal "shops" if you wanna call them that can bring the " soap " lol

Well guys, I guess we have completely strayed off the subject again. Its not about who is better than who, it is who is licensed and who isn't. Our customers make their own choice as to who they wanna get tattooed by, but if they are new to the tattoo world, why not be fair enough and show them that you are licensed and are running legally. What is the big deal, so pay the money and get your license. Its worth it!!! I think that all of these comments are great to read and some are just full of s**t, but like i said before its not about who is better, its about who is legal. I think Ryan definitely needs to follow up on this, and close all the illegal shops down, who knows what they are spreading. Sucks, but its the truth.

http://www.myspace.com/acenbirdie
I was going to go by too. Changed my mind.

I got tattooed at High Aces and i should have walked out the minute i walked in. The tattoo artist , i assume owner , had his 3 or 4 month old child crawling around the floor where the tattoo procedure was being done while the wife ( i believe) was laughing it up in another room with a friend. That was disgusting and very unprofessional . Not to mention the fact that my tattoo was poorly done and the healing was for sh*t . I will never go there again nor would i recommend it to anyone looking to get some decent work . And now that i know that they are also illegal , i might involve the authorities. thanks

Your search returned 1 firm(s).
Pages:

Region:
11
License:
0081249
Name:
Underground Tattoos & Body Piercing
Address:
152 W Stenger Rd
City:
San Benito
State:
TX
Zip:
78586
Telephone Number:
(956) 399 - 8080
License Information:

Type Document Control Number Issue Date Expiration
Tattoo Studio

414470

12-27-2006

11-30-2008
Body Piercing

419640

03-28-2007

03-17-2009

Don't be scared to post your real name. Obviously you work for a tattoo shop.

My first suggestion spell "customer" right. The success of a business depends on customers. Just because your are good at something does not mean you can talk down to others.

If a someone wants a tribal give to them. You don't have to post the picture up. You know you don't turn them away you jack up the price by $100.

"Ebert would certainly have 2 thumbs down." Wrong Industry. That was a lame joke or you are high in a place of business.

The posts in this forum are now off topic. All the negative messages about other artists are not from customers. They are from jealous artists.

I tried to bring that to Ryan Wolf's attention. I even sent a message through here. Aces High has been open since forever. I asked them if they had a license personally, they gave me a number of a guy to contact at the state that is dealing with their pending license. The problem, pending!!! You can't tattoo! They also have a myspace page, and they have tons of tattoos. More disease. I warned the guy to stop tattooing or he was going to end up in trouble. He has been very busy,hasn't stopped. No, they are in no way better than El Loco, lol

Aren't you that unlicensed shop in San Benito.

Best work cheap prices, smokes El Loco Tattoos By Far, thats whats up.....

I am glad that these law breakers have been shut down ......now the law needs to deal with them or some poor sap that actually got tattooed by them should come forth and get the courts involved....that and get checked for HIV or Hep . Don't let this happen to YOU ! Mercedes tattoo shop?????haven't heard anything good coming out of that shop.....chop shop maybe........fact remains that it is hard to find good art in the valley.....someday

First off shopping for a tattoo artist does not compare with shopping for clothes or some other materialistic item that you will someday throw away........a tattoo is forever and costumer service is irrelevant ......the best of the best are the biggest jerks known to man , however , have a 2 yr waiting list if you ever dream of getting tattooed by them . " Good costumer service " for locals only means being a kiss ass cuz they will tattoo anybody irregardless of the tattoo because they care not about the art and what they are putting out .....you call out an artist for bad service because they turn away your wanting of a pathetic tribal or god forsaken cover up...in my opinion that is a smart tattoo artist who cares about their portfolio and not wanting to put out anything that is not 110 % theirs.........and as for Iris , im sure she is sitting right next to you pondering in her little Hot Topic head that maybe charging 15 dollars for a 3 hour tattoo ( if you want to call it that ) is a little skummy and generic.............Take some art classes sweety and maybe then you can learn a little something......then spend about 2 or 3 yrs drawing on paper instead of pricking human skin.......comments on her page say nothing about her ability......Ebert would certainly have 2 thumbs down..........as for the others......they could use some more training but nowhere ass bad as Iris..........

It is evident, to the person commenting on my comments, that you support the work she is putting out. Hey, by all means, it's your skin. Two things will draw me to a shop, excellent work, and a nice artist. Now, I can assure you if I go get a tattoo from a famous tattoo artist, they aren't going to treat me like royalty. When it comes to tattoos locally, it is my choice to find a shop that has both. In the end, if the tattoo artist isn't the friendliest, I will not go with someone just because they are nice. It's how much I want their work. Good work. Just because Iris is nice doesn't mean I would ever, ever, ever give her a crack at my skin. Hell no. Get a myspace account and view her newest tattoos. WOW. What is Underground thinking?

is so sad to see people talk good bout shops they know nothing about. Everyone talks bout how el loco is this and el loco is that. but do you guys really feel comfortable with people always showing up a lil tipsy or high. Roland, their amateur artist, is infected with hepatitis. And if you guys want to run by standards, doesn't he need to report that to the health inspector. I dont know bout you guys. but i dont think i wanna get work done by that guy.. Eddie is the only one worth concidering for lil pieces. Dan, one that knows lil bout what he is doing, has a baaaad speech problem, he sounds like sylvester the cat. as for john, his work is bad ass. People need to really need to live up to their standard and follow the codes. Have roland checked before someone else catches his problem.

Just by looking at the myspace portfolio's and going through the comments it is obvious where the talent is and where people are going for their tattoos. The same shops you put down are tripling the amount of positive comments from the other two.

I know I'm not the only one that is taking by business to Iris instead of the other Harlingen shops.

"Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game. Service wins the game." Tony Alessandra

And let me tell you the other shops don't compare to the way she treats her customers.

It is sad that this isn't getting the tattoo industry anywhere. Shameless self promotion of a shop is indeed a desperate cry for business, although one's character shows through in the responses. Trying to tarnish the reputation of anyone is also the same. Hopefully those looking to get work such as myself will see the true people behind these businesses, and make the right decision when seeking out an artist. I want to walk into a shop with a nice guy, great work, and fair, not cheap pricing. Either way, the focus needs to be on taking out the bad people, the unlicensed, those working out of homes, those causing harm to society. Examples need to be made, you break the law, you pay.

Good job @ the myspace research cindy. =)

Well im not asking you to blow me or anything but i do utilize this small office space to its full potential. theres a lot of talk when youre in a larger city such as Harlingen about who's best and kill the rest. Im not a cut-throat person although you would think so with the amount of people i tattoo. I appreciate the abilities that God has given me and thats only to say that im thankful for the chance and intelligence to hold a licensed Tattoo shop anywhere. Im not in competition with ANY other shop im just living and working. Thanks for mentioning my shop and me. Cleanliness is a must in my shop and we do use every instrument mentioned here especially our Licensed that we are not only required to have out in front view but are very proud to show. Our works on www.myspace.com/CustomstTattoo12007
Sorry if any of you have any complaints but i take any criticism like a professional should. -Dan Lopez & Ron Rust. Customs Tattoo 314 W. Bus.83 Mercedes,Texas
956-565-1516

I have to agree with the last comment to a certain extent. With exception of 2, the others do not compare at all, quit grouping them as the same.
Iris needs to go back to working retail, she looks cuter there. This woman's work is horrible, and I am appalled at the countless people donating their skin to her cause. I too am a collector, and have checked these shops out first hand, both online portfolios, and off. Her portfolio grows, and with every new one I see, I get my humor for the day.
Although some may find Tom's appearance to be scary, he is indeed qualified to do the job he is doing. You just have to look beyond his appearance. Judging a book by its cover is not belonging of those in this industry. Shame on those who choose to do so. He is an individual, I can respect that.
Daniel Hate? Wasn't this guy at Power's once? Smartest move she made. This guy has an attitude as bad as his work. He is sloppy, and does not belong. He should just roll down the street and work at H.E.B. Just look at his self-given name. Must help business out a lot.
I for one, will not go to the last 2 for work. Cheap prices? Come on. Give me a break. You should not be getting tattooed if that is what you want from it, something cheap. That is exactly what you are going to get.
All of these businesses do have decent work spaces. They are clean, and are up to code. Just because 1 has spent all of his money over-decking out the place doesn't mean the others have to do the same. Let the public decide that for themselves, not a preset nose in the air person. Look at the quality of work to make an educated decision.

The Crazy E??? Sounds like El Loco. Sad that the shop has to lower itself to make themselves look better. All the shops mentioned are licensed and passed health inspections.

Is business really that bad? Or are you upset that your customers are going elsewhere because of the poor customer service they recieve?

South Padre Island has absolutely no worth while artist to brag about......and the line up that follows is just as bad with the exception of one......... Scarey !!?? indeed his appearance seems to be as bad as his portfolio , miss iris - needs to find a new day job (3 thumbs down ) and for that daniel character - very sloppy ( poor quality work ) and like Fineline and Addiction seems to not care about how messy his shop looks..........where do these non gifted people come from ?

Everyone just needs to research and get informed of where they want to get work done. There are many shops/artists in the area. Here are a few of them:

http://www.myspace.com/ellocotattoo (expensive, but money well spent)

http://www.myspace.com/devilmusicmaker (scary!!!)

http://www.myspace.com/missiristattoos (good work low prices)

http://www.myspace.com/danielhate (good work low prices)

The only tattoo shop I go to is PEGGY'S on South Padre!!! Jesse is the best! All of you AMATEURS should stop by and learn from the best!!!!

James....you surf with the scratchers.....they literally scratch your back (crap art)and now you stand my them (illegal or not ) and scratch theirs.....They DON'T HAVE A LICENSE DUDE! Why can't you absorb that into your head ? They don't clave , they don't care about the appearance of the building , they are not artistic what so ever.....oh oh....but they utilize soap...probably Dawn........

James, I would say your best are your pinup zombie, lotus, double edged candle, or that koi/goldfish you sport(sarcasm). Is that enough to say I know you, and know all your pics are linked to Addiction and Fine Line? You should be charged as well, since the proof is in the pudding. Either you are a victim that never learns, or you worked with them. Nonetheless, I pitty you. Last one pertaining to you. I won't waste this space mentioning you anymore. Why even mention those that support what is being fought against??

No you wear goggles, I have seen them. Perhaps someone can get you some real glasses fool. ;)
BTW, send us all your MS link, post it here. Let everyone see your fabulous work. I saw it again last night. *vomits*
Back to what Ryan Wolf was trying to do, punish these clowns. That last link shows they are still open. Gah!

Trust me, I'm familiar with the shops. Kujo split to Hawaii or some crap and left his shop to his comrads and yeah, Eddie actually owns El Loco. If you've seen the work on me then you would know, I already wear glasses you fool! Hardy har har.. Anyway, we can argue till we're blue in the face but we'll never get anywhere. Addiction has an autoclave and that's a fact.

http://www.myspace.com/finelineparlor
Last comment June 5 says so. Hurry Ryan before they private it. :)

Sorry that you have chosen them as your primary artist, i am not sure what you were thinking, maybe you should get tested. And if you are familiar with the "TATTOO SHOPS" it is Eddie @ EL LOCO and Kujo, owns his own tattoo shop. oh yeah and before i forget, "the kid" poor guy, i thought he was an artist, that just goes to show you how well they hire someone that is knowledgeable in the tattoo world. I guess we can go on and on about this, but ultimately it is the customer that needs to be made aware of what is going on and that is the most important thing. Let them do the research and see where they will end up , i am sure these reputable shops have no problems with their clients in keeping them happy and coming back for more "GOOD INK"

Pffft. I wasn't the one that was caught, you and your friends were. It is evident as to your affiliation with these people. Who wins this pissing contest? The reputable shops that are still open and spreading ink the right way, not those like you that now have their doors closed. ;) Reading all your past posts amuse me. They passed the inspection. By who, you?
The autoclave was in the back with the soap, sure.
Go home, and cry because your little shop, or your friends shop, is closed for now. I have seen the work on you James. You need glasses.
....the games we play

Again, I've had work done by Eddie & Kujo and it's nothing to brag about. Kujo actually muddied up the colors so much it looked like baby poo and he went so deep I had a small blowout which left a scar. Anyway, we are getting totally off topic. The autoclave actually was in the back, not sure why the kid didnt show him. In my opinion that kid should have never been put behind the counter, they should have had someone who could actually speak and conduct themselves in a professional manner. He really did them in with his responses and overall conduct.

Yeah, tell that to those that have some of their horrible work, or picked up a disease. They need to be made an example of. The law is the law, understand that. You defending these people only leads me to believe that you are one of them. No one in their right mind would do so. Don't compare their work to Kujo and El Loco, they are real artists. :)
Where was the autoclave in the interview? Ryan Wolf asked to see it. It was in the back, with the license, huh? Get an aids test, I am sure you need it.

Cold sterilization liquids were developed to enable the sterilization or high level disinfection of medical equipment that cannot be heat sterilized.

Because tattoo and piercing equipment can be heat sterilized, heat is the appropriate method, not liquid sterilization.

Sterilizing liquids are not a substitute for heat sterilization and have no place in tattoo or piercing. It is not acceptable practice to use liquid sterilants.

Fred (formerly @ Addiction) and Mack @ Fine line actually do pretty good work. I've had work done by Kujo and Eddie (@ El Loco) as well and I decided to stick with Fred as my primary artist instead. As a serious tattoo collector I've done my homework and trust me, addiction was safe. I saw the autoclave myself and I know the guy they bought it from (even had work done by him). Maybe they weren't educated in the ways of legally opening and running a legitimate tattoo shop but ruining their business is overkill in my opinion - remember people this is what puts food on the table for these guys.

Maybe you should of checked out the stencil before it was applied, sounds like you missed the typo. He just traced the outline.

Obviously the "larger shops" in Harlingen know what they are doing, they haven't been in business for 10 years just because. There are very well known shops, big and small in the valley not just EL LOCO and I know quite a few people that don't mind paying for some damn good work. As a "tattoo collector" myself, i would definitely wanna check to see how long an artist has been tattooing and if their business is licensed. PLEASE look at the other shops work and decide for yourself. And GOOD LUCK if you decide to go that route, cause you'll be going to EL LOCO TATTOO, or another good reputable licensed shop to get it covered up. Be wise and invest your money in a license. Stop working illegally, you are gonna get yourself in trouble. Trust me when i say this, ITS A GOOD INVESTMENT!!! This is not about EL LOCO TATTOO, yeah there are excellent artist in that shop, but it was just used as part of channel 4's investigation. Also, ink addiction and fine line tattoos are more than likely not the only shops in the state of Texas that are running illegally. Obviously the tattoo industry is growing and the Health Department isn't too informed about that profession, but maybe they need to look into it a bit more.

http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=229&rl=407

If that doesn't work, real quick recap:

(i) One of the following methods of sterilization shall be used.

(1) Autoclave--steam under pressure:

(A) 121 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit) and a pressure of at least 15 pounds per square inch for not less than 30 minutes after the chamber of the autoclave has reached the required temperature and pressure; or

(B) as specified in the manufacturer's operator's manual.

(2) Dry heat sterilization:

(A) 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit) for not less than one hour under atmospheric pressure after the sterilizer has reached the required temperature; or

(B) as specified in the manufacturer's operator's manual.

Another comes in the defense of the scratchers, probably the same folks that were running the show. Know your laws, and whether or not you need a clave. It is evident you don't know a thing. They were doing it illegally, and that is it. Trust me, they were not taking the work from the larger shops. The larger shops put out awesome work. Go to myspace and look up Fine Line, and Ink addiction(as they had it on myspace), although they probably deleted the pages by now. I saw it first hand. The work was disgusting. I will stick to those licensed. Their work speaks for itself. Do a side by side of work from Fine Line, Addiction, and then El Loco. You will be laughed at guy. I can assure you that.

Look fine line did good work.. I wouldnt call it great but good.The needles were all new that were used.Never was a needle not disposed of the proper way.Pepole need to know you dont always need a auto clave to sterilize the equipment.You do need to keep it out of reach from others and things that can get on to the tudes.Tubes should be cleaned with the correct chemicals that steralize them and then if you dont have a auto clave you must use another liquid and package them to keep them sterile.Pepole think just because they did not have their health premits means they were dirty and may cause infection to spread. Come on now, dont be that pranoid. I am a tattoo collector and have over 15 and the only one that I regret was when I went to el loco tattoo... The guy was high and misspelled the name.. He knew he messed up and I had to pay for it anyways. It took me a while to have it fixed but i got it done. So see even a legal shop can mess up.. I feel that these shops love to do the work they do and may not know how to get it done legal. They may have put all there money into the shop and cant afford the permits or maybe since they are so new they havent made enough to get them.No they should not be arrested but given the correct info and how to do it legally..Pepole need to stop and think before they get upset and mad and say things that they have no idea about...From what I know these shops were taking the buisness away from the larger ones in harlingen. The other shops were pricing to high, and yea we all know that we shop around and want things cheaper.. But cheaper doesnt always mean that they cut coners.. If you walked into my shop I would tell you how to clean the equipment but would not allow you in to touch since you may contaminate it... Do your research first on how to tattoo and how to manage a shop and when you do that you will know how things run...I have a shop of my own.. Not in the valley and we run smooth.. I get customers ask if we use clean needles and yes we do. They are opened right in front of them. All the tubes are scrubbed and sanatized frequently.. All the body jelwery is packaged and out of others reach.. We do good and when pepole come in they can see that for them selves.... I have no idea about addiction.. never went in there.. I say get informed cause most arent........

b.g

Quote:I'm sure both these owners are fine tattoo artists and had good intentions about opening their own business, however, they have to do it legally too.

Did you get to see their work? It was hideous. They broke the law, they should never, ever tattoo again!!
How hard is that for you to understand? Is free testing supposed to make it better? They were open again? Throw them in jail!

Please follow up on these shops, they aren't taking this serious. THEY ARE STILL OPEN AND OPERATING ILLEGALLY. WHAT IS GOING ON?

I should have called the police on Saturday. They were operating as usual. It's sad that they have yet to take this seriously, and nothing has been heard about them being prosecuted. There are makeshift tattoo homes all over the valley. They need to be made an example of. This needs to stop!!! Imagine how many people are running around with aids and other diseases in the valley...it scares me. Ryan, don't let the ball drop. Pursue!!!

I'm sure both these owners are fine tattoo artists and had good intentions about opening their own business, however, they have to do it legally too. They can 'say' they were using sterilization techniques until they turn blue in the face, but the customers will never really know for certain if they're body art was done with clean needles and ink. Just a FYI for the public concerned for HEP C or HIV exposure from 'potential' dirty needles/ink...You can visit your local Valley AIDS Council for FREE testing. They have offices in Harlingen, Brownsville, and Mcallen.

El Loco! Get ya tatts there.

Good tatts are cheap and cheap tatts aren't good!

Ryan, it's to sad that the Fine Line only turned off their neon sign, but were tatooing as usual this Saturday night. This owner should know better, since the wife supervises techs at a local blood center

It makes me happy to know that these skin scratching freelance disease spreaders have been shut down . Licensed tattoo artists must comply with health regulations aimed at preventing infection. Underground tattooists operate without such restrictions and in other states are prosecuted when operating without a permit . Texas needs to make an example of these law breakers.
"In October of 2007 , Shawn N. Garretson 32, was charged with several counts of tattooing without a permit. Since then, he has been convicted of some charges and sentenced to two years at the McCain Correctional Hospital in Hoke County, according to New Hanover County District Court documents. Garretson is due back in New Hanover County District Court this month for tattooing without permit" If we do it right.....so should they .

According to Texas law, if they are prosecuted correctly they can reapply after 2 years wait.

§ 146.0041. GENERAL GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL. (a) The
department may refuse to issue an original or renewal tattoo studio
or body piercing studio license if it has reasonable grounds to
believe and finds that any of the following circumstances exist:
(1) the applicant has been convicted of a violation of
this chapter during the two years immediately preceding the filing
of the application;

The violation of course being that they tattooed without a license to begin with. Just FYI

Thanks to Ryan Wolf for getting action! There is nothing wrong with more competition, we welcome it. Just go about it the right way, and do things legally to protect the interest and safety of the general public. It could be someone you love that is inflicted with a disease they did not ask for. Good job!!

As a former owner of a shop in tx i can tell you that being licensed is not the end of the problem. To get licensed you need an inspection from a city health official to check for hot water and a autoclave, they do not have enough state officials to inspect every shop they approve, they also do not even come by every year as they used to do pre Bush economics. In fact as of 2 years ago I was told they only inspect once a complaint has been filed. smart heh?

In the original story did the person say they use soap to "STERILIZE" their tubes?!? To quote Flavor Flav, WOOOOOWWWWW!!!!!! I'll stick to the shop I've been getting tattooed at. Thanks ELT for your great work!!!

I've been tattooed at one of the "over-priced" tattoo shops before & after the "flashy neon sign" & "fancy jewelry cases" and will definitely go back there!!

P.S.
Thanks Sam, Roland & Eddie and all the crew at El Loco!!

Ryan: thanks for the update to this story. I find it hard to believe that some people are blaming El Loco and Kujo's for the closure of these shop closures. Anyone with any type of business sense knows that competition is welcomed by business people. If these shops were legitimate there should have been NO problems with showing there permits and safety equipment, and if they want to become legitimate get the proper permits and equipment. Then you have these comments about the prices being too expensive. These are prohably the same fools that don't have a problem wearing hundred dollar jeans or carrying $900.00 purses. If you quality work its going to cost you.