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Flash Fridays at Solana Tattoo Company
- Aimee Heckel
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
The halls of Solana Tattoo Company, Fort Collins, Colorado, are like a tattoo design art gallery: winding walls of original tattoo flash. Thousands upon thousands of unique and hand-painted designs in every style and mood, from feminine to spooky to traditional to quirky and unique.
And on the first Friday of every month, all this creativity culminates into one big, glorious tattoo event we call Flash Friday. (Ahh, alliterations.)
People know and love Flash Friday for the discount tattoos. But to us here at Solana Tattoo Company, Flash Friday is so much more. It’s a revival of tattoo heritage, a celebration of our amazing artists’ creativity, a showcase of community partnerships, an opportunity to make tattoos more accessible, and a way to inspire you – your creativity, self-expression, and personal style.
Above all, it’s an experience that is uniquely, authentically Solana.
Flash Friday Started Here
We’re proud to say we were the first shop in Colorado (and quite possibly anywhere) to launch the concept of Flash Friday. We started this way back when we opened, long before it became a trend.
This matters in terms of quality, expertise, experience, and service. Over the years, we’ve refined our events into something truly special, thanks to our talented artist team, which constantly adds to the region’s largest selection of readily available, original flash.
Our discounts are designed to make tattoos more affordable for all, and our events run smoothly because we’ve been doing this since day one. There’s a reason other shops have followed our lead: Flash Friday at Solana comes from a place of authenticity, experience, and creativity.
Why We Started Flash Friday
Solana Tattoo Company's Flash Friday is built around five pillars:
1. Honoring Tattoo Heritage
Flash tattoos are a foundational part of American tattoo history. Solana created Flash Friday to bring that heritage back into the spotlight, preserving a tradition that helped shape the industry.
2. Giving Artists Creative Freedom
While our artists love creating custom pieces, Flash Friday gives them the chance to design and tattoo what they personally love: their own styles, ideas, and inspirations. Much better than Pinterest!
3. Sparking Creativity in the Community
Flash is inspiring. It gets people thinking. It pushes ideas forward. Maybe you see the perfect tattoo. Perhaps it becomes the seed of a new idea. Either way, flash makes creativity contagious.
4. Making Tattoos Accessible
Solana believes everyone deserves to express themselves. That’s why Flash Friday pieces are discounted by $50 or more, with designs starting at just $60 (the shop’s minimum usually is $80).
5. Celebrating Community
Flash Friday is heckin’ fun. It’s a way to kick off the new month and has become a tradition for many people. We love seeing the same faces return every month to add to their tattoo collection.
Partnerships Make Flash Friday Even Better
Many Flash Fridays include collaborations with local businesses and creatives. Past highlights include:
Lucky Joe’s offering free beer for anyone who got an Irish-themed tattoo
Breckenridge Brewery having a custom flash sheet and giving a free seasonal beer
Free crystals with witchy flash
A tarot reader offering free lobby readings
A CSU art student’s original flash sheet and an in-shop art exhibition
Flash Friday changes every month, but it always includes a little surprise.
What Makes Solana’s Flash Friday Different
Here’s what makes Solana’s Flash Friday stand out:
First and foremost: We’re the OG Flash Friday in Northern Colorado. It all started here.
We offer meaningful discounts: $50+ off flash designs every month.
Our flash is original and artist-made. Never copied, not templated, not generic. We even have a separate page just for our flash designs: Solana Flash. We are always adding to it!
We have one of the largest artist teams in the region, which means more flash, more styles, and more creativity.
Our events run smoothly because we’ve been perfecting them since we opened.
Our event is rooted in our own authenticity and historical tradition.
Beyond the monthly event, our flash is available seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thousands of designs, always on display. You can always browse our designs and get one tattooed. The discounts just come on the day of that month’s new releases.
Connection: The Heart of Everything
Solana’s mission has always been the same: To offer quality tattoos to good people with unmatched customer service.
But beneath that mission is a commitment to connection. A tattoo or piercing is more than art; it’s an experience. As the saying goes, people might forget what you did, but they never forget how you made them feel. Solana’s environment reflects that.
Clients are treated like family.
Artists are supported as professionals and humans.
Comfort, communication, and consent guide every interaction.
Creativity thrives.
Your stories are honored.
In fact, three of our current artists first came in as clients; the connection they felt moved them to actually join the team. That’s the Solana way.
Did You Know?
Is an artist-run, female-led, family-run shop.
Has private studios for every artist. That means you don’t have to be in a vulnerable position while getting your tattoo or piercing.
Has a professional front desk that accepts all forms of payment (not just cash). We take credit and debit cards, Venmo, PayPal, you name it.
Has a front lobby where you’re welcome to hang out. You’ll find shopping, a saltwater fish tank, and complimentary coffee and tea.
Has free parking right out front.
Requires all artists to get blood-borne pathogen certifications to ensure your safety. This is above and beyond what is needed and the norm in this area.
It is walking distance to some of Fort Collins’ best restaurants and bars, and is right across the street from the CSU campus.
Features an award-winning piercing team.
It is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
Offers tattoos by appointment or walk-in, custom pieces or flash, and full-service piercing from brows to below the belt. Jewelry is always included in our piercings; no surprise extra costs.
So come walk our art-lined halls, say hi to our team here at Solana Tattoo Company, and be part of Northern Colorado’s original Flash Friday tradition.
