Sheet 11 · Rae Caddick2026
Swallows come in pairs for $260. One for the trip out, one for the way home.
Traditional tattooing · East Nashville · Since 2011
BlackLantern Tattoo, Nashville
House flashNo. 01
A heavy black line, solid black shading and color packed until it shines. Four artists, three hundred designs on the wall, and the door open to walk-ins every Friday and Saturday.
- Walk-ins Fri & SatFrom noon, flash only
- 1117 Gallatin AveEast Nashville, by Five Points
- (555) 014-3963Tue–Sat, 12–8 pm
The shop
Bold will hold.
We tattoo the way the sailors' parlors did: a heavy outline, black shading and color packed in until the skin takes no more. It's why a traditional piece still reads from across a bar forty years later, and why we don't do anything else.
Rae Caddick opened the shop in a former shoe-repair storefront on Gallatin in 2011. The lantern over the door came from her grandfather's boat on the Cumberland. It's lit every night we're open.
- Years on Gallatin Avenue
- 15
- Designs on the wall, all drawn in house
- 312
- Artists, each with their own flash
- 4
- Shop minimum, needles and setup included
- $80
The artists
Four chairs, four hands that don't flinch.
Book one artist by name, or tell us the piece and we'll match you. Every waitlist moves faster than it looks.
- 01
Rae Caddick
Owner · tattooing since 2006
Bold traditional: panthers, eagles, clipper ships and anything with teeth. Big pieces, few words.
- 02
Junie Marsh
Tattooing since 2015
Roses, moths, ladies' heads and full traditional sleeves. Draws a new sheet every month.
- 03
Tomás Reyes
Tattooing since 2012
Daggers, snakes, script and heavy blackwork traditional. Does the shop's lettering and most cover-ups.
- 04
Hollis Dean
Tattooing since 2022
Small flash, walk-ins and first tattoos. Patient, steady and very good at talking you down.
The flash wall
Point at it. It's yours.
Every sheet is drawn by the artist who'll tattoo it. Prices are for the size marked, and we can go a little bigger or smaller. Claim a design and it goes straight onto your request card.
Sheet 06 · Junie MarshNov
Sheet 09 · Tomás ReyesBlackwork trad
House flashAny artist
Our own design. Every artist here tattoos it, and the twelfth one each year is free.
Want something that isn't on the wall? Custom work starts with a free fifteen-minute consult, Tuesdays from noon.
Ask about customHow booking works
Four steps to the chair.
From request to chair takes about three weeks for flash and six to ten for custom work.
Pick it or pitch it.
Claim a design off the wall, or describe a custom piece: what it is, where it goes, roughly how big. Photos of references help. Photos of other people's tattoos to copy don't.
Takes five minutesWe write back in three days.
A real person answers every request within three business days, with a price range, the artist we think fits and their next open dates.
Mon–Fri, no botsHold the date with a deposit.
$50 for flash, $100 for custom. It comes off the price of the tattoo. Move your appointment once with 48 hours' notice and the deposit moves with you.
$50 / $100Eat, sleep, show up.
Have a real meal, skip the drinks the night before, wear clothes that give us room to work and bring a photo ID. We'll handle the rest, including the stencil and the music.
Bring ID
Aftercare
Heal it right and it'll look like this in ten years.
Every client leaves with this sheet. Lose it and you can read it here, or call the shop and a human will talk you through it.
Black LanternAftercare · keep this sheet(555) 014-3963
- First 3 hours
Leave the wrap on
If we used the clear film, leave it on three to five days, then peel it off slowly under warm water.
- Days 1–3
Wash and pat dry
Warm water and fragrance-free soap, two or three times a day. Pat dry with a paper towel, never a bath towel.
- Days 4–14
Thin lotion, no picking
It'll flake and itch like a sunburn. A thin layer of unscented lotion twice a day. Slap it if you must, never scratch.
- Weeks 2–4
Stay out of water
Cloudy, shiny skin is normal. No pools, lakes, baths or hot tubs until it stops looking shiny.
- Forever after
Sunscreen, always
SPF 30 or higher whenever it sees sun. Nothing fades color faster than a summer on Percy Priest Lake.
Never
- Petroleum jelly or thick ointment
- Soak it, steam it or tan it
- Tight clothes rubbing on it
- Pick the flakes, ever
- Let your dog lick it
- Ask the internet before us
Free touch-ups for 90 days
If a spot healed light, come back within three months and we'll pack it again, no charge.
FAQ
Straight answers.
Pricing, minimums, deposits and the rest. Still stuck? Call the shop. Whoever is closest to the phone will pick up.
How much will my tattoo cost?
Flash is priced on the sheet for the size marked. Custom work runs $180 an hour, or we quote a flat price for the piece before we start. You'll know the number before the needle comes out.
What's the shop minimum?
$80. That covers fresh needles, ink, setup and cleanup, which cost the same whether we tattoo a dot or a dagger.
How do deposits work?
$50 for flash, $100 for custom, paid when you book. It comes off the final price. Deposits aren't refundable, but you can move your date once with 48 hours' notice.
Do you take walk-ins?
Fridays and Saturdays from noon, flash only, first come first served. Sign the board by the door and we'll text you when your artist is ready.
How old do I have to be?
18, with a valid photo ID. No exceptions, not even with a parent in the room.
Do you do cover-ups?
Yes, and bold traditional is about the best style there is for it. Book a free consult with Tomás first. Some old tattoos need a laser session or two before we can cover them well.
Should I tip?
Never expected, always appreciated. Most people tip 15 to 20 percent, in cash or on the card reader.
Request a spot
Tell us what you want.
One card per tattoo. We read every one and answer within three business days with a price range and dates.
- Reply time 3 business days
- Deposit $50 flash · $100 custom
- Walk-ins Fri & Sat from noon
- Age 18+ with photo ID