Long-time Arlington tattoo and piercing shop gets spooky for food donations

If you walked by the Chosen One Ink piercing and tattoo shop in October, you may have heard frantic screams, chainsaws and table smashing.

These weren’t the sounds from a new piercing or tattoo technique, but rather an annual haunted house event the 16-year-old Arlington tattoo studio hosts for the community to collect canned goods for its neighbor, Mission Arlington. 

“It just reminds me of childhood, just having fun, you know?” said tattoo artist Karina Brundrett, “We’re all family folks. I just want everybody else to take it back a notch in time and enjoy it.”

She has worked at the shop for a decade alongside her husband and shop owner, Matt Brundrett. 

Each October, The Chosen One Ink transforms the back of its shop into a tour of terror. The event doubles as a fundraiser, with admission requiring only a canned food donation for Mission Arlington. From Oct. 3-31, children, parents, teenagers and adults all dressed up to brave the spooky venture. 

“It’s for fun and for a good cause,” said Karina who leads the coordination and execution of the haunted house. “I was a child that needed help, and I just know how important that was when we received those (donation) boxes as a child. It’s important to give back to that community.”

By the end of October, the attraction drew 4,279 visitors, with three truck bed loads full of canned food donations to Mission Arlington. 

Now that the spooky season has passed, clients are greeted with ’80s rock music, neon lights, and vibrant cherry red and teal walls lined with the owners’ collected memorabilia. That includes  signed Nirvana posters, platinum Death Row records and the bumper of Matt’s old truck, just to name a few. 

“I would say it’s a nostalgic shop,” Matt said. “We’re really just busy on what we’re doing, just sticking to art and satisfying our customers.”

Matt has grown up around the lifestyle and atmosphere of tattoo shops, and has always loved the community there and listening to Pantera. 

In addition to bringing that old-school feel, he emphasizes how he loves speaking to his clients and creating a welcoming and familial atmosphere for the community he grew up in.

“I love it here, I’ve been here my whole life,” he said. “I’m just home, man.”

Matt has owned The Chosen One Ink for 16 years now, moving to the shop’s current location on Abram Street in 2023 — the first tattoo studio to open in Downtown Arlington. As it strives toward the 20-year mark, Matt hopes to continue being an anchor and staple to the Arlington residents.

“When we moved over here to the downtown area, I wanted to be sure we were really part of the (community),” he said.

Haunted house nights saw several newcomers, but many entering the shop were returning regulars who had grown comfortable with Matt and trusted his work. Matt said that whether someone is looking for a tattoo or piercing, his and his staff’s experience will ensure they walk out with something that suits them best. 

“Everyone’s welcome, and everyone has a good time here.” Matt said. “We just try to be a one-of-a-kind shop. … We are always blessed, and we always have amazing customers.”

Mica Magday is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact her at [email protected]. 

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