CHICAGO — There’s not a day that goes by without someone walking into Tattoo Factory Uptown for a Chicago-themed Tattoo Amanda “Bats” Day.
Most often, the ink features the skyline or the stars of the Chicago flag — features that are widely used all over the city for decoration and to show Chicago pride. Day doesn’t get tired of those designs, though, or any of the other Chicago-themed tattoos she’s given people.
“It’s dope! It’s an honor to help people show their love for this city,” she said. “I’m pretty sure I can do a billion of them and still not be tired of them. You got to love Chicago.”
The coolest Day’s ever done: a realistic view of the South Side from the 18th Street bridge. It was a beautiful shot. Chance the Snapper The Humboldt Park lagoon seen from above.
And it’s not just Chicagoans who are coming to see Bats — people from all over the United States have stopped in to get a Chicago-themed tattoo.
“The one thing they all have in common is: They want to memorialize their love for Chicago,” she said.
Block Club asked Chicagoans about tattoos with city themes to share their stories.
Here’s what they said:
Chance The Snapper
Chance, now residing in Florida, attracted many spectators as they tried to catch a glimpse of him. Now, he’s immortalized in ink on a handful of fans.
Zack Triveline is one such person. His 5-inch tattoo shows Chance with mouth open in front Humboldt Park Boathouse. It’s on his leg and was inked by Bats.
“Everybody has loved it so far,” Triveline told Block Club in 2019. “I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘I want the same one.’ Everybody who sees it knows exactly” who Chance is.
Al Capone
House Centipede
Vetter decided to go indoors and choose a creature that Chicagoans are familiar with: the house centipede. Bats did it.
“I chose to get a centipede because I felt like it was more indicative of my time in Chicago than any other traditional Chicago icons,” Vetter said. “My fondest memory has been discovering that diffusing peppermint oil wards off house centipedes.”
Chicago Sports
The Skyline and Stars
This ink combines two of the most-loved Chicago tattoos in one: the skyline, shown with a line-drawing outline, and the Chicago flag’s stars. Arizona resident Diana Inzunza — wife of Cubs pitcher Adbert Alzolay — has it on her arm to celebrate time she spent in the city.
“I love Chicago,” she said. “The [people]The food, the atmosphere, and the feeling of summer. It has a very special place in my heart.”
Histories of the City
Artist created this black-and white tattoo Francisco Vargas.
Chicago Dog
“I went to college in Tennessee in ’08,” Warrick said. “I’ve been down here ever since, but I always missed the food. The hot dogs were my favorite. This is a great reminder of where I came from. It’s the best! And I have folks in town point to my arm and go, ‘Chicago!’”
The best part: The poppyseeds are in the shape of the Chicago flag’s stars.
“I know the difference of folks going, ‘Hot dog!’ vs ‘Chicago! Poppyseed stars!’ when they see my tattoo down here in Chattanooga,” she said. “And honestly? I now have strangers’ numbers to text when there’s a Bears or Cubs game on. It’s pretty cool. Sweet home … .”
Zip + Area Codes
Then there’s the area codes: 312 and 773.
John Hancock Center
Everything else
Malort is gross, but it’s ours. Morton Salt bridges and other flags.
