49ers and Chiefs fans can commemorate Vegas Super Bowl with a tattoo
LAS VEGAS -- What happens in Vegas is famously supposed to stay in Vegas, but there are a few things you can bring back home from the Super Bowl that are permanent. Like the kind of ink that does not rub off.
Robert Gonzales's tattoo shop, Koolsville Tattoo, is a Las Vegas institution. It has been around since the '80s and now has multiple locations.
But before he set up shop in Sin City, Robert actually got his start in the Bay Area.
"Everybody I knew tattooed or their parents did when I was growing up, and it just kind of came kind of natural," said Gonzales, who was born and raised in San Jose.
His first tattoo shop was actually in his hometown.
"On San Marco down from Pinky Yun," said Gonzales.
Robert says back then, tattoo artists barely made a living. So he packed up and moved to Vegas.
"Vegas is Vegas. I mean, it's the entertainment capital of the world. Everybody comes here and everybody wants to get tattooed," said Gonzales.
Vegas has been great for his business, but he says even all these years later, he still has a strong connection to the Bay -- and, more importantly -- to the 49ers.
"I was born in 1961. I started watching them probably when, about '71, '72? I've been watching football and I've been watching the Niners forever," said Gonzales.
So this last week when the Niners sealed their ticket to Las Vegas's first ever Super Bowl, Robert was ecstatic.
"This is like the best thing since sliced bread! I mean it's great, you know what I mean? I live here, my kids are born and raised here. It's a big what to do for my whole family," explained Gonzales.
To celebrate, Robert says his shops will be offering all sorts of Super Bowl-themed tattoo designs. He is already getting hundreds of calls from excited customers.
"They want San Francisco, of course. Our 49ers. Some of them even go, 'Can you get one that just says a heart with Swiftie, for Taylor Swift?' I'm like, 'I guess we can do that,'" said Gonzales.
Gonzales said no one has gotten a Super Bowl prediction tattoo so far, but he's expecting a lot of them later on this week.
He did however make a little bet with his wife. If the 49ers win, he's going to get his first Niners tattoo. If the Chiefs win, she'll get a Chiefs tattoo.
And what about a Taylor Swift themed tattoo?
Gonzales's wife pointed at the design of a Travis Kelce #87 jersey that had "Swiftee" where Kelce's name would be, saying with a laugh, "And you have to get this one!"
Robert didn't hesitate with his response: "No!"