{"id":356959,"date":"2026-07-01T07:34:26","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T07:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/356959\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T07:34:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T07:34:26","slug":"city-council-members-open-lgbtq-friendly-tattoo-shop-in-san-antonios-pride-district","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/356959\/","title":{"rendered":"City council members open LGBTQ+-friendly tattoo shop in San Antonio’s Pride District"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and former District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda smile in front of their jointly owned business venture. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

A pair of San Antonio politicos are getting into the tattoo business.<\/p>\n

District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and Melissa Cabello Havrda, who represented District 6 on council until 2025, released a video revealing they\u2019re launching a new tattoo shop in the Pride Cultural District, which they called San Antonio\u2019s \u201cgayest neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shop\u2019s handle, Zorra London, is a combination of the names of each of the pair\u2019s pet dogs. Located at 1428 N. Main Ave., the business is expected to open full time in coming weeks, the duo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds very international while also getting very close to home for us,\u201d McKee-Rodriguez said of the moniker.<\/p>\n

Cabello Havrda, who ran for mayor during the city\u2019s prior election cycle, told the Current she and McKee-Rodriguez had long discussed going into business together, but were waiting for the right opportunity.<\/p>\n

McKee-Rodriguez and Cabello Havrda saw their chance when North Main\u2019s Culture Hair Studio closed earlier this year and the space hit the market, <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a space for the LGBTQ+ community to get their hair done, and when I found out they were closing, for me it was important to remain a safe space for that community,\u201d said McKee-Rodriguez, who became San Antonio\u2019s first out council member when he was elected in 2021.<\/p>\n

Indeed, the shop\u2019s launch coincides with the Texas GOP\u2019s ongoing attacks against the LGBTQ+ community. Late last year, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the removal of all street markings that conveyed political ideologies. That included San Antonio\u2019s rainbow-covered crosswalks at the intersection of North Main and East Evergreen Street \u2014 steps away from the tattoo shop.<\/p>\n

Cabello Havrda said the location and messaging were intentional.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a perfect location for us,\u201d Cabello Havrda said. \u201cBoth of us wanted to support the LGBTQIA+ community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the council members jointly own the shop, neither will be slinging ink. <\/p>\n

Instead, McKee-Rodriguez is charged with the shop\u2019s artistic vision. Meanwhile, Cabello Havrda, an attorney by trade, is handling the business and legal side.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is up to code,\u201d Cabello Havrda joked.<\/p>\n

And staying up to code includes barring people from getting inked up while intoxicated, something prohibited under the Texas Health and Safety Code. <\/p>\n

McKee-Rodriguez said he and Cabello Havrda are taking that issue seriously.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s because they can\u2019t give consent [when intoxicated],\u201d he added. <\/p>\n

Although Zorra London had a $25 flash pop-up over the weekend to coincide with San Antonio\u2019s Pride Parade, the politicians are still working out the kinks and hope to open full-time in August or September.<\/p>\n

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