Even though the decision was sudden, Ellinger says he regrets nothing.
"It felt right," Ellinger said, adding that the tattoo artist didn't even flinch at the request.
To anyone who knew him, the tattoo made sense.
"I think my friends know me and knew it was right," Ellinger said. "I think over time my friends started to recognize that me taking them to Costco was something special, letting them into a private interior world that also happened to be a large international retailer."
Ellinger once took a date to Costco, a New Zealander who was mostly fascinated by the large bags of chips for sale.
"I don't think he was that into me," Ellinger added.