Post #102707 by Lake Surfer on Mon, Jul 19, 2004 10:23 PM

On 2004-07-19 08:40, finkdaddy wrote:

I understand there is a new bar in Milwaukee that calls itself a tiki bar. I haven't been there yet, but from what I have read i don't think I'll be to impressed. It sounds like an artsy-fartsy East-Milwaukee bar that happens to have a big tiki painted on the wall and serves a few fruity drinks. They do theme nights like punk rock night, garage band night, etc. I'm not saying it's a bad place to drink, because I've never been there. I'm just saying that it's not really a tiki bar.

It is Foundation... they are not a tiki bar in the literal sense... and I don't think it has really been promoted as being an all out tiki bar. Its not a new bar... it is very popular with the punk-skate scene and used to have old boards as decor. It has been and is still the farthest thing from an artsy fartsy bar. In the past you could find skinheads pounding their fists on the bar to the sounds of hard core punk. They have since redecorated to reflect the bar manager's (Donnie Nelson of "The Nelsonics") obsession with Tiki. And to mellow and expand the crowd base according to Donnie. There is a nice display of some mugs and Coco Joes tikis behind the bar, some paintings and bamboo trimmings. Donnie is supposed to do an event with me doing some carving and selling out front. The drinks are only fair and come from a mix made by the bar... it is still a beer bar for the most part. Visiting DJ's spin anything from Rockabilly to 80's alternative. On tiki nights the music is more themed.
As far as neighborhood bars go in Milwaukee, it is a cool and unique place...

I have pictures posted at this thread...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=8906&forum=1

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer on 2004-07-19 22:29 ]