Post #140479 by Geeky Tiki on Thu, Feb 10, 2005 10:34 AM

The original Trader Dick's in Sparks, Nevada.

Reno is so close to Hell, you can see Sparks! (Old joke.)

It was a stand alone building then, with a black ceiling with teeny little lites they kept on a dimmer.

From the walls came faux thatched roofs to cover the tables near the wall, and around the central bar was another thatched roof.

The bar was a room of its own, with bamboo/fabric walls and a classic bar with all the cool bottles on the back wall. It had a big old Hammond organ in the back corner. I've heard Somewhere My Love done Polynesian style played by Earl Grant there.

They had a big ol' functioning clay oven, and faux Gauguins hanging throughout the restaurant.

They had cool mugs and great Polynesian flavored dishes.

They also had streams that flowed through the restaurant and paths with bamboo bridges that crossed the stream to get from one area to the other.

It also satisfied the "oasis in winter" criteria for freezing temps and snow outside.

If I could only travel back in time!