Post #185632 by tikibars on Fri, Sep 9, 2005 4:35 PM

On 2005-09-09 11:52, pappythesailor wrote:
How fast are we losing tiki?
Am I just fretting about an obvious, irreversible course of events?

Yes, but we ALl are!

I think the rate of Tiki loss is steady and inexorable, not stable.

As you point out, the number of key Tiki power spots lost just since the last pages of Tiki Road Trip were typed in December of 2002 is alarming.

The current Tiki revival is doing NOTHING to encourage places that might have gone out of business in recent years to remain open. Many of them have closed not beause of a lack of business or a lack of enthusiasm from the Tiki revivalists, but because of retirement, or insurmountable building repair costs, or development to the area forcing smaller, older businesses out.

Witness all of the major places we have lost in, say the past five years, such as Kahiki, Kona Kai (Chicago), as well as smaller beloved places like your local spot in Alexandria, and it all points to one thing: sooner or later, it'll ALL be gone.

The Tiki community has never successfully saved a place that was on the way out. Ever. There aren't enough of us in any one city - even LA - to make a difference.

In fact, many of the new Tiki bars (Rock A Tiki, Taboo Cove etc) aren't making it to the 2-year mark either.

So get out there and enjoy them while you can. Your patronage or lack thereof won't make a bit of difference to whether places like Trader Vic's in Chicago survives, but at least you'll enjoy yourself and soak in the good times and memories while you can.