Post #327799 by mrsmiley on Thu, Aug 23, 2007 7:03 PM

"Are there any Tiki bars in Vegas?"? So many times newbies ask the members of TIki Central before they discover the "Search" function. And for years the answer has essentially been "no"-no real tiki "bars" but scattered tiki here and there in restaurants/bars. So imagine my shock to see The Las Vegas Weekly mention two "tiki bars" in their Agust 23-29, 2007 edition. One is the existing Tahiti Joes (page 80)and the other is the upcoming Vic's(page 76). Yes, I new about them both, but it was still cool to see a double tiki mention!! I know it won't be a mirror image of any of the classic Vic's locations, but it has great visibility and supposedly great access (two things that Taboo Cove didn't have -by the way, Taboo Cove was doomed-bad location, hard to find, poor-or no-promotion/advertising and it opened weeks before 9/11-the event that directly and indirectly caused the closure of MANY businesses).
Vic's will most likely be a surprise or even a bit of a shock to us old style Tiki bar lovers, but I hope I will still like enough about it for me to return multiple times.

Vics- http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/content/nc/nightlife/single-story/article/traders-spaces/

Trader's spaces

August 23, 2007
by Justin Jimenez

Las Vegas Weekly gets an exclusive look at the new Trader Vic's in Miracle Mile

Get ready for mai tais, lots of them. This isn’t the froufrou white Slurpee you are used to, either—this is the original. Using seasoned rum with fresh lime, Dutch Orange Curacao, rock-candy syrup and a dollop of French Orgeat, this is a portable island party. The legacy of Victor J. Bergeron Trader is coming to Las Vegas and is bringing all the tiki goodness you can handle with it. No matter if you have been to any of the 30-plus restaurants in 22 cities across the world, you have never been to a Trader Vic’s like the one opening up in the Miracle Mile on September 21.

We’ll get to the ultralounge in a minute, but first, the thing that is going to make Vic’s a signature Strip staple: the patio. Overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard, 7 feet above the sidewalk, it’s a gem destined to become a top open-air imbibing playground. Complete with palms, thatch and a sweeping shingled roof, it will also have its own bar.

“This is going to be a better Margaritaville, a different Mon Ami Gabi and nothing like Pure,” said Bill Tremper of Trader Vic’s, of his neighboring patios. “What we are creating here will be the touchstone of the 60-year-old brand. It is going to be amazing.”

The lanai (meaning patio) has a great view of the Bellagio fountains across the street and easy access from foot traffic along the street.

Just inside is the restaurant, which has the least theming of any of the eateries of the brand but will still serve the same Euro-Asian-Polynesian fare as the rest of the franchise. The 120-seat room will move to urban beats backed by a Polynesian drum. A private table located at the switchback of a towering staircase can be replaced by a DJ if the night calls for it.

“This is definitely more contemporary than other Trader Vic’ses,” Tremper said as we navigated through the finishing touches of the construction that began in January.

“The idea is to bring in the Vegas market with a more party-like atmosphere while still being accessible to everyone. Then maybe people will be inspired to revisit the Trader Vic’s back home you haven’t been to in a while.”

Still, one concept that will remain true is the “tikiphiles,” a cult-like band of purists, holding conferences and festivals and get-togethers with like-minded island purists. Trademark Trader Vic’s design elements will be stashed throughout the complex.

The stairs wind further up to the most intriguing element of the $13.5 million three-in-one venue: the Tiki Club ultralounge. About five stories up, the view rivals the Eiffel Tower restaurant and uses floor-to-ceiling windows to make that point. The furniture will be movable, with plush couches replacing customary stationary booths.

This will allow for more freedom when it comes to adjusting to the demands of the night. Ideally, on the busiest evenings, the dining room can transform into part of the lounge experience, spilling onto the patio to mix with the passersby. If things are slow, the lounge crew stays upstairs for afterhours. There will be a separate DJ booth in the lounge, although the residents have yet to be named. The bottle price seems to be capitalizing on the backlash against inflated prices, hovering around a very reasonable $150. Talks are already in the works for industry-appreciation nights as well.

Doc Wiener, CEO and managing partner of DW Enterprises, who holds the lease to the space and will be running Trader Vic’s, has ties with Pure Management Group, going all the way back to the opening of Coyote Ugly at New York-New York in 2001. He has had the lease on this prime real estate for the past two years but opted to wait on the Trader Vic’s concept until the transition to Planet Hollywood was complete. The official grand opening of Miracle Mile is exactly one week after the opening of Trader Vic’s.

With the opening of the Cosmopolitan resort across the street slated for 2009, Weiner looks to continue to increase his standing in the Vegas service industry, already in talks for two more restaurant venues as well as a nightlife outlet, and even the possibility of a pool club.

One important element at Trader Vic’s that can’t be left out is the Trader Vixens. While there is no word on coconut bikinis, these gals will convince even the manliest of us to buy a drink with an umbrella.

Justin Jimenez firmly believes we should draft beer, not people. And he always sees better through the bottom of an empty glass. The freelance nightlife writer for Las Vegas Weekly, he can be reached at [email protected]."

Tahiti Joes- http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/content/nc/news/single-story/article/authentic-hokum/