Post #505173 by GatorRob on Mon, Jan 18, 2010 5:57 AM

Bill, I completely agree that there is no room on Tiki Central for hateful comments or snobbish, rude behavior. And I've seen it too over the years (and I dearly hope that none of my posts have ever been taken as such). But best not to let a few people spoil the party. Fill a room full of random people and someone is going to act that way. Tiki Central is no exception. I have other good friends who are still deeply into tiki, but don't participate on Tiki Central anymore because that kind of behavior did spoil the party for them. And that's a shame. But I see that negativity and "elitist" behavior as the exception, not the rule here.

Here's my biggest beef about the use of the "Trader Vic's" name for a concept like this... it dilutes the image/brand. No longer does Trader Vic's mean what it used to. If there were no other old school traditional Vic's left, I'd just be lamenting the loss of a great old chain. But they do still exist and I think this new concept hurts those still in existence. I could be wrong, but I would imagine the people who run the traditional, higher end Vic's restaurants cringe when they see the Trader Vic's logo on this new place. I'd have no problem with it if they'd just call it something else. To use an analogy, to many of us, a Mai-Tai means rum, lime, curacao, orgeat and sugar. Toss in some grenadine and pineapple juice and it's no longer a Mai-Tai, it's something else. It may be good and people may like it, but call it something else or you dilute the meaning of the name Mai-Tai and people start to forget what a real Mai-Tai is. That's my problem with calling a fun, bright, casual, family-friendly place a Trader Vic's.

Sven through his books and many others through Tiki Central and other outlets try very hard to get people to remember what Tiki Style (copyright Sven Kirsten :wink:) meant in the mid-20th century. Putting the Trader Vic's name to this restaurant concept hurts that effort IMHO. Eventually, people will forget that there ever was a more elegant and exotic Vic's. Otherwise, I really have no problem with it. I've been to many places that look like this and enjoyed it for what it was. But it would have spoiled that enjoyment if any of those places had called themselves Trader Vic's or Don the Beachcomber.

And... I'll take you up on that offer. Carving jam? I'll bring my shaker! :D