Post #573099 by Swanky on Mon, Jan 24, 2011 9:06 AM

Just in case you are not emmersed in the history and the California answer does not make things clear:

Donn Beach opened his place at the end of Prohibition in 1933. He invented what we now call the Tiki bar. He was very soon copied by Victor Bergeron who had opened his place "Hinky Dinks" at the end of Prohibition in 1933. He renamed it "Trader Vic's". He, and many others jumped on the Beachcomber bandwagon. Those 2 eneded up, along with Steve Crane's Kon Tiki's as chains that crossed the US and on around the world. Those were all also copied and became every other place with every other name out there. The Mai-Kai was created by the brothers Bob and Jack Thornton in 1956 after having visited Don the Beachcomber's in Chicago. That same inspiration lead to the Kahiki opening in 1961 in Ohio. The success of the Mai-Kai fanned the flames in Florida as well and may have been the source of a second wave.

All of this is owed to Don. And his "Rum Rhapsodies" which created a huge excitement that went round the world. He himself had traveled around the world and his Tahitian and other island trips inspired him. After him, it was greatly inspired by the Oceanic Arts museum catalogs that the makers of things copied.

So, Californis is the answer. One man started it all.