Post #773883 by AceExplorer on Fri, Mar 10, 2017 6:36 AM

On 2017-03-09 21:56, HaleTiki wrote:
...if I had a limited amount of start up cash (which I probably will unless I get lucky) what should I prioritize?

Here's my input.
Don't let the lack of startup capital get totally in the way. Do the best you can with what you have and avoid the very low end Party City stuff.

I've posed this question to others on reddit and got a similar response to the first two answers so far. That decor is the most important. I totally agree with that. I just want to see if that continues to hold true and maybe what I should focus on after that.

Avoid the mistake of serving crappy drinks, and here's why:

1. Some folks (like me, and a good percentage of the folks who "get" tiki) really appreciate good cocktails. Sitting in a decent or developing tiki environment with crappy drinks will (to me) fall way short of a full and memorable experience. And I HATE paying $12 for a shitty tiki drink. Believe me, that's a problem in my city, and I hate forking over big bucks and getting crap to drink.
2. Today there is NO EXCUSE to serve bad drinks. We have Jeff Berry, Martin Cate, and a number of others with STELLAR tiki and rum drink recipe books. Just by using some of their published recipes you can elevate yourself above MOST of the bars in any city. Then you can innovate LATER after you've developed a following with good cocktails. HONOR your guest by serving good cocktails. To do otherwise is cheating them of a very incredible cocktail experience which they are willing to pay for cuz they can't get it anywhere else.

Then, for your atmosphere, good music is essential. Transport your guests mentally and visually outside to remote islands. Dampen noise if you are busy and draw crowds - use lots of thatch and soft goods on the walls to absorb and break up sound. Bamboo Ben, for example, excels at this and it's just a part of the mojo which he brings to his creations.

Also for atmosphere, good lighting is also essential. People need to read their menus, and that can be tough to achieve, but they also appreciate soft light to match the mood set by music and visual décor.

Try to avoid sucking at it. The more compromises you make, the less memorable (and less valuable) your guest experience will be. Your product is not just tiki - it is a whole guest experience. This also means DON'T BUILD IT UNLESS YOU GET IT AT MOSTLY RIGHT. Why go half way and fail? Go far enough to be decently good at it (be credible!) and enjoy success, then keep ramping it up on a regular basis until you're done. Tease your guests with improvements. Avoid starting out on the road to "tiki roadkill" - start out on the road to tiki success.

If you are planning to build something, we here all very much want you to succeed. Read these forums and get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Learn from those who have failed, and from those who are limping along. Ask questions. Then kick ass and count us among your supporters and friends.

I hope that helps and that we'll get to share a good Mai Tai and Zombie someday to celebrate your success. Cheers!