Island style coffee house next door to House of Tiki?

Aloha!
Just curious what TCers think about a hawaiian style coffee joint. I have had the idea for a long time but just recently aquired the space next to me. Would love to hear your input. My thought is to offer really good coffee and tropical smoothies, as well as island sweets and maybe shave ice for summer (?) Other ideas include: Ukulele lessons on certain nights, local artists showcase, hawaiian videos on a flat panel tv, wireless internet (???), local papers and mags etc. all in a very relaxed bamboo encrusted setting.
I have a huge list of names I came up with but narrowed it down to these few (let me know what you think)
1.Hot Lava java
2.Island Grinds
3.Ukulele Cafe
4.Island Bean
5.Hukilau Cafe (over-used?)
6.Aloha Cafe
7.Kahunas Koffee
8.Kailua Cafe
Any suggestions, comments, etc. please respond or drop me an email: [email protected]

If you build it...I will come. Please do.
My vote goes for "Hot Lava Java".

Good idea. I like Island Grinds.

:o Oooo ... good name! Hot Lava Java mmmmm...

[ Edited by: DawnTiki on 2005-02-04 11:21 ]

I like Hot Lava Java too. Best wishes to you on this venture, Wes. Can't wait for the Grand Opening!

Mahalos for the input! I too like Hot Lava Java and coincidently got turned on to a very cool mug that would fit right in to that theme! I will start destructing the interior March 1. Anyone who wants to pick up a sledge hammer and get your frustrations out is welcome to do so. I am hoping to have it done by May and will have a very Grand opening. Smokin' Menehunes, are you listening?

Wes --
I'll help you tear that sucker down. Sounds like a visit for Bruce Lee.... WATAH!

there is a hawaiian themed coffee joint below the embassy suites in downtown san diego, last I was there. they played live music at night and sold beer as well. neat idea, kind of dive-y.

How about dishing out Lapperts ice cream? ...... banana fudge..... mmmmmm........

oops!

[ Edited by: shakatiki on 2005-02-04 23:50 ]

Great ideas! Island Grinds is another one of my faves but a friend in the south bay has a catering biz with same name. Hey Pup, Howzabout a bannana fudge mocha? Danger, do you know the name of the place in SD?

Hey Wes, that's going to be great! Is it where the chicken/burger joint was or the flower/gift shop? I don't think you can go wrong having it next to House of Tiki, they will support each other perfectly.

I own a sledge hammer!

On 2005-02-04 07:40, tikitortured wrote:
If you build it...I will come. Please do.
My vote goes for "Hot Lava Java".

Sorry folks - the name went many years ago. It's made by Taylors of Harrogate (Yorkshire UK) and is the best coffee on the market.

Trader Woody

How about just "Lava Java" ?

I think it's got a nice ring to it...

Sure, we can help with the demo. also, scott is a tile contractor if you need some tile done in the new joint, he can maybe help (or help you get a discount on some tile). you've met him-he's the one that was talking to you at the Aloha Days in Hermosa-right before he got nailed with the "open container" ticket from the wonderful hermosa bch police. Let us know if you need help at [email protected]

Thanks all! I did find out about the Hotlava brand coffee and heard it was some good high octane stuff. I have actually aproached them to see if there will be a problem with a shop carrying the same name. I would even buy the coffee from them if it's as good as it sounds. We'll see...

Hey Scott and Gina,
Thanks for the offer of some tile work. How busy are you right now? (or in a month or so?) I will have the drawings finished in a week or so, and would like to meet with you to talk about it. I also am an ex gen.contractor, and I get lots of people asking me for my old subs, who are either too busy or too unreliable. Do you do stamped concrete? I want the breezeway to look like lava. Anybody have any Ideas? Mahalos! Wes

Hey-Check the email I sent you. I'll have Scott get back to you before the end of the weekend!

On 2005-02-05 11:12, procinema29 wrote:
How about just "Lava Java" ?

I think it's got a nice ring to it...

I like that better than "Hot Lava Java", too. This sounds like a terrific project. If you are going to have entertainment there, perhaps a slight er, license change would make it even more likely to attract an audience.

This sounds like a very cool thing! Are you going to post the exact date that you are going to start the demo? (or the date that you want TCer's to help with the demo?)

I dig Lava Java too.

Will there be poetry readings, like beat style ya' know? I think that would be cool.

I too like Lava Java. have some heavy duty thinking to do in the coming weeks. I will head to Chicago to go to a coffee convention and attend classes like espresso for dummies I assume. Mostly an excuse to go see trader vics in Chi-town. As far as the poetry, hey why not? I remember one happy days episode at a beatniks bar. Fingers snappin'" Little boy with his nose pressed up against the bakery window, (bongo riff)... there are no donuts today." snap! snap!

Shouldn't coffee college be held in BEAN town?
And be taught by Juan Valdez?
I like Hot Lava Java
It just kinda flows for me
Can't wait for Dobie Gillis night
Gilligan?

Thanks Skipper! I have had most votes go to Hot Lava Java and drew up some cool preliminary logo scetches. I'm hoping to get an artist like Rick Reitveld (amazing tiki/surf artist) or Doug Horne (or????) to help with the branding. I will start DESTRUCTION on March 2 or 3, and it will take a few days. It's midweek, so a little tough for some, but if you want to get some aggression out, come on down! Mahalos for the support. Wes

Wes braddah!

How's about the Smokin' Menehunes playing the Grand Opening!

Hey Bong, I think you took the words right out of his thread.
Great idea
Hey Wes everytime I try to shave ice it just dulls my razor

I found this while using the local search on google .
http://www.badasscoffee.com/storegallery.php

[ Edited by: rodeotiki on 2005-02-07 22:17 ]

Hey Wes how about...

Lava ROCK Java

As in lava rock and rock-n-roll! You could have the Smokin M's play every month or maybe a band every week.

Did you get my email? Call me.

Playing off Mean Gene's idea, what about "Rockin' Lava Java?"

On 2005-02-07 10:20, Tiki_Bong wrote:
Wes braddah!

How's about the Smokin' Menehunes playing the Grand Opening!

No shirt shitlock! Of course you're already at the top of the list Brah!!! I've been wanting you guys to play since you formed the group. I just hope you don't go platinum too fast and become so famous that we won't be able to afford ya.

Great ideas guys! The Badass coffee co.has a killer design team that does all the locations. I talked to the owner and he was interested in getting me to buy a franchise. Big bucks though! When you check their website, look for all the store designs. Mine will be a little less disney-esq, and more like you drove in off the road to kealakekua bay. Mahalos! ...Oh, and I contacted the UK based Taylors of Harrogate Tea co. and they are willing to put their "high octane" Hot Lava Java coffee on my shelves, (along with all the Hawaiian coffees of course) I welcome all input.

Are the fake plant people gone yet?
We need demo, both my children want to ruin something with sledge hammers and they keep staring at my car.
Are you going to do like bean bag chairs?
And can every other Tues. be White Snake poetry night?

Please come to Indiana! Please!

Please?

Let us know when the opening is. We will bring down some folks from Vegas. Can't wait!!

Plant people leave in a couple weeks and then we destroy, smash, rip and ruin!!! Can't wait. I will post the proposed opening date as it looms a little closer. There are alot of hoops to jump through with the city. Anybody know how to achieve a "lava" looking floor (over concrete) with Hawaiian petroglyphs? Without spending alot of clams. By the way thanks coconut kiss for the idea. I actually saw something like that over on Oahu, but my brain can't remember where. There is an overlay process, but very expensive.
...Live Aloha! Wes

don't know if it's still there, but santa monica used to have a small tiki coffee shop called the "CACAO"....it's decor mixed sci-fi and tiki, you know, flying saucers piloted by easter island headed aliens, -that sort of thing. they used to have cool art showings there back in the day......

I Love it . I wish it was in My naighborhod. I like Hot Lava Java or better yet Lava Hot Java
What ever you name it I hope it goes well

I Love it . I wish it was in My naighborhod. I like Hot Lava Java or better yet Lava Hot Java
What ever you name it I hope it goes well

Lava floor.. yes. They did a lava wall on Crazy Al's show he was on. They used mortar with black coloring. They layed the mortar out, and pushed a real lava rock into it to get the pourous air bubble look. I've also heard that if you roll up a section of reed fencing, and use the end of it, you can poke the reeds into the cement for the lava look. They then painted when dry to bring out the details of the air bubbles Also, for the petroglyphs, I've carved cement, and if you do it at the right drying time, its not hard. I used a dremmel, the same way I carve my necklaces, or designs into my palm tikis. I've got the show taped, if you can't get it from Al. You got someone working on your logo yet????? hint hint.

Mahalos Tony! I will talk to Crazy Al and ask him about the lava floor. If your down in this area stop on by and check the space out. We will start demo this week. I just got back from Coffee fest in Chicago, and had a nice meal at Trader Vics in the Palmer House. Pretty cool! Later Wes

Cool, I am planning on being in your hood next week.

Wes! Let me know if you need some actual pics of the petroglyphs in Hawaii for reference. I've got them from our trip. You can always make the floor a washed concrete and put the petroglyphs along the wall or make faux rocks and have them carved into those (most of the petroglyphs were on rocks.) When I used to work up in LA, we were bulding a digital mastering facility in a mayan theme and had mayan images sandblasted into a couple of pieces of slate. Scott did the tile/slate work on the walls of the bathroom and shower and put the sandblasted slates randomly throughout. Looked insane! Got pics of that too and an actual sample. Crazy Al and Brad came in and painted the walls, floors and outside conference room with mayan scenes. it was AMAZING work..too bad the company folded! I think the building is still intact and being used by Rhythm and Hues in Playa de Rey. Let me know cos I can bring 'em by! Gina

Thanks Gina! I would love to see the pics if you have the time. I will look for that place in Playa del Rey maybe this weekend. I also heard that Bobby (lucky tiki)used to own a coffee house. Are you out there Bobby? Mahaloz to all!

On 2005-02-04 12:15, Traderpup wrote:
How about dishing out Lapperts ice cream? ...... banana fudge..... mmmmmm........
Da kine ice cream!!!!I contacted these guys and they will come down when I get a little closer to opening. (?) Aloha, Wes

Hey Wes,
Any final designs yet? Don't foget to give Wade K. a call, he's in to helping out. Keep in touch.

Thanks Gene, I was gonna call Wade soon anyways. He is one of my favorite artists I carry at the shop. Aloha, Wes

On 2005-02-17 20:31, Tipsy McStagger wrote:
don't know if it's still there, but santa monica used to have a small tiki coffee shop called the "CACAO"....it's decor mixed sci-fi and tiki, you know, flying saucers piloted by easter island headed aliens, -that sort of thing. they used to have cool art showings there back in the day......

Yes we are still there. It's a full-fledged tiki/sci-fi blend coffee house. I'd be happy to give pointers if you are still trying to put together a coffee house idea.

• Cacao

Where in Santa Monica? I would love to come check it out and visit my old stompin' grounds. I'll be sure to let you know when I head your way so we can "coffee talk" I finally have things moving forward after a few time consuming setbacks, and the lack of more arms to juggle more projects. Thanks for the post! Shaka