Ever think of opening a Tiki Bar?

There's a small vacant bar that's part of the old Gray Hound bus station building in downtown Salinas. It's been closed for probably 20 years. The front is made of stacked carmel stone and is set back at an angle to the door with a planter under the eve - a perfect place to put tropical plants and a Tiki. It has that 'it was cool in the early 60's' vibe in a just sleezy enough building (even though that part of town is gentrifying) to be interesting. I don't know if the interior still has fixtures, but everytime I pass there I think what a cool place to make into a Tiki bar. I know the donut shop on the other end of the building only pays $500 a month rent so I'm sure the bar could be leased for a song. I'm half tempted to contact the owner and see what I could negotiate. I think I could reduce my financial risk by starting with a cheaper beer & wine license and make tropical mocktails using sake or soju. That's how one Hawaiian/Tiki restaurant here started. The later got their full liquor license when the place was able to stand on it's feet financially. There's even Chinese food place on the same block that I could get hourdevers from on the fly so I wouldn't even need a kitchen.

One big problem though - I've never ran a bar before.

It's a pie in the sky idea, but I'm interested in other peoples stories if they've tried it.

Or does anyone want the excitement of investing in a cheap, pre-sleezed Tiki Bar? :lol:

Dude,

I think about it every day.

If you have never worked in a bar or as a bartender learn how & get a job doing it right now. Even if it's just for a month or two.

Read three books on how to do it. they are out there, just google it.

Get your business plan in order. Books on this to, some have great templates. So again, read!

Avoid Business partners

Research & Read!

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."
~~Aristotle

[ Edited by: bohemiann 2007-07-27 17:58 ]

Yes ...just the other day ...But I have doubts that it would go over in the hinterland of Kumamoto ( people tend to be insular and close minded ) ...Young people have few places to hang out around here, though , and they'd be the target ( 20-35 ) ...Liquor license relatively easy to obtain in Japan ...

On 2007-07-27 16:25, Okolehao wrote:
think I could reduce my financial risk by starting with a cheaper beer & wine license and make tropical mocktails using sake or soju.

Soju ? You mean Japanese sho chu ?

Soju ? You mean Japanese sho chu ?

Soju is a Korean liquor distilled from rice, very similar to Japanese Shochu.

Weblog: Eye of the Goof

[ Edited by: MrBaliHai 2007-07-28 05:15 ]

[ Edited by: MrBaliHai 2007-07-28 05:15 ]

On 2007-07-27 16:25, Okolehao wrote:
There's a small vacant bar that's part of the old Gray Hound bus station building in downtown Salinas. It's been closed for probably 20 years. The front is made of stacked carmel stone and is set back at an angle to the door with a planter under the eve - a perfect place to put tropical plants and a Tiki. It has that 'it was cool in the early 60's' vibe in a just sleezy enough building (even though that part of town is gentrifying) to be interesting. I don't know if the interior still has fixtures, but everytime I pass there I think what a cool place to make into a Tiki bar. I know the donut shop on the other end of the building only pays $500 a month rent so I'm sure the bar could be leased for a song. I'm half tempted to contact the owner and see what I could negotiate. I think I could reduce my financial risk by starting with a cheaper beer & wine license and make tropical mocktails using sake or soju. That's how one Hawaiian/Tiki restaurant here started. The later got their full liquor license when the place was able to stand on it's feet financially. There's even Chinese food place on the same block that I could get hourdevers from on the fly so I wouldn't even need a kitchen.

One big problem though - I've never ran a bar before.

It's a pie in the sky idea, but I'm interested in other peoples stories if they've tried it.

Or does anyone want the excitement of investing in a cheap, pre-sleezed Tiki Bar? :lol:

OR....something I thought of recently...If there are enough tikiphiles in your area, maybe rent it out as a "Social Club"....or a "Lodge"....I don't know how the Lodge/Social Club system works, but I know there's a dues and membership system. You can deck it out all tiki, and rent it out for private parties, have shows with surf bands etc....

Then the rest of the time use it as a "social club" for Tiki Centralites, and others in your area who want a cool place to hang out, and, I'm not sure how the liquor deal works, but if you're not "Selling" it to the public, you may not need a license, if it's strictly on a Private party basis. You can host Tiki Art shows (or ANY kind of art shows) and have other tiki related events too.

If you have a few friends who would be interested in pitching in, you can split the initial cost, and try and get members to sign up on a dues system...like the Lodges back in the day. Everyone can pitch in decorating the place, maybe have some of the various Tiki Carvers and Artists put their stuff in there for sale, this way, you have nice tikis and tiki art in the place, and you can make a little commision on the sale as well (like when you see art for sale in a restaurant or coffee show)

If you push it here on TC, you may get some people to do it, this way they have a tiki bar to go to all the time. Of course, you wouldn't have to sell alcohol, it would all be for members, who "chip in" for the booze.

You can make additional income by renting it out for Private birthday parties, small company parties etc....If you make it really cool inside, you may be able to make it work.

I don't know, maybe it's a dumb idea, but I thought about it recently, after seeing how many people were at the Tiki Farm Big Ol Tiki Bash. It made me think about the various Lodges back in the day, and the Shriners etc....an "Organization" with members, rather than a "business" open to the public.

If there was one here in LA, I would sign up and pay mambership dues, as long as it wasn't something astronomical.

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2007-07-28 09:59 ]

Sacramento is in dire need of a Tiki Bar. Seems like a a great place for one, it must be the largest city in California without a Tiki establishment!

I think nearly everyone thinks about opening a bar of their own -- tiki or not. But the above posters are correct in that you should really do your homework. The fun of setting up a bar, decorating it and all is one thing, but day-to-day operations are another. Are you prepared for dealing with staff issues, drunks who won't leave, teenagers trying to get in, ABC hassling you, distributors, etc etc. I don't want to detract you from a dream, but you should defintely understand all the highs and lows. And getting a part time job as a bartender to get your feet wet is a must.

And if you still decide to open your tiki bar, by all means invite Tiki Central folks to the grand opening.

If you are completely on your own, you can make almost anything work if the rent is cheap enough and you're willing to give up your Apt and sleep in the office. When you start having employees, that's when you have problems on a serious level.

Always a good idea too if you can mix another business in to help further cut costs...Esspresso maybe? or Taxidermy? Guns, and Ski Masks perhaps?

The idea of the Sho-chu cocktails is pretty good, and you may be able to get a Brewery to set you up as a Tiki Tap Room to help you offset set up costs.

I agree more about Sacramento being a the victim of Tiki-famine...The Hukilau's absence is horrible

I think about it everyday that I go to work. There is this place, I believe it is called the Tiki Room in Pomona, CA. It is a huge building! It is painted black on the outside with a painted tiki in the wall. It is located in Pomona's Art District (old buildings). Everytime I drive by that place, it is closed, like locked empty closed. I think they might rent it out for special events, but haven't heard of one yet. That place could be a kick ass bar! And it already has the name!

On 2007-07-28 02:45, sushiman wrote:
Yes ...just the other day ...But I have doubts that it would go over in the hinterland of Kumamoto ( people tend to be insular and close minded ) ...Young people have few places to hang out around here, though , and they'd be the target ( 20-35 ) ...Liquor license relatively easy to obtain in Japan ...

SushiMan,
If you open a tiki bar Mr. G might make the mugs and be your designer. Hmm!?
http://www.mr-gkrazyart.com/

A few pictures for the investors.

Ain't it purty? :drink:

Do it.

Borrow from Dad if you have too. Don't take on partners. Parters ain't so bad if you are losing money, its when you start making money the troubles begin.

See if your city has a store-front improvement grant available. Get paid to build your dream.

Do it.
Robertiki

Not to be a parade rainer-onner, but are there a lot of derelict types in the area? Bus stops that I've seen usually attract these types and I'm not sure you'd want them hitting up your patrons for money. The bus stop in Houston is the worst.

Our little Hawaiian music combo plays regularly for a Hawaiian-themed coffee shop (Maui Wowi) and I always hear about the problems. Granted, it's a slightly different venue without the liquor license, but there are problems.

First, there are employees. You have to be willing to pay them well if you want ones of decent quality and be loyal. Otherwise, most of them don't do what you tell them to, are sometimes unreliable, and in the end they leave. The food and beverage industry has one of the highest turnover rates.

Next, there are the hours. The owner of the coffee house gets an average of about 3-4 hours of sleep a day, hardly ever gets/takes a day off, and has a multitude of daily tasks such as cleaning, stocking/inventory, accounting, payroll, etc. When things go wrong like a computerized register or dispenser malfunctioning, then the list of tasks multiplies.

She tells me that if you have a family or personal life, count on your activities being severely curtailed at least for the first couple of years. You likely won't see your children much until you can afford to hire a manager.

In any case, the best advice was given above: do your research. Talk to people who own bars and see if it's a lifestyle change that's acceptable.

[ Edited by: Mateotiki 2007-07-29 21:15 ]

Yeah, I have thought about it...

A) Get online and see what the requirements are for a liquor license. Don't even consider opening without it. If you can't get that funded, just forget it. Open well and thrive or fail. You can't build customers a year after you open like you can on opening day. Slow death.

B) Do it right.

C) Understand that you need to be there every time the doors open. And you will be there when they are closed too. You will manage people as much as anything else, and probably more. You are the solution to all the problems from plumbing to tardy employees to overflowing toilets. You gotta decide if you are ready for that.

D) Depending on the size of the place, you should be able to open for $150,000 or less. But, you won't have a big safety net.

E) You will be largely supported by those living within a few miles of you. Are your customers there?

Ah.... The glory days.... cleaning the bar mats ( there has to be a name for the brown sludge that seems to generate from thin air ) The rot that set into your digits from handling all of the citrus, counting out the drawer at 3:30 a.m. after kicking out the last drunk who has been puking in the bathroom for the last half hour that you have to mop up after you restock the bar and check you inventory. How people get there stuff on the ceilings in the bathroom has always been a hellish mystery that is best never understood. Of course there is always new artwork appearing in there, best thing to do is put in a chalkboard and encourage it. You could take pictures of the best ones and make a great.....coffee table book? er, no... bathroom reading material book from it.

I love the Lodge Thing! You've got me thinking on that one. My House could be a lodge! Of course I live next to a school. That could be a problem. Hey! A lodge that doubles as a Mixology school, since we are multi-tasking. Karaoke, pool table, batting cages, darts., putt putt golf, dance poles, showers.... It would make a good SIM.

There is a bar here in an historic local restaurant named Sinaloa. Sinaloa is a Mexican restaurant totally without pretense, but with stunningly simple and high quality food. The restaurant is Midcentury Modern Mexican complete with velvet paintings on the walls. If a person is not into kitsch then he will also miss out on the great food and sublime service. Sinaloa has been in a large, old, two-story house and operates on the bottom floor (massive). The second story--also massive--is the bar. They have tried to make a go of the place a number of time to no avail. They rent it out for banquets and if you order a drink they go upstairs to get it, but the bar is currently closed. The bar is the same Midcentury Modern Mexican look, but the space could quickly be tiki-ized. I know NOTHING about bartending but I have always thought the Sinaloa bar could be a goldmine IF it were marketed independently of the restaurant--it has a separate entrance as well as one from the restaurant.

Yup. I have thought of it. I think you are in a better position. If that is what you want, why not? Yea, go to work in a bar for a bit and learn pour counts and all of that. But hey, if it is your dream...Go do it!!!!! Maybe more of this would give me the courage.... good luck!!!!

Funny to notice this thread today, on my first visit to the forums in a while.

For whatever reason, this very thought has been on my mind all day. I don't think Kansas City can support a full-fledged tiki bar, but I've often thought a retro bar with a tiki flavor might work in the right place. For a while, at least.

I even know a good chef with time on her hands...

-BCM

Make sure you factor the cost of insurance.
Patrons drinking and tripping and falling may eventually file a claim.
Even if it is not a legit case, you need to have defense costs prepaid.

One cannot emphasize enough having a business plan to determine your profits.

BTW, will you get a loyal, regular crowd at a bar at a bus stop?
Somehow, I'm thinking that location may not be the best for your financial investment.

I'll say my usual thing even though I was called a "RAT" for saying it when the owner of the now defunct Kahiki Moon was mussing about open his place......I'm sure he now wishes he still had the money he put into it. :roll:

The hospitality industry is just that, an INDUSTRY. If you are not an experienced PROFESSIONAL don't waste your money! Would you open a auto body shop just because you like cars? I hope not! Restaurants are MUCH worse and it is a terribly hard industry to be in unless you like to work 7 days a week, 18 hours a day. BTW The bar and grill end of the biz is even more difficult than say fast food (which comes with an operators manual :lol: ) or even fine dining.....like to clean up puke? :P If you want to go into the B&G biz work at an established place for at LEAST a year if not FIVE then you MIGHT know enuff to survive having your own place....but probably not. Of course you could just have a bonfire with your money instead :lol:

Seriously I am NOT joking, and BTW I worked in the biz for 20+ years on several continents......good luck! :wink:

On 2007-07-28 10:19, Rum Hunter wrote:
Sacramento is in dire need of a Tiki Bar. Seems like a a great place for one, it must be the largest city in California without a Tiki establishment!

Yeah....that is just sad. :( Sacramento is desperately in need of a classy place with a Polynesian menu, good drinks in the proper vessels, live tiki entertainment, and quality tiki decorum. If I had money, I would sure be interested in taking on the challenge and think a business like this would do well in Roseville/Rocklin/Lincoln....some of the newest, fastest growing suburbs in the United States.

I would love to own a bar....but once again....I have no investment capital. :(

What is wrong with that Ratdouche. You're a real Debby Downer. How dare you even attempt to speak about my experience. You are the sorest of losers. I would commit to Kahiki Moon all over again, infact I am. I can only say the first try was a tremendous learning experience. With that said I will be much more careful this time. Swanky speaks the real truth. Listen to him or ask Martiki about his experience. Live your dream not the Ratturd's.

On 2007-08-05 11:10, VampiressRN wrote:

On 2007-07-28 10:19, Rum Hunter wrote:
Sacramento is in dire need of a Tiki Bar. Seems like a a great place for one, it must be the largest city in California without a Tiki establishment!

Yeah....that is just sad. :( Sacramento is desperately in need of a classy place with a Polynesian menu, good drinks in the proper vessels, live tiki entertainment, and quality tiki decorum. If I had money, I would sure be interested in taking on the challenge and think a business like this would do well in Roseville/Rocklin/Lincoln....some of the newest, fastest growing suburbs in the United States.

I would love to own a bar....but once again....I have no investment capital. :(

Two local ex-venues come to mind...The old Eppies at I-80 and Madison and the old ski shop off of Old Auburn Road in Citrus Heights...Both already have the basic "Polynesian" style roofs. I'm seriously thinking about one or the other?? I will post some shots soon! Cool thing about locality is we have the Pyronauts close by. :) Vamp, we will talk soon.

Psycho Tiki D (I know I am and I know Sacramento needs a TIKI BAR)!

I will open my (tiki) bar someday.

You'll all probably hate it.

No worries.

On 2007-08-15 23:15, RevBambooBen wrote:
I will open my (tiki) bar someday.
You'll all probably hate it.
No worries.

Open it! Let us be the judge of that! LOL Pour the drinks and let us contemplate....

On 2007-08-15 18:55, Primo Kimo wrote:
What is wrong with that Ratdouche. You're a real Debby Downer. How dare you even attempt to speak about my experience. You are the sorest of losers. I would commit to Kahiki Moon all over again, infact I am. I can only say the first try was a tremendous learning experience. With that said I will be much more careful this time. Swanky speaks the real truth. Listen to him or ask Martiki about his experience. Live your dream not the Ratturd's.

Who is sore and who is the loser here? From your post and your past it looks like you.....what a pathetic name caller you are :roll:

Yes Swanky speaks the truth, and only the beginning of all the truths there are to know in the biz. AGAIN if you don't know the biz well get some experience on someone else's dime (asst. managing at a chain restaurant is an easy gig to get for an eyeopener) then try to spread your wings. Dreams are good if you are prepared and not FOOLISH with your (or other's) money like so many others have been.

Remember a failure to plan is a plan to fail and part of this plan must be the knowledge that only experience can bring. :wink:

[ Edited by: Rattiki 2007-08-17 18:06 ]

I like the idea of a private members only club or lodge. And see if the city will grant you any monies to renovate. I don't know what the tax rate is on booze is in california,but in texas its cheaper to serve beer than liquor. Draft beer is a real money-maker in the bar. Maybe get a deal with local micro breweries to sell their products.
Talk to those who have the experience of opening (and especially closing)a bar with a few or no investors. Investors are great to open,but its when THEY decide it is profitable that it starts to suck.
Make it some Lodge that you have to wear fez's.

Rattiki = NATO (No Action Talk Only). To either fail or succeed you must make an attempt.

On 2007-08-18 10:51, Primo Kimo wrote:
Rattiki = NATO (No Action Talk Only). To either fail or succeed you must make an attempt.

I whole heartedly agree. "You must make an attempt" but an attempt should begin with getting the proper background and training. When you first anounced your desire to open the Kahiki Moon I recommended you not do it before you got some proper background and training. Since that time you could have worked in several places and positions within the biz and for a wage, salary and maybe even tips and been paid to learn SOME of the ins and outs of restauranteering. THEN (which means now) you could have made your attempt to open your "dream" place, but you did not want to take my advise (instead I was called names, Rattfink I think it was) but that was your choice. Why the KM is no longer open (the menu DID look interesting) I don't really know, nor do I care as I am sure I have heard (if not seen) it before. Nor do I relish that it occurred, on the contrary the more Tiki bars around the better IMO. OTOH I'm not going to see someone asking for advise on this BBS and not say something to them as I DO have the experience due to my ACTIONS.

BTW in the '90s NATO stopped the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. How do I know that? During that time I had several Yugoslavians in my employ working with me at the very successful B&G (#3 in Heineken sales in Holland) that I was running in Amsterdam. :P

This explains a lot.
btw, Rat - the Boracay Muslim Vendors Association called.
They want their watch back. And sunglasses.

Speaking of Amsterdam, cybertiki is hanging out there last I heard.

Now, who's opening a bar somewhere?
Salinas?

Better get yourself a gigantic ad campaign going.
If you build it they may or may not come, but if you advertise you can even sell billions and billions of lousy burgers.

Call up Britney Spears to be your spokesmodel. She's not doing anything.

Do..or not do...never try.

Be sure and have mugs, buy a whole bunch that way if you go out of business they will increase in value and you can sell them on EBAY while you look for a job. Even though I'm sure it will be a huge success it never hurts to hedge your bets!

That's going to be my new business model! Like Microsoft's ghostware release threats without actual product, I'm going to find a cool old empty building, and the only leasehold improvements I'll make are a cool big ol' tiki sign out front with some tiki torches and a cool large tiki, and then follow that up with a big ol' "closed forever" sign the same or next day. But I will have mugs mugs mugs! Warehouses of mugs!!! But John Q. Ebay Public won't know that, so they be forced into a wild bidding frenzy coma as I slowly release 1 mug every other week or so. Oh, and other "fixtures", like the "lamps" and such, can't forget about ebaying those!

Hey, is that space in the Greyhound bus station still available? Hmmmmmm...

as an owner of a tiki bar I say do it!
pm me any questions
steve/otto's shrunken head nyc

I dream about it!-if I won the MegaMillions tommorow, I'd be ready, because we all know that opening a restaurant/bar/tiki club is the fastest way to lose our money. I have a location picked out (would want to own, rather than rent, because that's where you make your money, selling the property, after the business goes down the tubes).

Your biggest challenge will be staff-Good help is hard to find (especially w/ what you'll be able to pay them). People, even the best ones, don't show up, leave on a whim, get a better job. If you can't handle almost the whole place by yourself (& who can?), you're screwed. It IS a wonderful dream, though, & I wish you success...Linda

Give me an empty warehouse on the West Side of MannyHattan.. I'll park 10 limo's in front of the place every Friday, Saturday Nite ... within a month the line will be down the street !!!!

On 2007-08-20 16:00, TikiLaLe wrote:
Give me an empty warehouse on the West Side of MannyHattan.. I'll park 10 limo's in front of the place every Friday, Saturday Nite ... within a month the line will be down the street !!!!

As a bar owner in manhattan expect those limos to be accompanied by the NYPD, Health Dept., Fire Dept, buildings dept. all looking to ticket/shut down the place.

That's why you need a 'Bloomberg' in your pocket !!!!

I never thought I would say that any mayor would be worse than Giuliani but Bloomberg is ... in spades.

Me and my girl are seriously looking into opening one in either Cleveland or Akron Ohio..
I have trolled this board for a long time. You guys are great. But recently we have decided to look deeper into the matter. Were giving ourselves 2 years to do research on it all.
We recently visited the Grass Skirt in Cbus Ohio. Great layout and something we both agreed would be the perfect size. Small food menu but great drinks. But we will see.
Just gotta think of a name..

Currently all of my research indicates that the next new real tiki bar should be built in Jacksonville, Florida. 8)

On 2007-08-04 07:45, christiki295 wrote:
Make sure you factor the cost of insurance.
Patrons drinking and tripping and falling may eventually file a claim.
Even if it is not a legit case, you need to have defense costs prepaid.

One cannot emphasize enough having a business plan . . .

Also, claims will be made arising out of bar fights, whether from injuries sustained due to insufficient security, or over zealous security. Probably all bogus, but better to have insurance than to pay for defense counsel instead of from out of your own pocket.

I cannot agree enough with the business plan recommendation. It is a business, not a hobby.

With that said, a busy bar can generate a lot of cash, which I hear is virtually tax free.

[ Edited by: christiki295 2013-02-11 08:17 ]

70% of sales in my restaurants/bars are credit cards. And you could hide the rest from the government so as to not pay taxes on it... but I don't and wouldn't suggest anyone take that risk. (They serve a lousy Mai-Tai in the big house.) :)

[ Edited by: Bongo Bungalow 2013-02-11 12:27 ]