Trader Vics Las Vegas Death Watch

the hot dogs at the gas station next to Frankies are ok too.

Oi! What's next Oki Dog? Hmmmm & maybe name one after Darby...

They're going to have bartenders? What kind of booze (besides beer) goes well with a Pink's dog? (I guess if you're already drunk, pretty much anything goes well with a hot dog.)

If Pink's is going into the TVLV space, maybe all they did was look at that patio area packed with twentysomethings and realize that's cash flow that cannot be ignored. Dogs and sodas inside, cerveza and Vodka Red Bulls outside.

Here's my original idea from a former post:

"If you can make a great tiki bar out of a dive bar (Frankie's), why not make a cool dive bar out of a bad tiki bar? This can be done to the LV Trader Vic's. To begin with, you can get LA street gangs to start dealing crack out of the place at night to make it edgy and dangerous. During the day, you can bus in patrons from the East Fremont motels and the Western Casino to provide additional authentic color. Rename the place "Atomic Vic's" and market it as a little slice of old East Fremont on the Strip. Now that would be interesting."

But if you did that (Atomic Vic's) then the Vodka&Red Bull crowd would start flooding Fremont thinking it was "Cool" and ruin what little is left of the Vegas I Like!!!!

The other half and I are stoppin for the night in Vegas on the way out to Tiki Oasis and she asked if we should stay on the strip, I asked her "Why"????

We stayed on the strip at the Flamingo Hotel last week.
Photographed the Tiki ruins hidden in the back of the tennis courts.




Anyone know the story of what this was originally?

Visited a certain place next to the Flamingo where I found this Wahine.

I could tell you where but I would probably be banned. :)

Tiki Central night at Frankie's on Wed met P. Moss and some of the Las Vegas TC gang.

We also visited LVTV for a Mai Tai twice during our stay.

First one at the "Tiki Bar" was served by Ryan pictured here.

They were serving in plastic cups but he knew how to make a real Mai Tai.
(P. Moss, you should hire this guy)
Sunday night we went back and my girlfriend took one sip of her Mai Tai. That was it. "We're out of some of the ingredients" we were told.

We were both shocked at the difference between the two visits. We dumped the drinks and kept our plastic Las Vegas TV cups.

I should have known better when we were served a red Mai Tai.

RIP LVTV

This message was edited for P.C.

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2009-06-16 10:03 ]

"I could tell you where but I would probably be banned. "

Remember what happens here in Vegas, stays here in Vegas!

It was great to meet you, and hope the rest of your trip was great.

On 2009-06-16 10:01, Ojaitimo wrote:
Visited a certain place next to the Flamingo where I found this Wahine.

A TNA agent... BUSTED!

But, wow! In fairness, I'd have to claim that woman's to blame... it's not your own damn fault.

The troubling question: How are you going to keep the boys on the 'tiki farm', after they get a look at this?

"The rum's the thing..."

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2009-06-19 13:21 ]

Yes,yes! Margaritaville, mea culpa!
In a moment of weakness brought on by a strong Mai Tai I made in my room, I did indeed wander down there out of curiosity.
My urban archeology training has taught me to bear the unbearable. As a Tiki reporter, my mission is bring my fellow TCers a glimpse of the dark side that many of you should never have to suffer.
Inky Louise, you're right. What happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas.
Remember Bizarro world in the Superman comics? Everything was reversed. Thats Las Vegas to me except for Frankie's of course.
In my humble opinion, when the Margaritaville looks better than the Las Vegas TV?

The important thing to remember here is the Save the Tata's Foundation. They need our support where ever they are.

Trader Vic's is closed. I went today to try to get a mug or something But No!I was there at around 11:45 am today and the gates were pulled to.No signs no nothing,So I asked the customer service guy what was going on and he told me they was closed.Cobo Wabo will be the next business to try their hand at that location.He could not give me a time when they may open.

R.I.P.

this sucks...i wish they did a better job :(

It's always sad to see a tiki establishment go.

A few pictures from our first visit there.

[ Edited by: Tiki Kupcake 2009-06-29 00:54 ]

It didn't suck to see this one go. Little thought behind it, except for the actual Vic's name, the food stank and prices weren't commensurate with the quality, or lack there of(even bottled water was $10)
What sucked is that it wasn't planned better.

And the winner in the Trader Vic's Las Vegas Death Watchis.............ABSOLUTELY NO ONE! Not Trader Vic's Corporate, not us, not the employees who lost their jobs, not the owner of the las Vegas location. Nope-pretty much everyone lost! RAZZ!

I wish they'd change the name already and stop giving Trader Vic's a bad name. Imagine someone who's never been to a TV going to Vegas and making this their first experience. They'd shrug and wonder what the big deal is.

DIE LVTV! DIE!

I wonder how long it will take until we see a thread for the Dallas Trader Vic's.

Now if that one turns full belly up, it will be truly a sad day.
"At least I got drunk there."
Will be my final words for the Dallas one.

And the winner in the Trader Vic's Las Vegas Death Watchis.............ABSOLUTELY NO ONE! Not Trader Vic's Corporate, not us, not the employees who lost their jobs, not the owner of the las Vegas location. Nope-pretty much everyone lost! RAZZ!

couldn't have said it better!

On 2009-06-30 09:22, Unkle John wrote:
I wonder how long it will take until we see a thread for the Dallas Trader Vic's.

Now if that one turns full belly up, it will be truly a sad day.
"At least I got drunk there."
Will be my final words for the Dallas one.

What's up? I thought the born again Dallas Trader Vics was doing well (all things considered).

Regardless of whether a place is a tiki establishment or not, I will never understand why a company will spend millions to set up a restaurant/bar and then fail to teach bartenders how to make drinks, fail to train waitstaff and then fail to have decent food. Its like they want the business to be a disaster from the start. I mean, its not hard to tell someone how to make a drink, take an order or tell the cook to try something else. You can do that for free! It would take 5 minutes to tell the bartender how to make a mai tai. I say this after having worked in several restuarants in my day.
The winner is FRANKIES, by the way!!!! Long live Frankies Tiki Room!!!!!

Don't be too quick to place all the blame on management.

The property is said to be cursed.

Here's the time-line:

1. The original hotel built on the site was the Tally-Ho in 1963.

2. It failed in 1964 (as the King's Crown) when it was denied a gaming license.

3. In 1966, the hotel was purchased and renovated into the Arabian-themed Aladdin Hotel & Casino.

4. In 1997, the Aladdin was imploded to build a new Arabian-themed resort called the Aladdin !!

5. The new Aladdin opened in 2000 and failed to earn a profit from the start. (How does a casino manage to lose money ??) The place was sold in 2003.

6. From 2003-2007, the Aladdin was gradually rethemed into the current Planet Hollywood.

7. Due to the downturn in the economy, the owners have decided to scale back operations. The current plan is to downsize to a 1960's retro-style theme, rename the place the "Tally-Ho", and to sell chili dogs. :)

On 2009-06-30 14:31, TikiGoddess wrote:
Regardless of whether a place is a tiki establishment or not, I will never understand why a company will spend millions to set up a restaurant/bar and then fail to teach bartenders how to make drinks, fail to train waitstaff and then fail to have decent food. Its like they want the business to be a disaster from the start. I mean, its not hard to tell someone how to make a drink, take an order or tell the cook to try something else. You can do that for free! It would take 5 minutes to tell the bartender how to make a mai tai. I say this after having worked in several restaurants in my day.
The winner is FRANKIES, by the way!!!! Long live Frankies Tiki Room!!!!!

I suspect sometimes they made good drinks and sometimes not... but that's likely not why they failed here. The concept, (a unique, modern, ultra lounge version of the TVics concept), was wrong for the site and for the times. Once it was clear they were not going to attract the sales they needed, the place fell apart until they got to the point of closing it. Long live Frankies!

On 2009-07-01 06:48, RevBambooBen wrote:

Maybe the new tenants could compromise and re-carve some of the Tikis to look like Sammy?

On 2009-06-30 13:55, rugbymatt wrote:
What's up? I thought the born again Dallas Trader Vics was doing well (all things considered).

Read here Matt: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=23192&forum=2&start=75

It sounds like the beginning of the end. Let's hope the locals can change their mind. I know I'll be voicing it when I come back to visit.

Texas Tikiphiles Unite!

[ Edited by: Unkle John 2009-07-01 09:27 ]

Maybe we should just give up on corporate Tiki like Trader Vic's. They need to cater to the lowest common denominator (i.e. tourists and non-Tikiphiles) to be successful. Yeah I know the new downtown LA Trader Vic's is cool but if it doesn't generate sufficient revenue then you can bet it'll evolve into a "Tiki" sports bar to satisfy the Staples Center and Convention Center crowds.

The corporate Tiki model was successful through the mid-1960's but that was when Hawaii was still considered exotic and the sexual revolution hadn't taken off yet.

Also if you think about it, shouldn't "corporate Tiki" be an oxymoron anyway ??

It may be best to be satisfied (and spend your dollars) with small independently-owned places like Tiki-Ti, Frankie's, Forbidden Island, and the upcoming Smuggler's Cove.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-07-01 13:14 ]

On 2009-07-01 13:10, JOHN-O wrote:
Maybe we should just give up on corporate Tiki like Trader Vic's. They need to cater to the lowest common denominator (i.e. tourists and non-Tikiphiles) to be successful. Yeah I know the new downtown LA Trader Vic's is cool but if it doesn't generate sufficient revenue then you can bet it'll evolve into a "Tiki" sports bar to satisfy the Staples Center and Convention Center crowds.

The corporate Tiki model was successful through the mid-1960's but that was when Hawaii was still considered exotic and the sexual revolution hadn't taken off yet.

Also if you think about it, shouldn't "corporate Tiki" be an oxymoron anyway ??

It may be best to be satisfied (and spend your dollars) with small independently-owned places like Tiki-Ti, Frankie's, Forbidden Island, and the upcoming Smuggler's Cove.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-07-01 13:14 ]

Give up on Trader Vic's?! WHAAA?

Yep, just confirmed, Cabo Wabo will fill the Las Vegas trader Vic's.

ESP or what?

On 2009-07-01 13:10, JOHN-O wrote:
Maybe we should just give up on corporate Tiki like Trader Vic's. They need to cater to the lowest common denominator (i.e. tourists and non-Tikiphiles) to be successful.

I personally left on that bus along time ago, when they allowed the Beverly Hills location to be decimated, along with all of its colorful history. Sold Out. Trader Vic's is no longer the TV of yesteryear. With alot of its white walls and brass rails-type urban upscale look to "fit in" with today's times, ultimately void of thatch, tiki and tropical essence that once made the chain a great locale.

As of the past 8-10 years or so, T.V. hit the slide downwards in my book, and since, has become a watered down version of its own former glory. I'm glad and applaud the efforts that the L.A. location(John) had brought in advisors and artists from T.C., who knew what a tiki bar should look like, in the eyes of, and according to, the examples held in the T.C. community. I do wish the L.A. location, and Texas location best of wishes, as they are about the only two closest chains that truly represent what a T.V. should look like.

Lol, I know what you mean, no real esp needed, but it finally went from rumor to official today from their pr peeps.

On 2009-07-13 09:53, RevBambooBen wrote:
ESP or what?

What

On 2009-07-13 20:08, TikiPug wrote:

On 2009-07-13 09:53, RevBambooBen wrote:
ESP or what?

What

RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite

Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 5598
From: Huntington Beach
Posted: 2008-09-20 2:59 pm

I read somewhere that Sammy Hagar Cabo Wabo might be taking over the space.

Anything would be better than white walls.

Bamboo Ben Custom Tropical Decor!
I build stuff for you!
Google search me and see!

[ Edited by: RevBambooBen 2008-09-20 15:02 ]

Looks like the white walls came down on them!

...white walls, overpriced food, half-arse decor...

I was in Vegas last weekend-all that was left of TV's was the logo way high up in the old storefront on the left. Otherwise it looks like nothing was ever there. They even have a white wall over the old opening to the Miracle Mile shops. My neighbor didn't believe me that TV's was ever there until I pointed out the mask from across the street.

It's true that it gave TV's a bad name and that first time TVers wouldn't know what all the fuss was about.

But we have Frankie's! Even if idiots have taken some of the dice out of the tikis' eyes by the front door!

Now if we could only get a tiki bar in Sacto....

:drink:

Tacky

I'm looking forward to this. Sammy actually makes a pretty good high-end tequila.

http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2009/nov/02/cabo-wabo-cantina-sammy-hagar/

The word I've gotten is Grand opening Dec. 4th... Shall we all gather for Coconut Margaritas and Lobster Burittos ....We are planning a visit early Jan...If we don't see ya there we will catch ya all at Frankie's....8)

If anyone still cares.....

---->

The shinny, plastic tikis are gone and have been replaced with crowds of customers. I'd never seen this many heads in the place when it was a Trader Vic's, but I never saw the bartenders dancing on the bar either.

On 2010-01-04 14:07, lynxwiler wrote:
The shinny, plastic tikis are gone...

Where did they go to? They were, after all, the LARGEST of the many many copies of the Hanalei courtyard Tiki from the BOT.

On 2009-12-06 08:17, JOHN-O wrote:
If anyone still cares.....

---->

"...
Owner of closed Trader Vic’s files for bankruptcy
Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010

Facing lawsuits over unpaid bills, the owner of the closed Trader Vic's restaurant in Las Vegas filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation last week.

The Polynesian-themed Trader Vic’s opened in 2007 in the Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood Resort on the Las Vegas Strip. But last June, the company confirmed it was shutting down.

The Las Vegas location was the only Trader Vic's in Nevada. The Trader Vic's franchise company in Emeryville, Calif., now lists Trader Vic's restaurants elsewhere in the United States and in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The Las Vegas restaurant generated revenue of $1.368 million in 2007, $5.961 million in 2008 and $2.033 million in 2009, records filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Nevada in Las Vegas show.

The Las Vegas restaurant's parent company, Boulevard Bar LLC, listed in its bankruptcy filing no assets and liabilities of $14.267 million.

Companies listed as creditors include Service 1st Bank of Nevada, owed $5.05 million for a loan covering furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment and supplies.

Several construction companies involved in developing the property are also listed as creditors. They include Bombard Electric, owed $280,000; and Flagship Construction Co., owed $2.925 million.

Numerous companies that provided advertising services are listed as creditors, including Greenspun Media Group, owner of the Las Vegas Sun.

Greenspun businesses Las Vegas Magazine, Las Vegas Weekly and Vegas Magazine Partners are owed about $79,000, the court filing says.

Among other media claims, 944 Media is owed $19,600 and Clear Channel Taxi Media is owed $166,000, the court filing says.

The Trader Vic's franchise company is owed some $247,000, the filing says.

Greenspun Media is among 10 companies and individuals that have sued Boulevard Bar LLC in Clark County District Court over issues including unpaid bills.

Other suits were filed by plaintiffs including U.S. Foodservice, owed $30,000; and Southern Wine & Spirits of America, owed $22,000.
..."
( http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/07/owner-closed-trader-vics-files-bankruptcy/ )

Jeez, seems they were running that joint for a while without paying ANYBODY! Probably just for the booze. I bet you can get those big ass Hanalei Tikis for cheap from whoever has them now.

as they were made of foam and brought in during construction, i'd wage they're gone for good. i know the company that carved them has been closed for quite awhile. they, too, went under in a huge pile of debt.

You mean they were not built for eternity like the Easter island giants!? From foam they came, and to foam dust they returned? Some of these places make me feel that the Tiki revival suffers from an accelerated devolution rate. :(

Hey look, there's thatch roof over the bar area now. That's an improvement from the old bar.