Tiki as a job

OK--I'm going right to the source of ALL of the Tiki knowledge, experience and passion--you all on TC. I have a question that I hope you can answer. If you could earn a full time living from Tiki, whatever form that takes, what would you do? Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!

Creating animatronics and lighting special effects for tiki bars and restaurants.

My top three fantasy tiki jobs:

I'd order a big container full of tikis, signs, masks, and bamboo from Indonesia, and sell them all for 4 times what I paid.

Or...

I'd just knock out a bunch of Witco and Wayne Coombs ripoffs.

Or...

I'd make a bunch of molded Tiki Bob copies and Moai mugs.

I definitely wouldn't start a tiki band, if money is an issue.

Buzzy Out!

Restaurant, or bar a la the Tiki Ti.

I've dreamed of that last one ever since I read about the Tiki Ti a long, long time ago.

Small bar, set menu, nice and cozy, get to know your patrons.

That's my dream.

Tiki porn star, like Buzzy.

I'd like to do something on the side that's tiki related, seriously, but I am not talented! If I were (or if we're dreaming) I'd like to make something that's both tiki and beautiful like the many artists on TC. But if we're dreaming I'd also like to be a millionaire princess.

:)

On 2013-02-04 10:36, GROG wrote:
Tiki porn star, like Buzzy.

You start out doing it solely for the love of what you do. Then you acheive some success,and with that, the inevitable money that follows. Downside is: in Oakland they start protesting you and calling you an "evil 1 percenter!" because you do so well at what you do, and are rewarded for it. Sometimes I wish I was still a amateur, still just doing it only for the love of the act itself. Not for the commercial appeal and gain of my work, which sems to be the case now.

Don't get me wrong, the money is nice! But it used to be all so simple, and fun...
Buzzy Out!

[ Edited by: Bay Park Buzzy 2013-02-04 10:54 ]

I'd be Shag. Otherwise, keep it a hobby.

"I definitely wouldn't start a tiki band, if money is an issue."

The Buzz makes a great point. I've always wondered what the thinking is behind the Tiki bands. It takes a huge and I mean HUGE amount of practice time, organizing, buying instruments, and even gas to get to all of your gigs. Some of the bands are smart (Martini Kings) and do it on a shoestring and make decent dough by playing a LOT of shows.

What's up with the other groups? What's the goal? It seems like they're losing money every time they play. This music will never be popular enough to sell past the breaking point online either, you can't dance to it and even music nerds barely acknowledge Exotica's existence.

Don't get me wrong; I love Exotica and wish it well, but I just read David Byrne's How Music Works and there simply ain't any cash in the game anymore.

Let demand dictate your course. Research as much tiki as you can and try your hand at creating anything that comes to mind. Working on your own Tiki lounge is a good way to find out if you have a talent for the work. If your creations are truly inspired, someone will likely inquire about them. If you try to push products into a market where there is no demand, you will likely be spinning your wheels. I say push on if for no other reason than the joy of creating. As long as you are happy with your creations, that's all that matters. If others show interest, great, you may be able to build that into something. If not, at least you enjoyed the process of creating and have some cool items and artifacts for your own tiki lounge.

On a serious note, I would love to be the curator of a South Pacific collection in any museum... that would be fantastic.

Curator for a Tiki museum is awesome. I don't know where there is a Tiki museum and if I could find one I probably couldn't get the job anyway so I just just pretend my collecting is to build a museum of which I am the curator. If you don't plan on ever getting paid or ever making any money then it is a very rewarding occupation. It is most helpful if you have a spouse that will work and buy the groceries so that your time isn't wasted on the mundane but necessary crap needed for survival.

On 2013-02-04 11:17, bigbrotiki wrote:
I'd be Shag. Otherwise, keep it a hobby.

This is funny.

On 2013-02-04 10:53, Bay Park Buzzy wrote:

On 2013-02-04 10:36, GROG wrote:
Tiki porn star, like Buzzy.

You start out doing it solely for the love of what you do. Then you acheive some success,and with that, the inevitable money that follows. Downside is: in Oakland they start protesting you and calling you an "evil 1 percenter!" because you do so well at what you do, and are rewarded for it. Sometimes I wish I was still a amateur, still just doing it only for the love of the act itself. Not for the commercial appeal and gain of my work, which sems to be the case now.

Don't get me wrong, the money is nice! But it used to be all so simple, and fun...
Buzzy Out!

[ Edited by: Bay Park Buzzy 2013-02-04 10:54 ]

I am a star. I'm a star, I'm a star, I'm a star. I am a big, bright, shining star. That's right.

"jack, do you want me to use the spanish accent this time?"

On 2013-02-04 11:55, Cammo wrote:
"I definitely wouldn't start a tiki band, if money is an issue."

The Buzz makes a great point. I've always wondered what the thinking is behind the Tiki bands. It takes a huge and I mean HUGE amount of practice time, organizing, buying instruments, and even gas to get to all of your gigs. Some of the bands are smart (Martini Kings) and do it on a shoestring and make decent dough by playing a LOT of shows.

What's up with the other groups? What's the goal? It seems like they're losing money every time they play. This music will never be popular enough to sell past the breaking point online either, you can't dance to it and even music nerds barely acknowledge Exotica's existence.

Don't get me wrong; I love Exotica and wish it well, but I just read David Byrne's How Music Works and there simply ain't any cash in the game anymore.

You are exactly right. Why do we do it? The love of the music. In many cases, we get paid very little, but that money (at least for me) is to pay for the gas, and to bribe the wife....you see, to be allowed to leave the family every week and go play for other people, I better come home with something in my pockets to justify it!

On 2013-02-04 13:01, lucas vigor wrote:
"jack, do you want me to use the spanish accent this time?"

Huzzah!

On 2013-02-04 10:03, VeroTiki wrote:
OK--I'm going right to the source of ALL of the Tiki knowledge, experience and passion--you all on TC. I have a question that I hope you can answer. If you could earn a full time living from Tiki, whatever form that takes, what would you do? Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!

Not so much a job, but starting one's own business.

Some 'tiki' bands do very well. Not enough to solely sustain a living on, but a good supplementary income.
And if we didn't play for the love of it, then maybe we're playing music for the wrong reason anyway.

On 2013-02-04 11:17, bigbrotiki wrote:
I'd be Shag. Otherwise, keep it a hobby.

Sooooooo True!!!!

I'd say get into tiki for the fun of it, and to make money as a side job.
There are only a handful out of thousands, that do Tiki for their sole living.
Good luck....

Jeff(btd)

My dream job would be travel from Tiki bar to Tiki bar working as a "drunk mystery shopper". Of course I'd have to built up a better alcohol tolerance - my one-drink-maximum wouldn't get me very far :lol:

Interesting how the replies run the gamut from a straight-forward answer to offering advice on the pursuit of work endeavors and ruminations on the motivations behind what some of us here do already...

I suppose my answer is: I'll stick with making tiki art... I sort of make a part-time living at it already, so I'm half-way there!

Yeah, I guess that's my answer, since my other idea - buying motel and totally tikifying it, complete with a bar/restaurant and gallery - involves me winning the lottery first, which would make the earning a living part irrelevant.

Then I'd start a tiki band.

I will be there when you open that Motel/Bar Eric!

I've already got the museum thing planned out. I'll let you know if Im hiring. I have a masters in museum studies and the only way to actually make any money working in a museum is to own a traveling exhibit or to be one of the big wigs.http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=21353&forum=1

I make about 1/2 my income from tiki art, but i've been doing it for 25 yrs.

I sell my Shelves & frames etc. at Tiki events
& to be honest I don't get what it costs to build the damn things, sooooo
if you got a day job, keep it.

I know alot of Tiki people who make their living doing it and no one is getting rich.

A theme park similar to Disneyland. This is for adults though. Most "rides" are actually tiki bars. The "rides" with the shortest lines would usually be something along the lines of the Hall of Presidents. The olde timey bus that totes you from end to end of the park because you can't walk any more would be very popular.
There would be regional tiki areas that would make you feel like you were in the Mai Kai, Kahiki or Bali Hai or some such. AND Parrot Head Land where all the Corona drinkers, country music fans and Dead Heads flock to. You'd probably make the most money there! Then there are the South Pacific Islands that would require "jungle cruise" type rides with sharks and headhunters.
I think I've got something here...

I would like to have a job like Bamboo Ben. I will fly to Hawaii, build a Tiki bar, shoot the shit, and then come back knowing I'm Bamboo Ben :D. Ben is Awesome!!!!! Much respect.

On 2013-02-05 21:04, Mr. NoNaMe wrote:
A theme park similar to Disneyland. This is for adults though. Most "rides" are actually tiki bars. The "rides" with the shortest lines would usually be something along the lines of the Hall of Presidents. The olde timey bus that totes you from end to end of the park because you can't walk any more would be very popular.
There would be regional tiki areas that would make you feel like you were in the Mai Kai, Kahiki or Bali Hai or some such. AND Parrot Head Land where all the Corona drinkers, country music fans and Dead Heads flock to. You'd probably make the most money there! Then there are the South Pacific Islands that would require "jungle cruise" type rides with sharks and headhunters.
I think I've got something here...

I like this!

On 2013-02-05 21:04, Mr. NoNaMe wrote:
...The olde timey bus that totes you from end to end of the park because you can't walk any more would be very popular.

Replace that old-timey bus with personal reclining lounge chairs on wheels, pushed around by tiki dancer girls with grass skirts and coconut bras (or neither, since you said the place was "for adults," ha...) and I think you've got yourself a deal. Sounds like the makings of a fun tiki event if not a full theme park. We need Bill Gates to sponsor it though -- I think he might need some wild fun and might be willing to spring the $$$ for us all!

I nominate Noname for President!
Forgotten Tikiman - isn't that the truth! Props to Ben for living the dream.

Hello my name is Doug and I'm a full time Tiki artist...I have $5 bucks in my checking account right now.

5 BUCKS!!! Holy crap! Drinks are on Doug!!!

If I won the lottery I'd open a Tiki bar/restaurant/art gallery. A place where you can eat, drink, look at lots of great art. The food would be good and the drinks even better.

John O would be the maitre d, Big Tiki Dude would be the bouncer, Atomic Tiki Punk would be part of the vaudeville comedy act that would open up the floor show and Grog
would be the floor show entertainment, he looks great in a coconut bra. Did I mention my art would be everywhere? :wink:

I would be down for that Doug all the way. :D

If I could make Tiki my job, first I would have to be already rich. VERY rich!
Then, I would make a highly authentic restaurant and bar with attached theme park (Much like how Knott’s got started)…my restaurant would be old-school tiki. No buffet music. No hip hop. I would feature small jazz combos playing nightly, with the full Polynesian review on the weekend and occasional guest gigs from local “exotica” groups, but only the good ones!

Bottom line is in no way would I minimize or cover up the “hawaiianess” of my joint. I would try to make it as much as a vintage trip to Hawaii as possible. I would have an attached small theme park with tiki caves, and tiki jungle and a jungle cruise ride of my own.

I would hire many people from this forum to do the decorations and plant the “jungle”, which would be filled with typical ornamental tropical foliage.

In other parts of the theme park, I would have safari related attractions, and perhaps an atomic age astro type restaurant or ride…something with moon and alien planet dioramas that are totally inauthentic! (Think Gumby goes to the moon) It would be like being able to have lunch or dinner on the space station X-1 ride from vintage Disneyland circa 1955.

So basically, my theme park would have a tiki section, a jungle section, a safari land section, and a vintage googie-filled future land...oh, and maybe a vintage chinatown section too. All in all, a cross between adventure and tomorrowland combined with the now defunct ride area of lion country safari.

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2013-02-06 15:28 ]

When ever we meet up with Doug, we make sure he gets fed!
can't have our treasured artist's dying of starvation

I propose a Tiki version of "Oceans 11" to finance all these Tiki parks & Gallery's
because I need them now, so who would be the mastermind?

Bamboo Benland

[ Edited by: GROG 2013-02-06 20:28 ]

On 2013-02-06 10:56, Swamp Fire wrote:

If I won the lottery I'd open a Tiki bar/restaurant/art gallery. A place where you can eat, drink, look at lots of great art. The food would be good and the drinks even better.

John O would be the maitre d, Big Tiki Dude would be the bouncer, Atomic Tiki Punk would be part of the vaudeville comedy act that would open up the floor show and Grog
would be the floor show entertainment, he looks great in a coconut bra. Did I mention my art would be everywhere? :wink:

Doug,

I like yer scenario except for 2 things.
I don't wanna be a bouncer of a bunch of drunk people.
I will be the DJ, playing the best Tiki Music,
and you can get Liz to be the Bouncer.
:wink:

Jeff(btd)

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

It was a Joke sir,
everybody knows bouncers have to be sober.

Jeff(btd)

You damaged my calm, Jeff :lol:

I would open a tiki themed mini-golf course, with a tiki gift shop at the end. I'm actually working towards making it happen...

Oh Todd! it has to be a "Tiki Bar" at the end, get with the program :lol:

I'd love to bring a Tiki bar/Restaurant back to Rochester, N.Y. The winters are too long, and it would be nice to get away for awhile in the South Pacific!

I'd love to open a tiki bar where you don't have loud music blasted at you every night -- where you can actually relax with your drinks and have conversations without yelling. Isn't that how it went down in mid-century tiki bars?

On 2013-02-06 22:22, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Oh Todd! it has to be a "Tiki Bar" at the end, get with the program :lol:

Good call!