Attn: Dallas: Best location to start a Tiki Bar

Where in Dallas, TX would be the best place to open a Tiki Bar?

The old Trader Vics location is still intact. It was at what is now the Santa Fe Hotel (I think it's on Mockingbird). Our friend Suelo went to visit and the interior is still intact so you could move right in! Here are the pics she posted: http://members2.clubphoto.com/kristen204272/1643105/guest.phtml

The only other part of Dallas I'm familiar with is Greenville Ave which is the land of $1.00 drafts and tattoo parlors...not very classy. Are you thinking about opening up a tiki bar in Dallas? We need one BAD!
I'll be the first in line.

BTW, welcome to TC!

[ Edited by: Juno on 2004-04-01 18:42 ]

Great Pics! Working with Hotels can be a pain. Greenville ave. is too noisy.

Dallas can be quite a pain to start in. Fort Worth is easier with more urban development projects and areas where you might get a better deal. Good Luck, keep us posted and let me know if you need a hand in a build out!
Aloha
diesel tiki

Diesel is right. Ft. Worth might be a better area to scope out. Although I'd like to see Trade Vics open back up. Dallas has some funky city laws (not smoker friendly), and besides, they have (shudder) "Tiki Bob's crab shack" or something like that in the West End. TB is a shameful place IMHO. Full of frat guys and hip-hop music.

You could always open one in Ellis county... Waxahachie. They just finnished up a 100 year lease with SAGU (southwest assembly of god university). Why? Well hachie agreed to close all bars and saloons back in the day to woo the college there. Now that the agreement is up, a few (3) pubs have opened. sadly you have to serve food (besides peanuts and pretzels) inorder to serve alcohol. But just think of the polynesian dishes that could be served up.

just a thought. I'd be your #1 customer.

Have you thought of a place?

Thanks for the tips! I need more suggestions for brainstorming. Especially, something where I can make coverts and have a good demographics.

Hi!

Killer idea.

I was just in Dallas this past week and went and toured the old Trader Vic's. While some decoration remains, it is stinky, mildewy, and only a faded spectre of itself. The onlt decorations that remain are the ones that are simultaneouly too pitiful to want to see and so bolted down that not even the local "weekly boarders" would bother to steal. (No offense to anybody).

The location is almost interesting, as the area smells of yuppification, but not enough of it.

We also checked out some neighborhoods.

There is ample space for lease in the West End, which would have a high tourist quotient and could compete nicely with the generic Dick's Last resort and Joe's Crab Shack atmosphere in the area. Good foot traffic.

The, damn, West Village (?) was OK, lotsa multi-unit dwellings full of twenty-somethings. A friend we visited says he thinks it is the best gay part of town and that theme nights and clubs are doing very well. Can you say "Tiki Raves"? Sorry to screw up the name, it's the far end of McKinney.

The near end of McKInney where that Abomination is (Hard Rock) seems to have lotsa young adult housing towers as well.

Deep Ellum doesn't seem Tiki.

I'd say to spend several weekends walking the different club/residential urban areas and get a feel for who is strolling and go for it!

I don't think you should call it the Dealey Tiki.

Maybe "The Dallas Tiki Depository, we specialize in shooters"?

Bad jokes, sorry. Really a very moving place to visit. Great city.

Although Dallas does attract alot of clubgoers, do you really want your tiki bar to be overrun with college kids? Hey nothing against them,but they are a fickle bunch. Bars that seem to cater to them tend to become run of the mill bars. They'll have blaring techno, hip hop and assorted teenie bopper bullshit playing excessively loud with tv's all over the place like some sports bar. Dallas also has some really screwed up laws (no smoking).
There are places in Fort Worth that are in a state of redevelopment. The city is pouring millions into the improvement of the hospital district souh of 1-30. They want to improve the quality of life down there and many businesses,doctors offices and retail shops are moving in there.
Just west of downtown is really picking up in terms of development and around University.
If you could open two bars that would be awesome. Just look to the Gingerman in Dallas off McKinney.They bought the house for a song,only serve draft beers(40 or so )and are packed every freekin night! i know thats not TIKI, but hear me out. Your taxes on liquor and wine are about 14%(?), taxes on beer are like 3-4%. Your draft house could be your moneymaker and your tiki bar could cater to your big spenders an dfloyal clientele.
let me know when and where the build is and i will help!!!

How about somewhere off of 75 between McKinney and Dallas? I've been to several places and they always seem to be packed...especially in the Plano area.

Anyone know anything about a restaurant called Bamboo Bamboo off of the tollway?

I'll will definitely let you folks know if this project will happen and the build-out date. I really appreciate the specific comments. I was initially considering Dallas simply because of population pool and demographics (but I am keeping an open mind to location). Fort Worth is definitely intriguing. Thanks.

Bamboo Bamboo is out of business is my understand. It was a very cool place. However, its just another casualty of the fiercely competitive restaurant market in DFW. The owners likely lost a couple of million on that one.