Does Trader Vic's sell souvenirs????

Hello,
I visited Trader Vicks for drinks in Beverly Hills and I didn't see any sign of them selling any of the cool souvenirs I have seen at friend's homes. How do you go about obtaining any TV souvenirs? I have seen those little plastic chubby Hawaiian people at friends as well as other items. (Maybe I should have asked them, huh). What's the story with Trader Vick's merchandise? Do you get those with food orders? Do they sell stuff at the restaurants by asking? Help!...
Your friend,
Louis

"Even though your body will shrink, your mind will expand!"

[ Edited by: martiki on 2005-02-15 14:58 ]

Probably most of those items are stolen. I've heard of people buying mugs and such but my only experience at TVs was at the Chicago TV a couple of years ago. They wouldn't sell us any mugs. I asked the Dragon Lady hostess (Dragon Lady = gorgeous Asian lady with side dress slit up to her hip) for a menu for my collection. She sneers at me, goes into a side room with billions of menus and hands me one. As she handed me the menu, she looked at me as if I were of the most vile and despicable form of vermin to ever walk this earth. It kind of turned me on to be honest with you. :wink: She probably thought I was an ebay seller. :oops: We stole another beat up dinner menu as well. I still have both of them.

I'd wager that when the mug stock is high and the waiter or bartender needs some cash, that you could score some mugs or other goods with an appropriate discrete change of
hands. That's just theory though!

On 2005-01-02 17:58, Atomobile wrote:
Do they sell stuff at the restaurants by asking? Help!...

They sell them at the Emeryville location. A menehune figure is included with each order of Menehune Juice.

The two or three occassions I have been to Trader Vic's, Atlanta they have always been happy to sell souvenirs to me if they have them in stock. All the items I have bought during my handful of visits include several Mai Tai glasses (I think I bought four on one visit and stole one), 2 Trader Vic's 'Rocks' glasses, and one of those funny 'Crazy Islander' mugs (is that what they call it?)...it looks like a coffee mug with no handle and has artwork similar to the TV menu. I think I also bought a bottle of Mai Tai mix there once as well. If you ask for matchbooks they'll usually give you a couple. And uh...I hate to admit it, but I stole a stack of menus from there once. It was done with an accomplice...not real proud of that, but how can you resist?? I still have one of them. The crazy thing about TV's is, if I'm not mistaken, they really don't have many Tiki God mugs at all because if they did I would have one of thos bad-boys by now.

So that's the long answer to your question. The short answer is yes, they sell souvenirs and you should just ask the bartender or host/hostess about it. TV's Atlanta doesn't have a gift shop, but they do have a couple of show cases with stuff on display. So the next time you're at whatever TV you're going to, just give it a shot and ask. :drink:

Trader Vic's London had a souvenir case with all sorts of stuff. They were happy to sell me an ash tray, and give me matches. Damn, why didn't I just ask for a menu.

Dont try to 'liberate' one of the skull mugs from the BH location, they dont like it at all, trust me.

I was just at TV's (Chicago) for Tabu Tiki Nights in Dec and they had all kinds of stuff including a 30th (I think) anniversary of the org mai tai mug for $30.

That same mug was going for 40 pounds in London. About $75 US.

There is actually one for sale on ebay. Looks pretty nice. Goodluck I'm sure it'll go fast

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3951052729

On 2005-01-05 00:32, Dimethios wrote:
I was just at TV's (Chicago) for Tabu Tiki Nights in Dec and they had all kinds of stuff including a 30th (I think) anniversary of the org mai tai mug for $30.

I'm glad they've changed that policy, the last time I was in the Chicago TV's (several years ago) I was told by the hostess & manager that they didn't even sell the TV's mixers they had on display!

The one in the e-bay link is also in a current production. They have them for sale at the Emeryville location (and probably others as well.) It is known there as 'the Tahitian mug' and runs about 18 bucks.

The TV London 40th anniversary mug was made by Tikifarm. It's a white version of the "Classic Trader Vic's mug":

http://www.tikifarm.com/html/tradervics.htm

I have been trying to get my hands on one of their Moai head tiki bowls! Those are awesome. I even contacted their head office and got an email response from the president. He said they would sell me one, but I cound never to a response from the person he referred me to. Next time I'm in Frisco, I'm just going to ask the bar tender if he'll sell me one!

the same or similar hostess at Trader Vic's Chicago tried to sell us the shirts (?) they had in the glass case but wouldn't go for letting any mugs go. the very cool water (an asian gentleman in his 50's (?) ) very graciously let us have the menu but he hinted not to let the management know about it. the menu fit nicely within waikiki kitty's dress :)

On 2005-01-10 10:25, Digitiki wrote:
I have been trying to get my hands on one of their Moai head tiki bowls! Those are awesome. I even contacted their head office and got an email response from the president. He said they would sell me one, but I cound never to a response from the person he referred me to. Next time I'm in Frisco, I'm just going to ask the bar tender if he'll sell me one!

I just got back from San Fran and spent the last two evenings at TV's. The moai bowls are for sale (ask for a manager - Marco from Austria is who I spoke to). The moai bowls were $40 per Marco. They were also selling skull mugs, coconuts, scorpion bowls and a couple others. I was going to buy a moai bowl (they call it a Tiki Bowl) but instead I talked Marco into selling me one of the carved oil lamps that is the centerpiece of each table! He didn't pocket the money, the piece was charged onto our bill so I know it was legit. If you want one, go and haggle with him. Start around $50 and try to get it around $60. I wish I would've tried to get a set of four dinner plates. The food was outstanding; the drinks were above outstanding. It is a bit of a weird feeling trying to buy current decor from an existing restaurant but the bartenders and other staff were quick to let you know that the management would sell items. Good luck.

Kono,
thats good to hear. Next time I'm up there, I'll be sure to just ask next time. The last time I was in the Emmeryville Vic's, I was too shy to ask to buy things that weren't in their sale case. I did pick up a couple of their Mai Tai classes. They are the greatest for cocktails!

On 2005-01-05 16:07, Raffertiki wrote:
That same mug was going for 40 pounds in London. About $75 US.

Yeah, the London Trader Vic's sale display is full of stuff for people with more money than sense. I've not seen anything worth buying, even at half the price they were charging, but I guess it's possible that occasionally they might have something genuinely interesting.

Trader Woody

In reference to the Chicago location, the new management there is much more friendly to our crowd than the previous management. Hopefully that Dragon Lady experience related above is now a permanent thing of the past.

There is a display case at the front of the restaurant with lots of TVs stuff and copies of the BOT and TRT.

Atlanta and Emeryville, as stated above, also have a glass case o' swag for your consumption.

On 2005-01-11 11:59, tikibars wrote:
In reference to the Chicago location, the new management there is much more friendly to our crowd than the previous management. Hopefully that Dragon Lady experience related above is now a permanent thing of the past.

I liked her. She seemed more authentic to the tiki atmosphere than some freshly scrubbed and smiling co-ed hostess like you'd find at Bennigans. Its like when you find a cool old hole in the wall bar. If the bartender's not at least a little surly it just doesn't feel right.

Tikibars, Sunday we went to the Tonga Room and was just chatting with the bartenders. The one guy I think was Japanese (the other guy told us he was from China) and we were telling him of our love of tiki bars and he started telling us about your book. Apparently, he came across it in a book store and he seemed to be amazed that there would be such a thing as a guide to tiki bars. The drinks were quite good though obviously not as good as Vic's. I even enjoyed the Bora Bora Horror. The only drink I had that seemed lacking was the Blue Hawaii. The bartender told me they sub half and half for the cream of coconut so that made for a much blander drink. Did not try the Mai Tai, since we were going to Vic's afterward there seemed to be no point.

I just returned from SF where I visited 3 Trader Vic's...Palo Alto, Emeryville and San Francisco. Purchased a Moai head bowl at Emeryville for $35, and a T-Shirt in SF for $15. Prices of items were cheaper in Emeryville, and each location has different items. Palo Alto refused to sell anything and was a drag in general, stiff, unfriendly staff. Emeryville is beautiful, overlooking the bay, the most authentic looking Tikis. SF is fun, the staff happy, friendly and having a good time. Somehow I ended up with a menu! Also scored a "Got Tiki?" shirt from the Conga Room in Oakland with a Great Tiki on the back for $15. They just got new stock in. Had fun meeting Frank, Denise and Mike on New Year's Eve.

River Tiki,
sounds like you scored! I can hear Emeryville calling...must heed clarion call...nned...tiki bowl....arrrrr!

River Tiki,

I have purchased items from TV in Palo Alto, including glassware, bowls and mixes. I have not had any problems with the staff at all.

They have told me that they can only sell items when stock allows them to.

But yes, nothing like Emeryville and I still need to head north to SF.

'K

Trader Vic's SF has a black Moai mug I've not seen before. I think it's from DAGA, but could not tell. It's in a smooth matte black glaze and looks a lot like the Hoffman Kahiki moai. On the back it has Trader Vic's San Francisco 70th Anniversary in red letters. Looks really nice. $25

Oh man, that bowl sounds awesome! Can you hear the sounds of my drooling. Does anyone have one of these matte black mugs If so, can you post a pic?

oooooooohhhhh, sounds awesome. Anyone got a pic, and feel like picking me up one? I'll pay for a Mai tai! Aloha!

I took my fiancee to the Beverly Hills TV's last night for their preset Valentines Day menu dinner. Service was phenomenal, and made up completely for the last time I went 6 years ago.
They were out of the big menehune swizzle that comes with the juice, but I got a few standard swizzle, the aloha coconut, and bought a 60th anniversary mai tai glass.
I recently bought two of the (big lipped brown) moai bowls and two of the hula girl bowls from emmeryville.
Haletiki, I will contact you if I go back up to emmeryville in march and see if they have any bowls in stock.
TT

[ Edited by: tikitanked on 2005-02-15 10:10 ]

On 2005-01-11 11:42, Trader Woody wrote:

Yeah, the London Trader Vic's sale display is full of stuff for people with more money than sense. I've not seen anything worth buying, even at half the price they were charging, but I guess it's possible that occasionally they might have something genuinely interesting.

Trader Woody

Me and my husband were at the London Trader Vic's last Sunday (our first ever visit to a tiki bar - yay!). I asked whether they sell mugs and the waitress said that they usually don't, but if we want something specific they'll sell us one from their stock. I asked for the price of one of the mugs and it was 25 GBP, which is nearly $50. Too much for us, especially for a first item in the collection.
The figurine mentioned above is a freebie when you buy one of the cocktails.

Without giving too much away...both Trader Vic's Emeryville and San Francisco will be selling things at the SF Tiki Crawl V. And, if all goes well, there's going to be some one of a kind goodies for sale! Bar ware...dead stock...keep your fingers crossed and head to the Crawl!

"If you're going to San Francisco...be sure to bring some extra cash for swag..."

Damn martiki, I wish I could be out there. Crap.

I mentioned above that I bought a centerpiece from TV SF. Here's a pic of it. I am pissed I didn't get a Moai head bowl also.