Time to Save Sam's Seafood....again.

As reported in this thread...
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=27206&forum=17

...Sam's has a new owner, and supposedly the plan is to make it into something called "Kona Burger" or something along those lines.

SO...what to do ? The fact that the name contains the word "Kona" is a good sign that maybe the new owners want to continue the Tiki theme at Sams for their new establishment, but now may be the chance for our little TC Ohana's voice to be heard. before the new owners come in a Cheeze up Sam's, perhaps we can compose an online petition style letter with as many cyber signatures as we can muster asking the owners to keep Sam's a Tiki establishment.

Maybe a letter stating how important the history and heritage of Sam's is to us and how we would bring our business there, book TC events there, and spread the word to everyone we know to keep the place buzzing. It may be a long stretch, but if the new owners know there is a dedicated following for Sam's perhaps they'll look into "the Tiki thing" some more, and perhaps keep the place Tiki, rather than f*cking it up like the last owners.

Maybe print out an email or online style petition with everyone just putting their name and location on there, and just mail it or drop it off at Sam's. Give them the links to the many discussions here on TC about how much everyone in here loves Sam's, so they see that there is some real interest in preserving some or all of it's precious Tiki elements.

Anyone up for this or have any ideas ?

Do you have your TIKIYAKI ORCHESTRA CD YET ?
http://www.tikiyakiorchestra.com

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-02-18 19:25 ]

I don't know - everytime I stop by they are closed. You ain't gonna be a success if you're closed during normal business hours. Taco Surf, across the street, was open - the waitresses were cute and the beer was cold. Guess who got my money?

I do know what I'm going to do tomorrow - order one of those Sam's mugs from Tiki Farm.

Kona, Kona, Kona, Kona. ...Geez Louise !!!
Maybe they have better luck if they called it 'Kona Bud'
Is that still around?

On 2008-02-19 06:05, TikiLaLe wrote:
Maybe they have better luck if they called it 'Kona Bud'
Is that still around?

Ya, they still grow it.

Let's just cut the crap and rent out the banquet room for one last BIG luau, before they close it down without announcing it, because that seems to be the trend these days.

The idea about calling Sam's "Kona Burger" is f*##ing ridiculous! I'd rather they just burn it to the ground than further destroy this institution. Yeah, I'm bitter, I spent my youth going to Sam's for family dinners. The whole place is a part of my childhood family memories.
It may sound just too simple, but what they need to do is serve good, mid priced food that will bring the crowds. Making burgers a focus is fine, but also make available Hawaiian style fare and of course seafood. Quantity and quality with consistent friendly service. If they establish this reputation, the people will come.
Am I optimistic that the new owners will actually pull their head out? No. I hope they prove me wrong though(and there's that word "hope").
End of tirade.

On 2008-02-19 14:30, TIKI KAIMUKI wrote:
The idea about calling Sam's "Kona Burger" is f*##ing ridiculous! I'd rather they just burn it to the ground than further destroy this institution. Yeah, I'm bitter, I spent my youth going to Sam's for family dinners. The whole place is a part of my childhood family memories.
It may sound just too simple, but what they need to do is serve good, mid priced food that will bring the crowds. Making burgers a focus is fine, but also make available Hawaiian style fare and of course seafood. Quantity and quality with consistent friendly service. If they establish this reputation, the people will come.
Am I optimistic that the new owners will actually pull their head out? No. I hope they prove me wrong though(and there's that word "hope").
End of tirade.

Easy, Tiki Kaimuki:

Sam's is probably destined for the wrecking ball to make room for more condos - like those which encircle it now.

Anyone who wants to buy the place, take a financial risk, pay the staff and keep the doors open can't be all bad.

Having been to Sam's in its post-revival state, I got to say that it is merely a shadow of what it once was. Well, at least the parts that I saw... didn't go in the back where they used to have the Polynesian Show.

I had a similarly unpleasant experience when I went to a favorite old deli in the Little Italy section of San Diego. The run down old joint had been remodeled into some hi-faluting Pottery Barn-type of restaurant. The red, green, and white bunting had been replaced with earth tones and a hostess wearing requisite black.

In both cases (Sams and the Italian deli), I really have no real desire to go back. The mana is gone and is unlikely to return.

So is Sam's worth saving? I say 'sure' without much enthusiasm. In a way, Sams is like the name character in 'Weekend at Bernies', with Sam's being the corpse the owners are dragging around.

Time to call in Gordon Ramsey!

On 2008-02-20 22:58, tikipedia wrote:

I had a similarly unpleasant experience when I went to a favorite old deli in the Little Italy section of San Diego. The run down old joint had been remodeled into some hi-faluting Pottery Barn-type of restaurant. The red, green, and white bunting had been replaced with earth tones and a hostess wearing requisite black.

Do you really think the new owners are going to spend still more $$$ in redoing the place - just sell burgers?
I easily could be wrong, but I bet Sam's will still have some mana left - true not as strong - but much stronger then Taco Surf across the street who chopped down the tiki.

On 2008-02-21 19:18, christiki295 wrote:

On 2008-02-20 22:58, tikipedia wrote:

I had a similarly unpleasant experience when I went to a favorite old deli in the Little Italy section of San Diego. The run down old joint had been remodeled into some hi-faluting Pottery Barn-type of restaurant. The red, green, and white bunting had been replaced with earth tones and a hostess wearing requisite black.

Do you really think the new owners are going to spend still more $$$ in redoing the place - just sell burgers?
I easily could be wrong, but I bet Sam's will still have some mana left - true not as strong - but much stronger then Taco Surf across the street who chopped down the tiki.

Taco Surf chopped down that tiki? I thought it was some anonymous vandal. Why did Taco Surf chop down that landmark tiki?

On 2008-02-21 19:51, Hakalugi wrote:

Taco Surf chopped down that tiki? I thought it was some anonymous vandal. Why did Taco Surf chop down that landmark tiki?

I couldn't find that thread in Search.

A car crashed into it.

Oh, my bad.
But, they still left it there by the side of the road - or has it been re-erected?

On 2008-02-21 20:07, RevBambooBen wrote:
A car crashed into it.

Yeah, a car with a chain saw attached to it!

Here's the thread about the Surf Tiki Massacre.

I reinvoke my prior comment about how necessary Sam's is to counter act the negative mana from Taco Surf.

This just in....
Hi Chris,

Thought you might like to know, there will be a meeting at Sam's Wednesday the 12th at 6pm from a consulting firm hired by the landlord to consider demolishing Sam's, rebuilding it with generic retail spaces with condo's above them and underground parking. This is not involving the city yet but we feel the landlord is obviously testing the waters. We found out by receiving a letter in today's mail addressed to "resident". Any support you could bring in opposition to this horrible possibility would be greatly appreciated. First MaiTai's on me!

Best regards,

Chuck Purrington
Managing Partner
Sam's Huntington Beach