Tiki bar advice

I'm thinking of starting a tiki/Pacific themed establishment when I get out of the Navy and am wondering if anyone has any advice on the subject, besides "Don't do it!"

On 2009-11-25 08:26, Wayfarer wrote:
I'm thinking of starting a tiki/Pacific themed establishment when I get out of the Navy and am wondering if anyone has any advice on the subject, besides "Don't do it!"

Best of Luck! Its a tough business your looking at, even tougher in some areas.

What area(s) did you have in mind for your new establishment? How much research have you done already? And when do you get out of the Navy?

I would frequent/research tiki bars that have opened up in the past few years... the ones that are still in business. Find out what makes them tick. Research what they have done that has allowed them to survive. Then research tiki bars that have opened up the past few years.... the ones that are out of business.

Compare and contrast.

Hopefully you will find similarities on both fronts, and you'll hopefully be able to use that knowledge to your advantage.

Not enough info to give advice here. Where you are thinking is a big factor. Location is key, not just what city, but of course where in that city.

There is more advice than you can imagine here. As someone who actually wrote up a business plan for a tiki bar and planned to open one, I can say that you must be ready to be there before opening and after closing pretty much every day and work hard at it for a solid year. You have to sell the sizzle as much as the steak. That is, unlike your typical place where the theme is jus something on the walls, you need your theme to be all-encompassing. You gotta promote it. Some will not get it. Some will go crazy for it, some will embrace it as kooky. All will see it as very unique. Throw a nice wide net, but keep it real. Plan to have the smallest footprint you can manage. Better to turn people away on the most crowded night than have them in a very empty place most nights.

Remember that in the end, you gotta rely on your local regulars. Every good, long standing bar is a neighborhood bar. People may cross town to see it, but they likely won't be there 3-4 nights a week.

Get the advice of every bar owner manager, restaurant owner manager you can. Mostly they are the same issues you will have.

I agree. From what I have witnessed, location, location, location IS indeed the key. You gotta go where there is already some action, the Tiki theme alone will not suffice. Thing is, that kind of location usually comes with higher rent. Or you find a neighborhood that is about to become hip. Thing is, when it does, the landlord will yank up the rent.

I would suggest you arrange to meet the owner of a tiki bar (who won't be your competitor) and ask how did he/she succeed, what to do and not to do. No reason to reinvent the wheel here. Everyone here has lots of ideas, but only those who have actually done it can give you the best sound advice.

Thanks for the responses. I wasn't sure what I'd get.

But I have about 2 years left in the Navy, currently I'm serving on an isolated tropical island where all the bars are owned by the Navy, so no advice there. Actually the lousy bartending is what drove me to making tiki drinks in the first place, I found I loved it and it kept my thirsty friends amused. This is the kind of island where pineapple/OJ/mixer is the drink du jour. Tasting the rum is like finding the prize in a cracker jack box. Because of this isolation I figured I'd try here to start finding folks who might know a thing or two about starting a tiki bar.

As for my background I am a graphic artist/radio broadcaster who's also dabbled in public affairs and photography (also light soldiering, funny story) so I know a bit about design. So getting the word out and making the place itself memorable as well as signage, menus, etc would pose no problem to me.

When I get out I can lay down roots anywhere, though I have relatives in Palm Springs and the surrounding Coachella Valley and Norfolk is my adopted home. The Wayfarer moniker I use (and might use for the bar) is because I'm transient and without a home to return to. So location for me can be where ever I'd do the best business. Though I am partial to the weather in the desert and I've relatives who've talked about opening a bar out there for years.

Swanky, when you say an all-encompassing theme what do you mean by that? Do you mean music that goes with the decor and maybe a few crazy event nights, like a lumpia eating contest or whoever comes looking the most tiki-ish gets a prize type thing?

Other questions I've had is if a straight up bar that only does drinks is the best way to go or if it is better to also serve some food besides bar food & appetizers would be better. Though food would require a kitchen, an additional investment beyond a microwave.

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2009-11-25 21:19 ]

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2009-11-25 21:20 ]

On 2009-11-25 21:15, Wayfarer wrote:

But I have about 2 years left in the Navy, currently I'm serving on an isolated tropical island where all the bars are owned by the Navy, so no advice there. Actually the lousy bartending is what drove me to making tiki drinks in the first place, I found I loved it and it kept my thirsty friends amused. This is the kind of island where pineapple/OJ/mixer is the drink du jour. Tasting the rum is like finding the prize in a cracker jack box. Because of this isolation I figured I'd try here to start finding folks who might know a thing or two about starting a tiki bar.

I say open a Tiki Bar/ Nautical Bar.
That way you can cover two types of crowds/revenue.
You're in the Navy on far away islands for two more years?
Man, you got two more years to collect some awesome props and Tiki/nautical stuff.
I look froward to visiting your bar!

Aloha!

That's sort of the direction I'm going, not precisely though. I don't want to give away the exact design details at the moment but it does blend other similar aspects of Pacific history in with tiki.

I just mean, don't just put stuff on the wall and stop there. Make your drink menu go with the decor and lots of nice presentation.

I talked to every tiki bar owner I could when I did the research. Regular bar owners are just about as good for advice. Talk to them as well. Lots.

Forget the full menu. Over and over everyone said keep the kitchen small. Just foods to support the drinks. A kitchen that 1 or 2 can handle easy.

Over and over the mantra was "I would have gone smaller." A bar like the Tiki Ti. Packed out on the weekends and nicely filled other nights. Keep your rent down, you staffing easy, and everything else simple.

My personal take would be to do a simple menu of basically apps, but I would have maybe one mean burger on there for the person wanting to actually eat. Not sure how you put that in practice in your kitchen space, but you get the idea.

Thanks, now I see what you meant. That's actually the part I know I'm best at- putting it all together. I'm working on a menu design now, even if it's never used in my job it's good portfolio fodder. Presentation was my purpose in life for a spell.

I read up on Tiki Ti last week and thought about the same thing you said about going small.

Foodwise I was thinking small things you can eat while drinking and a few Filipino dessert items I can pick up for cheap. Normal bar food and a few interesting things I think will go nicely with sweet tropical drinks. (If you've ever eaten Filipino fare you know what I mean) That and a Tiki Burger.

Did anyone you talked to have thoughts on open mic nights? Or is that something to stay away from in a smaller place.

Also what about non-tiki or tropical drinks on demand? Y'know not on the menu but if you request it and I know how to make it should I type situations. I'm not the world's best bartender but I know a few drinks well and have several books for the rest. I also have a few semi-unqiue drinks I'll be bringing back from the island with me.

Tiki Ti as I recall makes 86 drinks, is it better to boast the large collection on your menu or a smaller core set of drinks with space to describe them and a notation that I can make more?

Thanks for your help in this Swanky. I figure if I start planning this far out I may be able to get it right.

Lots of good advice so far.

My .02 after being in the sports bar world for a few years as kitchen/wait/bar staff. Keep good staff happy and DUMP poor staff fast.
Start small, even with the drink menu look at what Frankie's serves, think locals too, you can always grow bigger if you need to, the word of mouth "the place was empty" is a killer.

You will need mugs, swizzles, coasters and T-shirts, Everyone want's them.

To answer the other drinks question, my wife would go to a Tiki Bar but won't do fruity drinks and a couple friends are the same way.
Some beer, simple Martini's and Marg's will keep most everyone happy that comes in with the "Tiki" crowd and as much as I love my rum sometime a cold beer is just the thing.

My 2 cents, Primo beer is back in business and available on tap so i would promote it and also Kona beer. I would also play up your Navy motif a bit, make it personal. Hang up your dog tags and picture of you and your buddy's (in whatever island you are on) toasting a pineapple rum in a coconut. Even better if you can find some island girls to pose with you. You are the owner, you are the face and personality. You will set the tone. Also forget crappy rum like Bacardi and carry good stuff like Sailor Jerry's.

And don't forget to do some crazy s##t while you're in the Navy so you can tell some cool stories as you're helping out behind the bar!

Good Luck
Abstractiki

On 2009-11-26 09:57, Beach Bum Scott wrote:
... my wife would go to a Tiki Bar but won't do fruity drinks and a couple friends are the same way....

This is the typical attitude of people that have never tasted a properly prepared Mai Tai.

On 2009-11-26 20:12, abstractiki wrote:
My 2 cents, Primo beer is back in business and available on tap so i would promote it and also Kona beer. I would also play up your Navy motif a bit, make it personal. Hang up your dog tags and picture of you and your buddy's (in whatever island you are on) toasting a pineapple rum in a coconut. Even better if you can find some island girls to pose with you. You are the owner, you are the face and personality. You will set the tone. Also forget crappy rum like Bacardi and carry good stuff like Sailor Jerry's.

And don't forget to do some crazy s##t while you're in the Navy so you can tell some cool stories as you're helping out behind the bar!

Good Luck
Abstractiki

Thanks, I plan to have a lot of personal stuff mixed in the decor. I've taken a lot of pictures in a lot of places you can visit like Hawaii, Japan, Qatar and Australia but also some unique stuff. I have a picture of the sunset over Chichi Jima (sister island to Iwo Jima)and a beached Catalina flying boat that still rests on Diego Garcia. (aka Paradise)I still have half a mind to cut a pair of utilities into shorts just to have a shot of myself in the legendary Tropical Working Utilities- US Navy Pith helmet, short sleeved blue utility shirt, blue utility shorts, black knee socks and boots. The only time you ever see those is when some Mariners need a good gag group photo.

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2009-11-27 06:20 ]

Here's a bar tending question-

Starting out what drinks should I know by heart? I'm looking at about a dozen to start with. For reference I have Trader Vic's Tiki Party, The Grog Log and a 1946 copy of Trader Vic's Food & Drink.

So far I know or am learning-
The Mai Tai (a real one, not mixer & fruit juice)
Myrtle Bank Punch / Hell in the Pacific (I prefer the Beachbum's version)
Aku Aku
Bahia / Pina Colada
Polynesian Spell (Grog Log version, better than the Tiki Road Trip version)
Gilded Lily (1946 TV)
Scarlett O'Hara (SoCo, lime, cranberry juice- 1946 TV)

Some drinks I can't make here because the island doesn't have Pernod and I can't have it shipped to me-
Zombie
Samoan Fogcutter

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2009-11-29 09:36 ]

Open a real tiki bar in Palm Springs and call it

"Don't ask, Don't tell".

Being you're from the navy....

( not that there's anything wrong with it )

On 2009-11-29 20:18, RevBambooBen wrote:
Open a real tiki bar in Palm Springs and call it

"Don't ask, Don't tell".

Being you're from the navy....

( not that there's anything wrong with it )

Too late Ben...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1123&forum=1&hilite=toucans%20palm%20springs

..and I can say honestly that it's not the worst Tiki bar I've ever been in. The go-go dancing guy in the camouflage Speedo and the army boots was a little over the top though :)