Trader Vic's Emeryville News

Aloha TC Ohana!

As we all know, the times they are a changin’, they have been for a few years now. At Trader Vic’s in Emeryville we have made some minor tweaks here and there to try to keep up, but the place is in need of some major love and attention on all fronts. Although we are sad to have to be closed for any period of time, we are incredibly excited about reopening our doors in September of this year.

Our culinary team, beverage squad and design crew will be working overtime throughout the next five months to bring you a revamped and revitalized Trader Vic’s. Please become a fan on our facebook page, as we will be posting updates and sneak peeks of our progress throughout the temporary closure.

To those of you who have been avid, loyal customers, thank you for your daily, weekly, monthly, patronage and support; we will be running a week’s worth of too-good-to-be-true specials from April 25th – April 29th as a special thank you to you all. As September draws near keep an eye on our facebook page for grand re-opening information and events you won’t want to miss out on!

Mahalo for your continued support!

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
I live in Petaluma, that's my bestest place tp go!
John, say it aint so!
I am already having Mai tai withdrawls....

Well, gonna just have to go over this tuesday or somethin.
Pearly, set me a place an' fix me up a drink!
You still have mugs fer sale till you close, right? :)
~Zero

John - do whatever you need to keep this open! I'm just concerned that the historic decor will be removed/replaced.
Will this become a Bar and Grill??

-Trad'r Bill

On 2010-04-15 10:55, TraderVics wrote:...reopening our doors in September of this year.

I know there are too many things between now and then as far as remodeling for you to know for sure, but what is the planned date for a reopening?

On 2010-04-15 12:18, Trad'r Bill wrote:
Will this become a Bar and Grill??

Don't be silly.

The Trader Vic's Island Bar and Grill concept is a franchise arrangement. The Emeryville location is one of the TV Corporate Flagship locations. Why would they close a Flagship location to turn it into a franchise?

Uh, oh... I have this terrible feeling of deja vu. I hope this works out for you guys on the coast, better than it did for us in Texas. We had an eerily-similar post on the Dallas Trader Vic's Facebook site, on Jan. 12:

"On Saturday we had a major pipe burst in the front of the restaurant. Because of the damage, and the need for some construction, we have decided to take advantage of the situation and close for a few weeks to freshen up for spring. We will be posting updates on the website and will be adding to Facebook during the course of the closure. We are looking forward to re-opening soon!"

I guess you know how that turned out!

I have had so many great times at this Trader Vic's, it's a shock to hear it's closing, even if it's only temporary. Please try to maintain the classic feel as much as possible. Looking forward to visiting as often as I can in the next 2 weeks and to the re-opening in September.

:(, but hopeful.

I'm also a Petaluman and we were just there last week. I certainly hope the changes are too drastic!

On 2010-04-15 12:18, Trad'r Bill wrote:
John - do whatever you need to keep this open! I'm just concerned that the historic decor will be removed/replaced.
Will this become a Bar and Grill??

-Trad'r Bill

lol!

Really sad to hear this. TV Emeryville has been our home away from home for at least the last 10 years. Even our little baby has grown accustomed to going to "Tiki" at least once a week! Not sure where we'll head to now, It's been our favorite restaurant/ happy hour spot for so long, I really haven't given it much thought.

I too, hope this closure is temporary and that nothing unforeseen occurs between now and then. I'd hate for us all to lose this absolute jewel! I URGE everyone on this forum: GO TO TV'S BEFORE THEY CLOSE!!!, especially if you're within driving distance. We've got two weeks...let's show them some support and give them a true Ohana send off. You'll be sad and wishing you did, if something was to go awry with their future plans!!

To Trader Vics Corp...Best of luck. Hope everything goes as planned. Give the joint the TLC it deserves and we'll be there in September. Remember too, that Vic personally designed this location as his ultimate swan song. Please be sensitive to this when designing the remodel.
To the incredible staff...John, Ekaterina, Claudette, Judy, Renee, Carolyn (I know I'm forgetting some here!),a HUGE MAHALO for everything!! You guys have always treated my family like Royalty. Thanks too, for your generous donations to Forbidden Island's various events, throughout this last year. Hope this down-time isn't too stressful and taxing on you guys! And hoping to see each and every one of you back on board in September!

VIVA TRADER VICS!! May the Trader's vision live on forever!!

Wow, only a couple weeks before the temporary shut down? Why am I suddenly thirsty for a mai tai SF style?
I REALLY hope the changes are for the better and not the generic. If any changes had to be made, I would suggest
a more casual oceanic art filled atmosphere like the Palo Alto Vic's. Either way, I will continue to support
this fine tiki institution and will visit as often as I can before the hiatus.

Mahalo to everyone involved with Trader Vic's Emeryville. You have always been nothing less than generous and welcoming to all of us in the tiki community.

Crossing my fingers and wishing good luck on this.

I'm glad that I have made it there 2 times on my Nor. Cal. trips.
wish I could say the same for the now gone SF TVs.

Jeff(btd)

The Emeryville Trader Vic's is great! Please don't change it much. Please reopen!
Thank you.

On 2010-04-15 10:55, TraderVics wrote:

To those of you who have been avid, loyal customers, thank you for your daily, weekly, monthly, patronage and support; we will be running a week’s worth of too-good-to-be-true specials from April 25th – April 29th as a special thank you to you all. As September draws near keep an eye on our facebook page for grand re-opening information and events you won’t want to miss out on!

Road trip.

I've always loved waterfront restaurants nearly as much as I love tiki bars. Like the other posters here, I eagerly await the new, possibly upgraded but with luck not too different, Trader Vic's.

chiwito

As it is now, TV emeryville has some of the best food around.

And one of the nicest staff to encounter.

And some of the best classic tiki decor.

And the best mai tais on the globe.

you see, THAT'S a great tiki time to me.

Keep up the good work guys, and we'll all see you soon.

~Zero

Maybe this will be an opportunity to take some of those warehouse leftovers from other sites and sprinkle them into the flagship! Would be fun to see that Barney West moai out in public, standing watch in some strategic position in the re-vitalized Vics!

Just saying...

-Randy

Aloha!

To address some of your questions:
You can still buy mugs up until April 30th in Emeryville. During the renovation, you can buy them here: http://www.tradervicsgourmet.com/
Trader Vic's Emeryville will be reopening as... Trader Vic's Emeryville!
We are shooting for Wednesday, September 15th for our grand reopening.
Many, many treasures from our Warehouse will have a new home in Emeryville.
Hope to see you all over the next two weeks!
Thank you for all of your positive comments!

Mahalo!

Great!! My fears are subsiding... breathe... breathe...

On 2010-04-16 15:30, TraderVics wrote:
Many, many treasures from our Warehouse will have a new home in Emeryville.

You know, I was pretty much in my default pessimistic mode about this "revamped and revitalized Trader Vic’s", but that quote from the horse's mouth has me a bit more optimistic. We'll see.

Okole maluna Trader Vic's Emeryville! A tribute from my humble camera...

A Barney West for Randy :) :up:

On 2010-04-16 02:33, Unga Bunga wrote:
Road trip.

Do it!

Great pix, Rob! Makes me want to make a pilgrimage.

Nice idea to post some pics Rob! I always linger around those old rum bottles for some up close scrutiny. Yeah, we're going to try to make at least one visit from our side of the bay in the next couple weeks. Here's some pics from last year's crawl, just to remind people of the beauty of the Emeryville Vics at night.

-Randy

Good times, good times over the years at Trader Vic's Emeryville!!!!

& here's to MANY MANY more to come! :D

great pics, thanks to those who posted.

I wish I could come up for a Visit before the remodel.
But after my trip to Az. for the Kon Tiki event.
I am tapped out.

Jeff(btd)

Will be there this Monday for Happy Hour

Thank you for the photos. I had forgotten how wonderful it is there. We will have to make the journey once the project it over. Wendy and Dan

I was wondering why they need to close for 5 months? It seems an excessively long time for a renovation regardless of what needs to be done. I love the place and hope they re-open but 5 months??

I can tell you exactly why they are closing for five months: Union busting. I went to Vic's last night. I spoke with several staff members and regular patrons. Apparently, the staff was called in for a general meeting and summarily told that as of the closing date they would be unemployed. Every last one from the captains down to the dishwasher. No severance, no keeping people on, no transfers. Just:" you are done, your job here is over." The restaurant is not just "closing for renovations", the restaurant WILL BE CLOSED. As such, after four months, all union contracts will expire. Thus, ALL employees who want to return MUST REAPPLY. This is morally bankrupt. I truly fear what the "Design Team and Beverage Squad" will do to the restaurant. I expect the idea of fine dining will be thrown out the window in favour of the creeping miasma of McVic's. Do not trust the corporate staff. One look at the "Mai Tai Lounge" web-page should be a huge, bloody red flag that these people have zero idea about the cultural history of polynesian pop, tiki, Americana, gourmet food, or anything else you can think of. Furthermore, their track record with recent locations is absolutely pathetic. Can anyone explain to me how none of these "executives" couldn't realize that Golden Gate and Van Ness was an abysmal location for a restaurant (Stars was thirty years ago when the City was whole different place). I never made it to the Seattle location because it WAS NOT IN SEATTLE! Bellevue, WTF! I did make it to Dallas. I specifically made the three hour drive to visit it. I am glad I did because as we all know it is NOW CLOSED! How can this happen? We know the pain and loss of Beverly Hills. No need to beat that dead horse, but last time I checked, the building is standing. The "executives" that are either behind or acquiesce to these decisions are the very same people who are now "in charge" of "renovating" Emeryville. Design Team, my ass! Blatant union-busting tactics and a pathetic, rudderless desire to be Bennigans with fruity drinks.
TIKI-CENTRALITES: DO NOT LET THIS GO WITHOUT STAKING YOUR GROUND!

On 2010-04-19 09:43, Shangri-lodger wrote:
I can tell you exactly why they are closing for five months: Union busting.

And what would stop the new staff from forming/joining a union? Or is there a Trader Vic's Employee Union I am unaware of that is going to fail because of this?

And before you ask, yes I am a Union Man.

My rant (and yes it is a rant) is less that new employees will or won't be able to join/form a union, than there are employees at Emeryville that were personally hired by Trader Vic himself. There are employees that have fifteen, twenty, thirty years of service with the restaurant. They got the same raw deal that those that have worked there for three months. This is the only location that has a true and identifiable connection with Trader Vic the man. Showing these employees the door will break a significant through-line of history at this location. Furthermore, a brief chat with a few regulars last night made it clear that people are already feeling alienated by the rough treatment and fear of what will be done. The corporate staff undoubtedly has a bad case of what can best be termed "Cadillac Syndrome", i.e. "if we don't get new, younger customers we will die ourselves."; however, the regular, albeit older customers, are the economic life-blood of that restaurant. For example, I am decidedly old, but in the past month I have taken (on three separate occasions) three people to Vic's (two young people I might add) who had never even heard of the restaurant. The corporate staff is obviously so misguided (TV's Bar & Grill anyone?) to believe that if they "update" the restaurant, those darn free spending thirty year olds are going to beat a path to their door. The corporate staff couldn't recognize a cultural trend if a bus load of Tiki-Crawlers showed up on their doorstep. I first started patronizing the Emeryville location about fifteen years ago. I begged the then restaurant manager (now embedded in the corporate staff) to take advantage of the coalescing tiki revival. Deaf, deaf ears. They simply don't care about anything other than market-share. The corporation doesn't care whether long time employees get fired, a long tradition of fine dining is squelched, and a serene environment is paved over with television monitors and a thumping disco beat. I pray, literally pray, that the corporation really will "renovate" the restaurant. Everyone knows the restrooms need help, the carpet is abysmal, some of the Naugahyde booths need recovering, and some fixtures could be refinished; however, I simply don't trust the people that let the Beverly Hills location be closed under the cover of darkness to really and properly reinvigorate this restaurant. I will part, and post no more, with this memory: About ten years ago I was idling in the bar on Sunday night with one of the real, old time bartenders that worked with Vic himself (and for decades). We were discussing the current state of disaster that the restaurant was in. Who was general manager? The very same person that is a vice-president with the corporation now. As the bartender said (verbatim quotation): "The Trader is surely rolling in his grave now."

Let it all out Shangri-lodger. This is a public forum and the Trader Vic's people do read it occasionally so maybe you can make a difference.

And, on that same thought....

...The corporate staff is obviously so misguided (TV's Bar & Grill anyone?) ...

The Trader Vic's Island Bar & Grill is a franchise arrangement. It is a separate bit of corporation under a separate bit of management and control. If a Trader Vic's Flagship location couldn't survive in a particular location there is no way in hell a franchise location is going to make it in the same location. Ergo, the idea of a Flagship location, like Emeryville, somehow being converted to an Island Bar & Grill is just a red herring tossed into conversations to get emotions up and steer conversations into unnecessary and useless directions.

And, having been to the Island Bar & Grill, I love it and hope they open more of them across the nation. It would be nice to be able to get a decent tiki/rum drink in more cities when travelling. Last time I went through Omaha, most of the bartenders looked at me like I had a third arm growing right out of the center of my forehead when I said I'd like a Mai Tai please.

Stop at my place next time you're close to Omaha, I'll build you a proper Mai Tai.

On 2010-04-19 13:48, WestADad wrote:
Stop at my place next time you're close to Omaha, I'll build you a proper Mai Tai.

It may be a while, but I'll take you up on that offer!

You think they would do this work during the winter - isn't Spring/Summer the busiest time of year for a waterfront restaurant?

Just went in - had to get some last minute Rum-fueled goodness before they close for awhile... The staff was as nice as ever, and when I went to see if there were any good mugs available, I was given something rather unusual.

...yep. the pig mug.
Awesome. I intend to go back at least once more before April 30th...
~Zero

Wow!! that is cool,
never heard of or seen that mug before.
what is the drink that goes in it?
Please don't say a Bacon Martini.

Jeff(btd)

[ Edited by: bigtikidude 2010-04-20 21:54 ]

I am not sure. I got the mug wrapped in newspaper dated, August 15th, 1984. According to John, the manager at TV's, it was Vic Bergeron's last mug design before he passed on.

Ooga Mooga states, "This pink pig-shaped mug was manufactured for Trader Vic's. It was used for a brief time in 1984. The pig has pointed protruding ears and black eyes, one of which has a large dark circle around it."

As for the cocktail... Does anyone know? Anyone?

[ Edited by: ZeroTiki 2010-04-20 22:33 ]

I haven't been able to find out from anyone what went in the pig mug. I would love to know!

I so hope it was a Bacon and Rum drink.
damn that sounds good.

Jeff(btd)

Here's a thread with some "good" speculation as to what might have been served in it.

Trader Vic's Pig Mug?

I believe it was the often overlooked "Spam Tai". Meal-in-a-mug.
Aloha,
:tiki:

Since this is the last weekend (for a while) to visit, are any planned or impromptu meet ups planned? Unga Bunga, are you road tripping?

I went for dinner on Wednesday and had a very nice evening.

I believe there may be a handful of us going again on Monday evening. The Gindicate and I had a lovely dinner and cocktails in the bar this past Monday. Come on down around 6:00.

Might have to swing by with Mrs. Zero

Just a thought, but maybe someone could take some pictures for a pre- and post-renovation comparison. There are a lot a good close up pictures posted here and on Critiki, but fewer of the dining area in general.

Just got an email from TV Emeryville with their pre-remodel specials! Wednesday they'll be serving the "Pinky Poo Cocktail" and the first 50 people (after 5:00) to purchase the Pinky Poo Cocktail "get to keep the adorable pig mug"! I think that answers the question about what was served in the pig!