Taboo Cove Shag-Less

I just read this off Shag's website http://www.shag.com:

Venus, the Shag-outfitted nightclub at the Venetian Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, will be redecorated and outfitted with a less "appealing" motif, as the Shag-designed accoutrements (menus, lobby displays, casino displays, swizzle sticks, napkins, matchbooks, etc.) were all "appropriated" by enthusiastic patrons. While Shag appreciates the spirit of those who enjoy his art, he is sad to see the establishment change its appearance under those circumstances.

How unfortunate :( I'm planning a trip to Vegas in Oct/Nov (I haven't been since my 1996 pilgramage to the Sands...)

I hope the whole trip isn't Shag-less. sigh

So disappointing

So, those thieving little swine have ruined it for everyone else!
I suggest that if you see someone selling this stuff on eBay,
e-mail them a copy of Shag's paragraph, along with a few choice
words of your own. If you go to a friends house who has a display
of stolen Shag stuff, pour shame upon them. (If they aren't a friend, give
them a good kick up the arse.)
Perhaps Taboo Cove were naive to think that they wouldn't lose a few cocktail
stirrers & napkins, but it looks like the place has been systematically taken
apart. Does everything in the place have to be screwed down or have anti-theft
tags attached? Sheesh.

I noticed on a recent trip to the South London Pacific that a couple of Tiki pieces
had been torn off the wall by some tosser. If people keep doing it, the place will either
start to look shabby or find it difficult to maintain profit. I don't know how you can stop this
sort of pilfering, apart from collectively creating an enviroment where Tiki theft
is frowned upon.

Trader Woody

[ Edited by: Trader Woody on 2002-08-16 03:02 ]

It's been posted on http://www.shag-art.com for some time. I understand the matchbooks,swizzle sticks and napkins. I don't understand the lobby displays. It's just not right. Friends are going in Sept. Taboo Cove/Venus is one of their required stops.

:sheckymug:

[ Edited by: Turbogod on 2002-08-16 06:23 ]

I'm not buying it. Someone spent serious coin to decorate Venus. By the various post I've read and by my own experience the place seems to be empty all the time. Rather than say "I'm an Idiot business man, who wasted a pile of cash because I can't promote a business to save my life. After 2 years 50 Venetian employees standing 30 yard from the front door still have no idea where it is".They say instead "Someone stole the matches" When I was there last I had just seen someone get $30.00 for the Swizzle, matchbook, napkin combination on Ebay. I asked for some and got a handful, that stuff is advertising. The fact they would close a place because it generates so much interest seems to be ridiculous.
Al
( and for watery f*ckked up $12.00 dollar drinks that take two seconds to make they can afford more casino cards)

[ Edited by: Alnshely on 2002-08-16 10:12 ]

Just got back from Vegas,and I see a new "Taboo Cove" topic.

First, Taboo Cove was yet again an unmitigated disaster. Rap music played, not loud, nor even Loud!, but excruciatingly LOUD!!! Conversation shoulder to shoulder was virtually impossible. The decor is, as always, the ONLY reason to go. This time I did stay for more than one drink, though. However, that was only because of a drink special they had going. There were a few folks in there, maybe 3-6 tops. I did see more than that walk in, look around, walk right out. Sitting near the door(only place a little quieter) I finally asked a couple why they left, bottom line: music. They had been looking at the framed lounge lp covers. What do you know, that was what they thought would be playing!

Taboo/Venus are only open Wed-Sun now, and I predict they will both close by this time next year. I won't even go into the other reasons, it's all too disappointing. Bottom line, it's not worth it for me to go there again. "Unpleasant" is a mild, made for use here at the nice Tiki Centralite board, word.

This Shag item stuff is B.S., if you ask me. First, all I ever recall them having is Swizzle sticks (cannot be re-used), matchbooks (meant to give away), table cards(those should not be taken) and a small card giving directions within Venetian (meant to be taken). I sense another reason behind this news.

Bad location, bad mangament, bad service, poor support from Venetian and the wrong music for the world's newest authentic Tiki Bar add up to: failure. I was more sympathetic and tolerant my previous trips to Taboo Cove, but my tolerance has been extinguished.

I hate that you say Taboo Cove is such a disappointment. Does anyone know the whereabouts of other tiki in Vegas???

On 2002-08-16 11:58, TikiMel wrote:
I hate that you say Taboo Cove is such a disappointment. Does anyone know the whereabouts of other tiki in Vegas???

Taboo Cove is more sad than disappointing, what could have been, alas.

The decor is worth a look, which I am beginning to think is what most folks are doing. Bosko did a great job, but it cannot overcome a bad location and the other ills facing Taboo Cove. At least the TV was gone! The music is all wrong, fine, but they have it so loud it's unbearable. Business is so good there the have to close down a few days a week!

There are some Tiki-like places around Vegas. There are a few topics that have covered this earlier, you may want to "search" the lists. I think Bosko did some work at "Kahunaville" in Treasure Island, it's more Margaritaville-ish. Bellagio has an Asian bar (Noodles?) that is pretty good, but not typically "Tiki" at all. There are a few places with tropical themes in Luxor and Mandalya Bay. Castaways has a show now, a Hawaiian revue?

Our Vegas resident Centralites have more info for sure. Taboo Cove was the flagship, but that boat is taking on water and this rat has left! If you want real Vegas Tiki go to Sunset Park and visit the old Aku Aku Maoi. One can even see it from the air, southeast of airfield.

Skip the disappointment of these two valiant efforts at the Venetian, and head up the Strip a ways to enjoy the Lounge at the Algiers or the Fireside Lounge at the Peppermill Inn. Not tiki, but much more satisfying than what's become of the Venus...

Midnite: I, for one, would like to hear you go into your other reasons. Maybe make yourself a mai tai first if it will aggravate you... but I would indeed like to hear more.

Well as a veganite I was a big fan of the Taboo cove and saw it dwindle into the POS it is now, and its all due to poor Managment. It was takn over and the new owners wanted to chase the club sceen. All the shag decor was taken down before any us knew of the buy out, employee included.Or else we would have had the sign's and menu's. I'll tell you what everyone I know stole and that was the Bosko candle holders ,my self included. But in reality the workers told us to take them :P . Now we only have kahunavill and cheeseburge at the Oasis ( food sucks, drink OK atomspher cool). I miss the cool exotica msic the tease o rama movies and the burlesque strippers they had after midnight now itsjust a pretty shell of room with crapy drinks and loud mtv music. BLAH!!!

That pretty much illuminates the situation at Taboo Cove, bad management. I have been ther several times this year, different days/hours. Each time I almost expected to see tumbleweeds rolling across the floor.

The place is doomed, and much of tht has to be put on the owner's lap. However, the location and lack of support from Venetian has to be included. When I first visited I could not believe the terrible location for Taboo/Venus. It's no wonder that one of the "Shag items" was a small placard giving DIRECTIONS to the place. There was no accessf rom the casino flor, and the only foot traffic is going to be the people coming over the foot bridge from Treasure Island.

I firmly believe the new owners have ruined things, but I have to also think the location itself was pretty much a death sentence. It's a shame, Taboo Cove is such a great space with Bosko's design.

Having never been to the Cove myself, I am sorry to hear this. However, I totally agree with Al, I mean, com'on! The swizzle sticks, napkins and matches? That is what they are for - for people to take!!!
It's advertising.
What are these things made of?!

And yes, it is piss poor management if the place is as small as everyone says!

This is just someones lame-ass excuse to change the decor. Blame the Tiki-folks.

I'm the first to say that if I went all the way to Vegas and stopped in the Cove, you can be damn sure, I'd be walking out with a napkin and a swizzle stick (like they are going to re-use them?! If so, perhaps I would have to re-think my visit there...as would the health department!)

I don't buy this either...gotta be more to it. A Tiki Conspiracy?
Of all the lousey ways to make a buck! :x

we visited the cove in February, and had a pretty good time. Richard Cheese was playing the Venus side, which made for some humor and the bartenders on the Taboo side were informative and friendly. It was the bartenders who mentioned to us that matchbooks and swizzle sticks could be auctioned, so we took a few and auctioned them, theatrically with the intent of raising enough money to buy just one of the Shag tiki mugs.
During an auction, someone e-mailed me and berated me (and people like me) for causing the remodeling of the place. I had already heard rumors of the remodeling and had e-discussed it with Bosko and not wanting to be part of the problem had the exchange below with Shag.

Mr. Shag (?)

I actually traded e-mails with Bosko a few weeks ago and at that time he was
unaware that the lounge was being changed. He suggested that any changes
were related to Dj's versus live music, etc.

Nevertheless, we visited in February, for a genuine vegas-style wedding and
were thrilled to discover your lounge. It was actually the bartender who
told us that there was money to be made auctioning items with your motif and
I decided that an auction might be a reasonable method for raising enough
money to actually afford one of your mugs, during one of their occasional
appearances on ebay.

I would be broken-hearted to discover anything I might be doing contributed
to the un-retro-ing of the space. This is only my third auction of your
material and I will GLADLY cancel the auction if you feel that it would be
more appropriate.

Your fan

J
____________________________________________-
From: Shag
To: "J"
Subject: Re: Venus Shag items
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 23:42:45 -0700

Hi J,

Thanks for your consideration. I'm actually pretty ambivalent about people
selling the Venus stuff, so I'd never ask you to cancel the auction. On the
one hand I'm flattered that people are willing to collect, sell and buy Shag
stuff, on the other, I do understand The Venus' reluctance to continue with
the Shag theme. It sort of fits in with my whole "Limited Edition"
mentality -- see the place before the edition sells out!

It is nice to know that there are watchdogs out there, keeping an eye out
for my best interest!

shag

PS

that paragraph has been on the shag's web site since at least February.

has taboo been disassembled?

On 2002-08-20 10:48, jtiki wrote:
has taboo been disassembled?

Nope, Taboo Cove is the same great space, a real pinnnacle of modern Tiki design by Bosko. Did not see much of Venus Lounge this trip, it was closed. I did see one sign advertising for Venus in a walkway, new design, no Shag art. The napkins were plain, but Taboo was still using the same cocktail stirrers and matchbooks.

Sigh...

midnite

My mom went to Taboo Cove just last week. She said she picked up a couple swizzle sticks (from her drinks- the bartender wouldn't give her more, unless she bought more drinks), a matchbook, and maybe napkins. She's mailing them to me, so we'll see if they're still Shag-related (or not) when they arrive next week.

She said it looked pretty cool, although the music was loud & obnoxious, and she said the drinks she ordered were basically of the same low quality as the free stuff she gets when gambling, not worht paying money for. Basically not anything that I haven't already heard here! :)

Stefani