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Tiki as a job |
Nokala Rocky
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 13, 2005
Posts: 70
From: Rochester
|  Posted: 2013-02-07 1:33 pm Permalink
I'd love to bring a Tiki bar/Restaurant back to Rochester, N.Y. The winters are too long, and it would be nice to get away for awhile in the South Pacific!
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OKOLE MALUNA!
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AceExplorer
Grand Member (2 years) 
Joined: Apr 03, 2008
Posts: 304
From: Deep in the Jacksonville Florida jungle.
| Posted: 2013-02-07 1:37 pm Permalink
I'd love to open a tiki bar where you don't have loud music blasted at you every night -- where you can actually relax with your drinks and have conversations without yelling. Isn't that how it went down in mid-century tiki bars?
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Drinking rum before 10am makes you a pirate, not an alcoholic.
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ToddVegas
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 29, 2011
Posts: 92
From: Michigan
| Posted: 2013-02-07 7:06 pm Permalink
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On 2013-02-06 22:22, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Oh Todd! it has to be a "Tiki Bar" at the end, get with the program 
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Good call!
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Bongo Bungalow
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2007
Posts: 1227
From: Indiana
| Posted: 2013-02-08 07:40 am Permalink
As that I am already an owner of restaurants, and these restaurant/bars are not tiki, and will never be tiki, (tho we make a damn good Mai-Tai), my dream tiki job is to sell my restaurants, move close to the Mai-Kai in Florida and become that cranky-but-loveable guy at the end of the Molokai Bar who buys drinks for pretty girls, enjoys good food and drink himself, and tells great stories.
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tikiyaki
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: May 18, 2004
Posts: 2677
From: The Exotic Port of REDONDO BEACH, CA
| Posted: 2013-02-08 08:55 am Permalink
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On 2013-02-04 11:55, Cammo wrote:
"I definitely wouldn't start a tiki band, if money is an issue."
The Buzz makes a great point. I've always wondered what the thinking is behind the Tiki bands. It takes a huge and I mean HUGE amount of practice time, organizing, buying instruments, and even gas to get to all of your gigs. Some of the bands are smart (Martini Kings) and do it on a shoestring and make decent dough by playing a LOT of shows.
What's up with the other groups? What's the goal? It seems like they're losing money every time they play. This music will never be popular enough to sell past the breaking point online either, you can't dance to it and even music nerds barely acknowledge Exotica's existence.
Don't get me wrong; I love Exotica and wish it well, but I just read David Byrne's How Music Works and there simply ain't any cash in the game anymore.
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As a musician you practice regardless of whether you make money or not, so that doesn't count in the money making part of things. If you don't play, you're not a musician. As far as making money goes...the reason alot of the bands dont make money is they dont write their own music (and record it and sell it) ....the money to be made is in publishing.
The "goal" is to create, hopefully gain an audience, and leave a mark. If you wanna get rich, become a banker.
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2013-02-08 10:38 am Permalink
The only reason people stay in Exotica bands with any longevity (Don Tiki), is because it's in their blood. They have a passion for it that will NEVER go away. They really don't expect to get any money from their releases because the sales are not there and never will be. They have their fan base and they are happy with them. The Exotica "prime time" is OVER. People making a living off Exotica like Martin Denny or Arthur Lyman will, sadly, never return. The goal is to just enjoy doing what you do. Seems simple enough but it's amazing how many people have jobs that they absolutely hate! Most of the people in Exotica/Lounge type bands today, all have other professions. They have too. Have you ever bought equipment these days?
Love and passion, pure and simple! 
Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff
[ This Message was edited by: Jeff Central 2013-02-08 10:41 ]
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Luckydesigns
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 15, 2002
Posts: 1892
From: Costa Mesa
| Posted: 2013-02-08 11:27 am Permalink
Well said Jim and Jeff.
I have also worked to positon my band so that we don't exclusively rely on 'tiki' fans to "get" us, employ, or enjoy what we are doing.
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Spike
www.facebook.com/thehulagirls
www.thehulagirlsmusic.com
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lucas vigor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 3453
From: "I've chopped my way through real jungle
| Posted: 2013-02-08 1:01 pm Permalink
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On 2013-02-08 11:27, Luckydesigns wrote:
Well said Jim and Jeff.
I have also worked to position my band so that we don't exclusively rely on 'tiki' fans to "get" us, employ, or enjoy what we are doing.
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and it's well that you do, Spike. Also commendable that every time you play a non tiki event, you are exposing people to a culture we all love. I can't help but wonder at the fact that every time you play, there are people who see what you are doing and question what it is all about...maybe they get interested in the scene and start going to tiki events themselves, which does all the other tiki bands a huge favor.
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GROG
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jun 21, 2006
Posts: 6184
From: Tujunga
| Posted: 2013-02-08 10:28 pm Permalink
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On 2013-02-08 13:01, lucas vigor wrote:
[ I can't help but wonder at the fact that every time you play, there are people who see what you are doing and question what it is all about...maybe they get interested in the scene and start going to tiki events themselves
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Nope, they're just there to watch Judy and Dinah dancing.
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GROG miss Tiki-Kate
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VeroTiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 11, 2009
Posts: 43
From: Vero Beach, Florida
| Posted: 2013-02-09 05:31 am Permalink
WOW-thanks to all who posted. I love the Tiki theme park idea! Too bad it would take winning the lottery to make that happen!! I would love to see a place like Tiki Gardens rebuilt--that place was awesome! It is, as I suspected, almost impossible to make Tiki your full-time job. Something's wrong with that--you should be able to make a living being immersed in something you love and get excited about. I'm going to keep thinking, so keep posting!!
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King Bushwich the 33rd
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 10, 2005
Posts: 933
From: Ling Cod Beach, CA 90803
| Posted: 2013-02-09 1:12 pm Permalink
If you are going to build a tiki theme park, here's a piece of real estate for sale you might consider.
Private island in the Society islands of French Polynesia, Motu Moie ('far away isle') is 15 miles from Bora Bora.
THen again, it might already be too tiki already and a theme park would be overkill. It would be like building a California Adventure theme park in California. But nobody would do that, would they?
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Or Got Rum?
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 29, 2009
Posts: 289
From: Wisconsin
| Posted: 2013-02-09 2:15 pm Permalink
VeroTiki, Good thread and some insightful comments. I always search and "plan" for a restaurant/bar location for my new found fortune. Here is one that I used to pass by all the time in Saratoga Springs (famous racetrack/historic area) Upstate New York and while it was closed, I could tell it was a sweet building. After doing some research, lo and behold it had a tiki part of it's past (thanks to MIMI's great site) and is now FOR SALE...hah ha...price undisclosed. Let the dreams begin...
Description
Built in 1962 by the original owners and known as the Trade Winds, this building can be considered one of Saratoga's historic landmarks. It is said the original owners, who were two Greek brothers, hand picked each stone they used to build the historic Trade Winds. The restaurant is up to code and the condition of the building is superb. The parking lot allows around 50 vehicles, while the dining room can allow up to 200 or more people. The bar is very spacious and has a new gas operated fireplace. The kitchen was also modernized and can handle a high volume of customers.
Serious inquiries only, more photos available upon request. Thank you for looking.
Please call Larry @ for more information.
Broadway is the main road that leads into downtown Saratoga. Rt. 9 becomes South Broadway if you were coming North. The restaurant is 2 miles South from downtown Saratoga, about 2 miles from the famous Saratoga race track, 2 miles from the Saratoga Racing and Gaming Casing, and about 1 mile from the Saratoga State Park and Saratoga Perfoming Arts Center. It is in an ideal location and next to a Hilton Garden Inn hotel.
  
 
BTW-Rocky, Not in Rochester, but hey it's still upstate...your a diner guy also, correct? OGR
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Nokala Rocky
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 13, 2005
Posts: 70
From: Rochester
| Posted: 2013-02-09 11:20 pm Permalink
Yes, I am a Diner guy Or Got Rum? To bad I haven't hit the lotto! Being stuck in the mid century can be an issue sometimes!
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OKOLE MALUNA!
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TropicDrinkBoy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 27, 2011
Posts: 155 | Posted: 2013-02-10 07:17 am Permalink
If you don't mind moving to Wisconsin here is a classic mid-century restaurant that is begging to be tikified: http://buythegobbler.com/ . I believe it already has lava rock walls. Be sure to view the "Photo Tour" and "Full Details" links.
[ This Message was edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-02-10 07:26 ]
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lucas vigor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 3453
From: "I've chopped my way through real jungle
| Posted: 2013-02-10 09:47 am Permalink
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On 2013-02-10 07:17, TropicDrinkBoy wrote:
If you don't mind moving to Wisconsin here is a classic mid-century restaurant that is begging to be tikified: http://buythegobbler.com/ . I believe it already has lava rock walls. Be sure to view the "Photo Tour" and "Full Details" links.
[ This Message was edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-02-10 07:26 ]
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That is totally incredible!
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