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Trader Vic's Portland -- The Wait is Over. |
Tiki Kupcake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 362
From: Portland, OR
|  Posted: 2011-07-31 9:06 pm Permalink
I wouldn't worry about which month is tiki month. Tiki Kon is always changing months. It's been in June July and August. Plus, August is the month with international tiki day in it. Let's just be happy we keep getting more tiki in Portland!
Trader Vic's Portland is great. I've been there 3 times already and will be back again tomorrow night. Every night has been different and tons of fun. Both the dining room and the lounge have different menus and both are tasty. So happy this place has finally opened, after knowing about it for so long.
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2079 | Posted: 2011-08-01 10:40 am Permalink
WOW! That place looks GREAT!!
I wish you well.
If this one does not make it don't know if any can.
The decor it righton, You got your own mugs, And Shag shirts.
The one thing some places miss, forget is service.
Not just fast accurate service, but make it fun, make each customer
feel like they are your best customer.
Being a large or some may say fat guy I get bad service from a lot
of the places I go.
But then how do people get fat? they eat and drink a lot.
That's more money at your place.
When I had my diner, on the slow days the customers that would come
in and save that day were the "oh crap not that person" type.
Wait staff at times get into a only the likable or pretty people get good service mode.
You give an ugly the time of day and he will be your customer for life.
The in or cool folks need to go to the hot spots, so when the luster wears off of
your place he's gone.
My place had like 85% regulars.
Vic knew all of this, And I would guess you do to.
But people forget this HUGE point in this biz.
In this economy you need every edge to make a go of it.
Great job!!!
Good luck!!!
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Lucky Jackson
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 06, 2011
Posts: 33
From: Beaverton,OR
| Posted: 2011-08-01 10:41 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2011-07-31 11:57, bigbrotiki wrote:
Those big guys look cool. They could use some big planters with tall bamboo behind them, or similar tropical greenery.
Here's one more photo of the various Tiki textures inside:
I am looking forward to pics from the grand opening tomorrow!
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Good call, tall bamboo behind them would really set the mood!
Great photo! I love that tiki! I think he may be my favorite one in there!
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drewgroove
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jul 06, 2009
Posts: 30
From: Portland
| Posted: 2011-08-01 12:11 pm Permalink
Well, as if anyone hasn't heard, The Portland Trader Vic's is open and it's fabulous.
Today marks the 'official' opening date. There will be surprise prizes for the first 50 people through the doors, which open at 3pm. Portland Mayor Sam Adams will be on hand tonight, as well as DJ Drew Groove spinning lounge, jazz, surf, and tiki, exotica records throughout the evening.
Sounds like the making for grand and tikilicious time! Hope to see you.
I created a little facebook event for the evening,
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=251082958243159
and of course information can be found on the Trader Vic's Facebook as well as regular website.
http://www.facebook.com/vicspdx
http://www.tradervicspdx.com
Right on and Mahalo!
[ This Message was edited by: drewgroove 2011-08-01 12:13 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10557
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2011-08-01 12:38 pm Permalink
Alright! DJ Drew is IN the house! 
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tikiarch
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 01, 2007
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2011-08-02 10:43 am Permalink
Thanks everyone for the nice comments on the design. This was a fun space to work in. I really think the central bar works great as well. Never too far from that next Mai Tai!
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Const Tiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 16, 2007
Posts: 22
From: Portland, Oregon
| Posted: 2011-08-02 11:49 am Permalink
What was the gift the first fifty people got?
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Tiki Kupcake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 362
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2011-08-02 4:19 pm Permalink
A free Mai tai put in our hand the second we walked through the door and a fresh orchid lei. It was a great opening!
[ This Message was edited by: Tiki Kupcake 2011-08-02 16:19 ]
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GatorRob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 1766
From: 3 hrs 33 mins to paradise
| Posted: 2011-08-02 4:28 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2011-07-28 22:32, Lucky Jackson wrote:
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Nice! Those tikis could really benefit from some bleaching from the sun. They will hopefully turn a nice silver over time, but hopefully stay free from rot. Is that redwood or maybe cedar? From what I can recall, that photo angle may be the northern exposure (I could be wrong) so maybe not all that much sun. Can't wait to get out again and pay a visit!
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tikiarch
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 01, 2007
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2011-08-02 5:15 pm Permalink
The tikis are Redwood
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10557
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2011-08-03 10:48 am Permalink
I just wanted to note that TV'S PDX accomplished the pretty cool feat of having the MAYOR of Portland officially declare August as TIKI MONTH!:
http://www.tradervicspdx.com/blog/
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10557
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2011-08-03 12:08 pm Permalink
By the way, the grand opening was Monday, today is Wednesday: WHERE are the photos of the event?
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Tiki Kupcake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 362
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2011-08-03 2:34 pm Permalink
You can find pictures from the grand opening here: https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.237708896252572.56962.206038212752974 I took a bounch of my own pictures, but haven't had time to upload them. I have been at Trader Vic's for the past two nights.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10557
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2011-08-03 5:30 pm Permalink
Thank you, Kupcake, looking forward to the pics... (and what'd I say earlier about Facebook?)
With August being the official Tiki month in Portland now, all you'd need now would be a KON-TIKI to open..
 
...and things would really be hoppin' - just like in 1959, when both Vic and Steve Crane opened their places in Portland 
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10557
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2011-08-09 11:37 pm Permalink
Oh well, I guess I won't get to see anymore photos of the place until I go there personally again. Sigh.
Here's a local Portland newspaper article from today aimed at spreading the Tiki spirit, with some quotes by yours truly:
http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2011/08/portlanders_get_out_your_umbre.html#incart_mce
It's nothing new or genius, and any Portland Tikiphile could have answered those questions, but I guess Trader Vic's gave them my name to talk to. Hope it gets folks to go and check the place out instead of staying home all scared to spend money.
[ This Message was edited by: bigbrotiki 2011-08-10 09:31 ]
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