All dressed up and no place to go…
I’ve been to Indiana many times. I’ve literally driven through the entire state from east to west and back again, mostly to go to Indianapolis to visit my tiki friends and visit The Inferno Room. Paula Kasun lives in Angola which is located in NE Indiana almost to the very top corner of the state. Needless to say, if Paula wants to Tiki, she has a long drive ahead of her. It’s about a three-hour drive to The Inferno Room! As they say, if you can’t get to the tiki, you bring the tiki to you. (I just made that up) and that’s exactly what Paula did. Paula built her own tiki bar in her basement. It’s called The Kraken Lounge and here’s Paula’s story…
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Paula- Close to me has virtually no tiki scene, but within a 3 hour drive I can get to about a dozen killer bars in any direction! The Kraken Lounge is open to all my friends here though, we love visitors for photo shoots or just drinks and shenanigans.
What brought you into the tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Paula- About 7 or 8 years ago, I was heavily involved in the pinup scene and a large percent of my pinup friends were very much into the tiki esthetic. The more I saw of the clothing, the more I wanted to visit a bar where I could wear it. That was the match that lit the fire, so to speak. As I started to visit tiki bars around the country, I developed an interest in learning more about the history and then the tiki culture in America. The more I learned and saw, the more invested I became!
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Paula- After visiting a couple of tiki bars in Northern California in February of 2020 the Covid shutdowns started to sweep across the world, and we were stuck at home here even in my little town of 500 in North East Indiana. No tiki bars were open anywhere so with nowhere to go for fun for the foreseeable future I decided to build my own tiki bar so we could entertain as we saw fit, pandemic or not! So, I started building pieces in my spare time, while learning how to be a mixologist. By the end of the year I decided I was going to host a New Year’s Eve party in the bar, so that out a deadline on having it ready for guests!
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Paula- When I was visiting Ventiki in Ventura, CA I saw this really cool tentacle hanging down from the ceiling and I decided that I wanted my bar to have that dark kraken kind of feel. Once the building started I knew I needed to name to match the theme.
What is your favorite Tiki drink?
Paula- I’d have to say I love all bright flavored drinks, and almost any rum (except Bacardi – the Bush Light of rums). But my favorite tiki drink has to be a Mai Tai. The reason the Mai Tai is the first drink I ALWAYS order in any new bar is simple. It’s one of the most classic original tiki drinks. The recipe is almost a century old and I can tell from the first sip if any bar I am in understands tiki, by the authenticity of their Mai Tai.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Paula- I’m not sure I have a favorite bar, but if I had to choose just one, it would be Tiki Underground in Akron, OH that bad most closely resembles the feel of my private bar, the drinks are killer, and the owners are the most personable and unpretentious people I have met in the tiki scene yet.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Paula- There are a lot of different styles of tiki spaces that I’ve seen in the past few years, and I appreciate all the different takes on tiki that I see. In my personal opinion, I feel like a place I want hang out and drink would have the following:
Authentic tiki design / decor
True tiki drinks
A large selection of rum
Music that matches the theme
People that are enjoying the space
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Paula- The Kraken Lounge like any good bar is always changing and being added too. It’s spilling out if my house and into my yard now. With any luck in the future, my bar will entertain more friends than ever, both old and new!
Anything else you would like to add?
Paula- There is such a wide variety in the tiki culture. One thing I don’t do well with are the tiki gate keepers, and we all know there are far too many of them. My bar is basically a mix of Davey Jones Locker meets The Goonies with a strong side order of bamboo and lahala. Although tiki is not everything…. Tiki is for EVERYONE! And everyone is welcome at The Kraken Lounge.
That’s a cool looking home tiki bar. Job well done!