If you know me, I like my tiki with a bit of horror thrown in for good measure. When I saw pictures of Darren Perks tiki bar, I had to do a post on it! I’d say that Darren’s bar is more horror than tiki but that’s ok with me. Darren actually created all the creepy things you will see inside. As of this writing, there is no name for Darren’s ultra-scary tiki bar but Darren can tell you the story so far…
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Darren- It’s pretty good, but I find a lot tiki themed bars tend to follow the same design styles. They’re cool, but I really like when I see out of the box designs that are completely unique.
What came first? The Tiki or the Horror?
Darren- The horror, my background is in Makeup FX and Theme Park design.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Darren- We bought a house with a really large backroom “Florida Room” – which I immediately saw as a cool space for a themed bar area.
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Darren- No, not really – I just wanted a low-lit, atmospheric place to hang out, drink and listen to classic rock.
What is your favorite Tiki drink?
Darren- I probably should have one, but I don’t – I think that the bar itself and my slant on it – is what really appeals to me. I’m not really a typical “Tiki” aficionado, that’s why my style is more on the horror type design.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Darren- I don’t really have one, to be perfectly honest. I’ve been to a few that I thought were cool, but my brain is usually in overdrive – thinking about what could be done to make things even cooler.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Darren- Uniqueness is the main thing to me, I don’t really like when I see anything that looks like it’s already been done. I do a lot of stuff in the Haunt Industries as well and one of the things that stands out to me is when trends are followed, or done to death. I always call it “Clowns With Chainsaws”.
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Darren- I have a few more pieces to add, but I’m currently working on our new Haunted Attraction here in Florida. It will basically be my bar on steroids. All of my Makeup FX and Theme Park experience (over 30 years) is going into it. I do a lot of work for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, Sea Worlds Howl-O-Scream and have designed/built for the Disney Parks on both coasts. All of that is going into this new Haunt and my main focus is uniqueness, with a cool – moody atmosphere, scares and intense, high-end visuals.
Anything else you would like to add?
Darren- I appreciate your positive response to my bar and taking the time to ask me questions about it. When we open the Haunt, I’d love to do the same!
Fantastic. That’s my kind of place! Thanks for showcasing this great spooky tiki realm.