Would you have a piranha as a pet?
During covid times, Wendy and Carl had a lot of time to kill so they decided to build a tiki bar behind their home in Seaback WA. Seabeck in located out on the Peninsula here in the Pacific Northwest and is about an hour and a half drive from Seattle. You need to travel on a dirt road through the woods to get to The Thirsty Piranha and I have to be honest is kind of creepy going through at night. It’s really dark out there! But once you get to Wendy and Carl’s home you start seeing the multicolored lights of the Thirsty Piranha. There are plenty of windows which would normally be frowned upon for a tiki bar but here, it works! You feel like your outside with nature and you don’t have to be worry about getting eaten by a bear, but inside, you have to watch out for the piranhas!
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Wendy- We haven’t met many people in Kitsap County or Seabeck that are into the tiki scene. We have only just begun to experience the tiki culture within the last few years, and so may not have had the chance to meet many other people. Although, Carl just found out this summer that a colleague/friend at his former place of employment has a tiki bar in his basement, and has been a tiki enthusiast for many years. So, we are beginning to meet people. We got some banana plants for our yard landscape from him!
What brought you into the tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Wendy- We have always been interested in the Polynesian culture, and have collected a few things over the years. We love to vacation in Hawaii. And we love Disney, so Trader Sam’s at the Disneyland Hotel is probably the starter for us. Probably 10 years now of interest in tiki, but we really started getting serious about tiki during the Covid lockdown.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Wendy- Short answer: The Covid lockdown. We set up a little tiki themed area on our covered porch. It was big enough for us and one or two guests. We could sit outside and enjoy a Mai Tai with friends or just the two of us. We were planning on building a covered patio in our backyard. The original plan was a simple covered patio with picnic tables and a bar b cue. Let’s just say that our plans evolved!!
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Wendy- Besides Piranhas being a part of jungle cruising, Carl and several of his friends raised pet Piranhas during their teen years back in the 70s. He raised them from juvenile fish the size of a 50-cent piece to 10-inch-long (guestimate based on the difficulty of trying to hold a tape measure up to a live Piranha!) monsters.
What is your favorite Tiki drink?
Wendy- The Mai Tai. because it’s delicious!
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Wendy- Trader Sam’s is probably the favorite because of sentimental reasons. It was the first. We haven’t been to very many Tiki bars yet. We love Devil’s Reef and Inside Passage is fun, too. Our friend locally (mentioned above) had a flood in his basement, and so we have not had the pleasure of seeing his tiki bar in working order.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Wendy- Music. Fun people. An immersive atmosphere (especially the lighting) that can get you out of your head and let you forget about the outside world for a few hours (days?!?).
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Wendy- We have more work to do. There are some details left to finish. More trim work. A couple more lights. We want to add more details to the exterior, including landscaping and a possible water feature.
Anything else you would like to add?
Wendy- It has been a great addition to our life. We are both creative people, and the build has been a great outlet for us. We see our tiki bar as artistic expression. As the saying goes: something must be first imagined before it can be created. It is one large piece of art. It is also a great escape. There are so many talented artists who’s pieces we have incorporated into our creation.
Thank You Stephen Curran for your photos!
