When I walked in to Zach Robert’s home tiki bar, I felt like a I stepped into a temple, a tiki temple! The bar is in the center of the Zach’s space with two tall tikis from Detroit’s Mauna Loa, two smaller tikis on the far sides of the garage and one giant tiki towering above the bar. The name of this incredible bar is Temple of Rum but that doesn’t include what’s on the outside! I will let Zach tell you more about Paradis du Zombi…
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Zach- It’s a vibrant scene, with lot a lot of deep history as well as new, energetic blood.
Detroit was home to Mauna Loa & Chin Tiki, and just a few hours from Kahiki, so there have been lots of artifacts to discover at thrift stores and estate sales.
Just like elsewhere, many of Detroit’s early tiki revivalists came out of our music scene. The indie record store I used to work at in the 90’s carried TikiNews on the zine rack. I’d read em, but kicking myself now for never buying.
We often talked about a Detroit home bar tour, and after the pandemic, it started happening as a monthly rotating event hosted at someone’s home bar. But we’ve since grown so quickly that hosting has become difficult. We currently meet up once a month at Detroit’s Mutiny Bar.
What brought you into the tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Zach- The seed was always there. Far too many childhood influences to list here (such as seeing a news report about Detroit’s Trader Vic’s closing and my jaw dropping at the eye candy) but it eventually led to throwing a luau in the early 90’s. I looked all over for decor for the party, but couldn’t find anything. Even big box retail like Party City had nothing back then. I started searching what few resources I could find online and I realized I was not the only one interested in Polynesian pop.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Zach- In the early 00’s, I had a very humble tiki space in my basement. By the time it started to look like something, I was going through a divorce and the house was sold. Everything went into storage. The basement in my new place had too low of ceilings to make a proper bar, so I started having large tiki-themed summer parties outside in the backyard. They were pretty elaborate (Pro-Tip: seagrass matting covering concrete can turn your driveway into a completely different space)
My tiki collection started to outgrow my house right around the time of the pandemic lockdown. I needed to take the plunge into full bar build. My garage, built in 1942, was in pretty rough shape. I spent nearly a year just making a clean slate. Raised the foundation, electrical, insulation, replaced the roll-up doors with custom carriage doors, added French doors, etc.
After that, it was a summer of annoying my neighbors with power tools.
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Zach- The name predates the bar by about 7-8 years. It’s actually the name of the yard. The zombie’s garden/paradise. Zombie comes from my old TikiCentral screen name: Feelin’ Zombified. The Detroit area has a heavy French influence in its 300+ year history, so the name just seemed right. The bar itself, I refer to as Temple of Rum.
What is your favorite Tiki drink?
Zach- Tough to narrow it down. Originally, the Zombie… long before Jeff Berry’s correct recipe discoveries, so they were a little dodgy. These days, it’s probably a Navy Grog, occasionally with a dash or 2 of Herbsaint added. For modern classics, it’s Martin Cate’s Formidable Dragon. However, I most often have a Rum Old Fashioned in my hand. The rum choice varies, as does any modifications I might do to it.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Zach- My long lost favorite was Trader Vic’s at the Palmer House in Chicago. My first real tiki bar experience. I remember ordering a Samoan Fogcutter as the last drink of the night. I couldn’t afford the mug, but the drink taught me a lot about what a balanced exotic cocktail should taste like.
Locally, my favorite bar is Alani Kai, owned by my good friends Tim & Janis. Their space is very welcoming and inspiring. It makes you want to go back and work on your own bar.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Zach- Besides being completely Immersive? As a host, your guests should have a lack of want. Ever been to a party where a basic necessity is missing or you need to embarrass the host to ask for it? Snacks, unlimited water, napkins, whatever. No matter how humble or over-the-top your place is, it all comes down to hospitality and treating your guests to an experience that they won’t get anywhere else. I could rant on this for far too long…
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Zach- Summer of 2024, I built raised sandstone beds in the yard around the entry door. They’re filled with bananas and palms. To create balance, I’d like to add a large water feature on the opposite side of the yard, so when you look out of the bar, you still see paradise, not the neighbors garage.
I already see the limitations of my current space. I’m always designing my future bar in my head. With more invisible infrastructure, like a hidden prep kitchen, storage, etc. I know what to look for when I buy the next house.
Anything else you would like to add?
Zach- Probably!
Follow on Instagram @paradis_du_zombi
Been there! Excellent space, GREAT HOST!!! The man’s a decor genius!!!! PRIMO!!!
Loved this article. Fairly new to tiki so seeing collections like Zach’s and Max’s South seas in Grand Rapids is remarkable for a Michigander. I was gobsmacked that Zach has Mauna Loa Tikis. Incredible. You missed a trick in the article. Would love to know the story behind their acquisition. Great article!