When I drove up to Grant Shaw’s place on Camano Island, I didn’t know which building was his home and which building was his garage!
Grant has a huge garage with an even bigger tiki bar upstairs on the second floor. It’s called The Cam-Tiki Terrace and it may be the biggest home tiki bar I’ve visited yet! Here is Grant’s story …
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Grant- What tiki scene? Lol! Camano Island is a little remote. Our nearest tiki bar is either 1 hour north or over an hour south to Seattle or Tacoma. Last year I was fortunate enough to meet another person who is into tiki that also lives on Camano Island.
What brought you into the ‘Tiki lifestyle” and how long has it been a part of your life?
Grant- I am pretty new to this tiki lifestyle and am still learning how to prioritize it into my life. About four years ago, I wanted to add a garage onto our property and wanted a space to have parties with friends and family, a “man cave”. Originally it was going to be pirate themed with lots of nautical stuff, I have loved pirating my whole life. We had been to Trader Sam’s before, and it had not quite hit me yet, but as the garage was finishing construction we visited Trader Sam’s again, I was sitting there with my wife T’na and said, “I think we should go tiki! We can mix in the pirate, we love classic cars, Hawaiian shirts and rum!”
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Grant- It’s been fun! As construction wrapped up and we walked the room, we realized it would be a challenge to decorate such a big space. Our space is bigger than many of the commercial tiki bars we have traveled to. The other big challenge was the lack of materials, artists and tiki culture to collect stuff from. So began the Craigslist, Etsy, EBay, and Goodwill hunt to add to some of the items we had collected. Wall space is finally getting really full, but there is always more room. Lately we have worked hard to lower the ceiling. A friend recently gave us a giant vintage net with cork floats and lead weights that fit the room perfectly. I am super excited about the new bamboo furniture set I found it Port Angeles recently, it changed the entire tiki room!
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Grant- Not that creative really, The Cam-Tiki Terrace, Camano plus Tiki. The room is on the second story, with a deck with a view of the sound, so Terrace made sense. I see some really creative names out there and think I should change the name sometimes. I have stayed away from a sign just because I can see a name change in the future.
What is your favorite Tiki drink?
Grant- One with rum in it! I always love a Painkiller, who doesn’t? It just instantly takes you to an island far away, but I also love a Three Dots and a Dash. One of the drinks I love and serve a lot to the guys who visit is called a ” Bro-Tai”. I first found it at Mrs. B’s Coconut Club in San Diego. It’s a Bourbon based drink that is really a nice change from the typical rum drink.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Grant- Locally, Devils Reef is great! It’s worth the drive past Seattle and the owners are super fun! Pagan Idol in San Francisco is great and it’s time to go back, but Trader Sam’s will always be my favorite spot because it’s Disneyland and Rum! Kelly and the bartenders are always so nice. I need to make some time for The Shameful Tiki Room (in Vancouver BC) to check them out too.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Grant- I love creating the escapism. Just a spot to get away from everyday life and slow down. My favorite thing is when someone notices an item in the room for the first time and it has been there for a year. Covering the walls with items of interest and things you just don’t see everyday is just fun. People come over and see the Marlin then go wait … is that a real Crocodile! Then they start looking at all the small stuff. Even with tikis and all the other fun items covering the walls, the ceiling has been key to creating the atmosphere. Lighting has been the best improvement. The Hue lights have been fun to tweak and create a perfect atmosphere. Lowering the ceiling with net, glass balls, birds and floats has really impacted the room too.
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Grant- Fun times with family and friends! The room is finally feeling pretty decorated, but there is always a new idea! We are planning to host more get-togethers to meet more of our NW tiki friends. I am not a great mixologist, but working on it. Thankfully my friend Gonzo Gonzo is an amazing mixologist and is helping me to improve.
Anything else you would like to add?
Grant- My wife, who introduced me to Disney and Trader Sam’s, has been amazing through this process. Her input and ideas have been inspirational.
I’d like to thank Travis Bay for his pictures used for this post …
