The Liki Tiki is in the attic of Lin Cooper’s garage, well it’s more of crawl space but you can fully stand up in it. The only way to get up to this attic or should I say “Liki Tiki” is by a small ladder.
All the dark wood and sharp angles of the garage’s roof are the perfect bones for a tiki bar to be built in, all you got to do is get an actual bar up there! This is exactly what Lin did. After lugging a bar up the small ladder, he added some bamboo furniture and lighting. If there’s anything that you can take away from Lin’s tiki bar, is that you can make anything into a tiki bar, you just need to think outside of the box, or should I say garage?
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Lin- Nonexistent mostly, we travel to tiki which is part of why we tried to create our own classic tiki bar mood. Seattle area has all these hybrid tiki bars but we prefer old school!
What brought you into the tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Lin- Since I was a kid going to Trader Vic’s in the basement of the Seattle Westin and the Enchanted Tiki Room with my mom. Great memories! In college, I worked at the Lake Union Café and we all went to the dive tiki Palm Room under the Sailor’s Union of the Pacific in Belltown late after work to drinking G & T’s.
It had blacklights and tonic glows bright blue under them. I was 18 or 19, underage but they didn’t care. I was in the Teke fraternity (coincidence) in college and our whole pledge class was arrested there when I was an upperclassman. I became friends with the piano player there named Lou Bianchi. He wrote the theme song to the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Subsequently I’d like going to a tiki bar when I had a rare chance but not a real passion or lifestyle.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Lin- Somehow I came across Sippin’ Safari but the details are murky to me now. I’m kind of a perfectionist though and something about the Bum’s precise & specific instructions made a light click on for me. I started searching for exotic drink ingredients, making them myself and trying the mixology. Also, I loved the way he told the history, it reminded me of my youth and parents, nostalgic. Soon I was on Critiki and travelling to bars with Marci or friends.
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Lin- Early on we tried several names. One night I noticed that on a windy/rainy night it leaks a little here and there. Plus, Jimmy Buffets song “These are the people our parents warned us about” references a boat called the Leaky Tiki. Liki is Hawaiian for rainbow, it stuck.
What is your favorite Tiki drink?
Lin- A Zombie, it is delicious but also notorious. I like to make the various versions discovered by the Bum and I like the history of the drink veiled in secrecy.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Lin- Undertow in Scottsdale for years but it moved above ground so now I recently think Strong Water in Anaheim. They are both great bars.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Lin- The 3 rules are no windows, no television and must have carved pagan idol. Aside from that exotica music is a must. Colored lights, candles, bamboo all belong.
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Lin- Finishing the back lounge seating area. I want a carved sign with the Beachcombers Creed. I’d like to eventually get to a tiki convention and more travel to bars we haven’t visited like Mai Kai before we lose them.
Anything else you would like to add?
Lin- We get a kick out of people’s reaction to entering Liki Tiki, usually they are surprised. I’m known as a tiki guy among friends and family which is a good thing to be associated with. It’s good to identify yourself strongly with something you love and share it. Too few people have a real passion and throw themselves into it.
Thank you Travis Bay for your photos used for this post!
Awesome! Keep ’em coming!