Thank God The Tiki Bar Is Open

Thank God The Tiki Bar Is Open, originally uploaded by William 74.

Tiki bars are exotic themed joints that flourished from the 30's through the sixties, and they usually serve complicated cocktails with lots of rum, and your better places feature a full menu of Cantonese food and other cool stuff. They're aesthetically defined by their Tiki culture decor, featuring things like Tiki god masks, hula shirts, grasscloth, bamboo trim, and other South Pacific themed stuff. They kind of died out until the mid 90's, when a Tiki resurgence began, and new places started springing up.

The Pago Pago was an oldie. This is a pretty well known Chicago ghost sign, as it's easily visible from the L as it leaves the Library stop on the Loop. I don't think it's open anymore-I took a look at the Wells address, and it wasn't there, at least as Pago Pago. No idea where I'm gonna get a zombie and some wonton noodles now!

*Thanks to John Hiatt for the title to this post.