After closing many locations during the mid-’90s, Trader Vic’s is now opening new ones. Trader Vic’s had continued to expand outside the United States, but the situation here had looked bleak. A few years back a new location opened in Palo Alto to lukewarm reviews, and a new location in San Francisco opened a few months ago.
The latest new locations that have been confirmed are Bellevue (just East of Seattle) and Las Vegas, with other cities rumored to be targets for more expansion. If the new San Francisco location is any indication, the new restaurants will have plenty of tiki but will not have the same dark, intimate feel. Picture a cross between an old Trader Vic’s and a Roy’s.
August 30th, 2005 at 11:11 pm
It had escaped me that Trader Vic’s is lined up for a Las Vegas location. I wonder if it will be in a casino or a stand-alone. I think real-deal Tiki places in Las Vegas should thrive if they focus on the local population (and visitors willing to track it down) rather than being in a casino full of “general” Las Vegas tourists. What better place for the harried casino employee, ears ringing with slot machine noises, to escape to? (Reality check: casino employees in LV tend to unwind in … casinos. But still…)
August 31st, 2005 at 10:35 pm
Scottsdale will open April 1, 2006
Denver has also been on the rumor list for at least four years
October 2nd, 2005 at 7:58 pm
The Vegas location is slated to go in the Desert Passage mall, that is adjacent to the alladin. They have a lease on a 2 story 10,000sf space that overlooks the strip and has some outdoor terrace areas, on the north side of the property overlooking bellagio and paris. right now i would think they might be opoen sometime next summer.
Alladin is in the process of renovating to become a Planet Hollywood Casino, and Desert Passage is also changing thier name and re-vamping.
October 4th, 2005 at 1:34 am
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