Ka'Tiki for Sale: Is the Sun About to Set on Another Favorite Beach Bar?

I like beach bars. From Schooners Wharf in Key West, The Lorelei  in Islamorada, a couple in Everglades City, The Doc in Naples, Under Tow,  “Caddys, Gators, Molly Goodheads (OK not exactly on the beach),  to everyone in Cedar Key.

I really like Beach Bars, especially Ka'Tiki on Sunset Beach. While my beach bar cavorting is probably less than legendary, I am often brought my favorite drink before I order.  

So, as I settled into one of my favorite bar stools on Monday at Ka'Tiki for a cool libation and the longest running jam session in the area, I glanced toward the beach and my eye caught a new sign. The one over there in the picture -- Ka'Tiki   For Sale By Owner. My heart dropped. One more vestige of Florida as I love it about to disappear. 

It is doubtful that any new owners can afford to sell really good, reasonable priced drinks, provide live entertainment, be willing to put up with all of us and pay a large mortgage on the property. So It looks like, if a sale happens, Ka'Tiki will likely disappear, too bad for all of us aging baby boomers who make up the majority of the friendly crowd that gathers almost daily. 

As I pondered all of this, some beach bars of the past came to mind.

The Deck, in the '70s, located in Madeira Beach, I believe. Ricks, also located in Madeira Beach, of the Tom Gibbons and Salt Water Cowboys era. I was there on the last night Rick’s was open. After the band played the last song, young and old stood there on the beach and cried.

Beach Nuts, at the turn just before Sunset Beach. Beach Nuts was a victim of poor design and continuous battles with the city and the neighborhood. Now the site is the home of three two-story dwellings, some of which remain unsold to this day. I think the Ghost of the Bar still haunts the site.  

Probably my favorite beach bar of all time was the Sands A Bar, located at the end of Sunset Beach. Wild, crazy, out of control. Some of my most memorable beach bar moments took place there. It was the first place I ever saw the great blues artist Rock Bottom and one of my all time favorites: St. Pety Twig of the infamous Silver King Band. The actual location is now occupied by two private homes and a public parking lot. Progress. 

I probably missed a couple so add a comment if you would. 

Thatched roofs, bars made of used lumber, equipment assembled from surplus restaurant supply houses and yard sales. Friendly owners and bar tenders and really interesting customers, that’s a Florida Beach Bar.

I’ll be hanging out at Ka'Tiki until it closes, should that be its fate. Don’t miss this piece of Pinellas County history. Drop by. Bring your camera and take a picture or two. Look me up if you're there around sunset. I'd love to say "Hi."