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About Coast river business journal. (Astoria, OR) 2006-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2022)
COAST RIVER BUSINESS JOURNAL BUSINESS NEWS AUGUST 2022 • 11 At Dead Man’s Isle, a nod to the Tiki aesthetic New bar opens in Astoria By ABBEY McDONALD Coast River Business Journal With the click of a button, the multicolored lights behind the bar at Dead Man’s Isle fl icker and glow, with the sound of a rainstorm surging over speakers on the walls. But for owners Annie Van Dyke and Miles Nielsen, the real storm has fi nally passed. After several years of prepa- ration and unexpected delays, they’ve opened the doors to their Astoria business. The couple fi rst started planning the tropical and nau- tical themed bar in 2016 and, after securing a loan, were prepared to open in early 2020. Then, the coronavirus pan- demic hit. Because Nielsen’s parents owned the building, the cou- ple decided to take their time to reassess and wait for a bet- ter moment to open. “We were very fortunate,” Van Dyke said. “Otherwise, it wouldn’t have probably worked out as smooth as it did.” Originally, the couple had planned on a tiny bar nes- tled within a gallery and retail space for Nielsen’s ceramic business, Munktiki, which has a gallery next door and a studio downstairs. But, as time went on, their ideas for the bar grew to fi ll nearly all 10,000 square feet of the space. They wanted to incorporate aspects of T iki bars, the Munktiki brand and an Astoria-inspired shipwreck theme. “We’ve kind of been a part of this whole Tiki scene for a couple decades now,” Van Dyke said. “It was kind of just a natural progression from being the distributor of these custom ceramic drinking vessels to opening a bar that we can then showcase what we do for a living.” Though the word Tiki originates in the Maori language and means a small carved fi gure, Tiki bars are a part of a unique American cultural phenomenon combining P oly- nesian and mid century American aesthetics. The bar was named after Dead Man’s Cove at Cape Disappointment to lean into local maritime history. “The heyday of Tiki was in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” Nielsen said. “And that was personally my goal of this space was to keep it vintage looking.” Vintage aspects include reclaimed wood features and vintage glass fl oats hanging from the ceiling that the cou- ple has collected over the years. Behind the bar, a stack of wooden crates lit from within hosts the liquor options. They plan to open a small additional bar in the upstairs area serving Japanese food and cocktails, which will be decorated with Nielsen’s Japanese vinyl toy collection. Van Dyke said they’re grateful for the staff , who have had to learn the complicated tropical drinks Tiki bars are best known for, like Jungle Birds, p ina c oladas and m ai t ais. The bar, open Thursday through Sunday, has been busy since opening night. “So far, I just cannot believe, honestly, the support from this community is just incredible. And then with the peo- ple that work here, I mean, we hit the jackpot,” she said. Dead Man’s Isle 1239 Duane St, Astoria, OR 97103 503-673-8434 www.deadmansisle.com TOP: Annie Van Dyke and Miles Nielsen behind the bar at Dead Man’s Isle on Duane Street in Astoria. BOTTOM: At Dead Man’s Isle in Astoria, the click of a button can cause a thunderstorm, complete with fl ickering lights and the sound of rain. PHOTOS BY ABBEY McDONALD Family owned & operated since 1966 We are a full-service propane company where you will find... • Rent and install propane tanks • Tanks from 25 - 1,000 gallons • Gas Appliance System Check • Fireplaces • Propane Heaters (space or whole house) • Gas appliance installations 1318 Pacific Hwy North www.propanelongbeach.com Visit our website or call us toll free at 888-895-5509 Propane • RV Parts • Dump Station Your local janitorial and paper supply... ...and much more! Aura Open to the Public! • Pool, Spa & Fountain • Packing Materials • Cleaning Supplies for Ovens, Grills, Carpet & Upholstery • Vehicle Cleaning Products 2240 Commercial Street • Astoria, Oregon 503.325.6362 • www.WalterENelson.com Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm
