Crystal Clear Photography
The Screaming Skull
The Screaming Skull, a signature cocktail at Tarantula Tiki Lounge
After three years of planning — and nearly four months behind schedule due to COVID-19 closures — folks can finally enjoy a fruity, Polynesian-themed cocktail served in a kitschy mug at Tarantula Tiki Lounge.
Located at 117 South Main St., the retro bar — inspired by the tropical craze of the '50s and '60s — opened its doors to the public earlier this week.
Co-owner Autumn Brackeen, who’s also co-owned The Boiled Owl on Magnolia Avenue since 2012, says that while it’s been a challenge starting a new venture during a health crisis, she’s excited to finally be open for business.
“I'm really proud of the finished product,” she says. “I feel like when you have three years to plan something, it needs to be damn good. So we've really taken our time crafting the original cocktails, the full menu, the decor, the vibe.”
The lounge is enforcing strict protocols to keep staff and guests safe. No one is allowed to sit at the bar, leaving the beautifully crafted custom barstools empty, and masks are enforced. Mingling with friends is done from six feet away, seated, and the patio is closed for the time being.
“We chose not to open our patio,” Brackeen says. “I know a lot of places are because the patios don't have as many restrictions, but we didn't feel comfortable with that. What seems to be happening on patios is people are losing their inhibitions, and it's harder to control how safe people are being. So we're only having indoor service.”
Tarantula’s menu features eight tiki classics like a daiquiri, Mai-Tai, and Zombie, in addition to eight original concoctions like Black Spider Grog and the Screaming Skull. Eventually, classic bowl drinks will be available for sharing, but not while a global pandemic is still going on.
“We're going to hold off on those, though, which is no big deal,” Brakeen says of the communal cocktails. “There's plenty of other fun stuff to choose from. And with it being summer, probably in the next week, we're going to do some fun, original frozen drinks as well.”
Brackeen says her eight years of experience at The Boiled Owl helped prepare her to open Tarantula safely.
“I know I have people I can count on to enforce everything,” she says of the staff. “I know I even have customers I can count on. The customers are our friends and our regulars, so it's been pretty easy to stick to really strict guidelines at both places.”
For the time being, the lounge capped its occupancy to 50% in accordance with state guidelines, allowing only 35 people a night. The precautions have proven successful at both Tarantula Tiki Lounge and The Boiled Owl, which reopened June 1. Neither location has experienced any incidents of the virus.
In the future, Brackeen would like to have a grand opening for the bar, but that remains uncertain.
“It would be really nice to have a big ‘ole party one day,” she says. “I think we're going to have to see a significant drop in [COVID-19] numbers in order to even feel comfortable about trying to get a lot of people in one place. We're certainly not going to push it. We're happy with just having a few people test the waters.”
