Kava bars?

[ThePiper]

I started posting this in another thread and decided to start a separate thread. So This may be kind of a weird and probably ignorant pondering but I'm beginning to question whether kava bars in general are worth the crap that comes with them? Anything close to a traditional feel would be cool but most kava bars appear to be overpriced hipster joints that give me bad vibes whether they sell Krat or not... I expect we will at some point start seeing kava bars selling other recreational botanicals mixed with kava or alongside kava if K@ gets banned or just when the next new thing pops up. I've heard of a kava bar that sold kava capsules filled with phenibut and possibly a mixed drink that featured kava mixed with phenibut... WAY worse idea than selling K@ at a kava bar, and totally legal and risky for the industry. That stuff can give you seizures on withdrawal and the effects can last like 12 hours... As long as we have kava bars and a legal high industry, there will be kava bars that will give us a bad name. K@ is probably nothing compared to some of the stuff that might be sold in these places or will be in the near future. Maybe it's best to just scrap the modern idea of kava bars in theUS

 

[Tholman]

Phenibut certainly is a scary one to be serving like that. The withdrawals can be very intense and have even claimed lives, so serving this willy nilly is dangerous for the uneducated that doesn't moderate use properly. "Hey, kava's completely safe to use all the time so this phenibut stuff probably ain't too bad, right?"

 

[Deleted User01]

What's even scarier is that there are more than a few run by people with criminal records and because they sold "other stuff" under the counter. I'll bet they are under constant surveillance. A warning to the kiddies, don't go in there with anything illegal in your pockets and don't come out looking like you are drunk. Of course, you should follow the same rules when going to an alcohol bar too.

 

[The Kap'n]

I honestly like the thought of kava bars when they're run by thoughtful proprietors like Bula Kava House or MeloMelo. It can be done, it just doesn't seem to be the most lucrative way of being done...hence the "herbals" we see in the seedy (they don't necessarily have to be seedy) other bars.

 

[Deleted User01]

You are right Kapm, Judd toes the line. I remember the time he experimented with selling Krat and you made your displeasure known and the Krat went away. The on going discussion on noble and tudei has also helped to guide the kava bars and the kava resellers.
Consumer Activism at work. Keep up the good work Kapm.

 

[The Kap'n]

You are right Kapm, Judd toes the line. I remember the time he experimented with selling Krat and you made your displeasure known and the Krat went away. The on going discussion on noble and tudei has also helped to guide the kava bars and the kava resellers.
Consumer Activism at work. Keep up the good work Kapm.

As much as I would love to take responsibility, Judd made that decision on his own. We did make our thoughts known, but he made that decision through his own means. I don't want to bring up even more old stuff, but I personally appreciate his decision even if it wasn't based on anything I said.

 

[avahZ]

I use phenibut a few times a week for sleep (kava don’t help me). However it is dangerous. I microdose it just before bed. I have enough sense to watch out (I watched drugs kill my dad), but these idiots mixing it with kava are going to get someone killed. I will end up having both of them over regulated into oblivion. Good uses have to be ruined by folks looking for a high...

 

[Deleted User01]

We hear you loud and clear @avahZ. Just keep telling your story and hopefully you will save a few lives. I never knew that about phenibut and thanks for the heads up.

 

[Edward]

@Kapmcrunk if @Deleted User01 is posting again then I say @Kavasseur should be posting again no?

 

[The Kap'n]

@Kapmcrunk if @Deleted User01 is posting again then I say @Kavasseur should be posting again no?

There may be a time when that is appropriate, but judging by the hostility on his website that time is not now.
Edit: I understand the irony of that statement, however there is no name on the other website. If Deleted User01's name was at the top of ...that other website, he'd have to make that his new home.

 

[Edward]

There may be a time when that is appropriate, but judging by the hostility on his website that time is not now.
Edit: I understand the irony of that statement, however there is no name on the other website. If Deleted User01's name was at the top of ...that other website, he'd have to make that his new home.

Lol, ok, I just wondered

 

[Intrepidus_dux]

I would love a kava bar to be in my town. The thought crossed my mind to start one myself but there seems to be a lot of risks. I would be worried that people on MAOIs or other pharmaceuticals that don’t mix well with kava would come in and get a reaction even with disclaimers. Also one friend I introduced kava to would drink alcohol afterwards even though I explicitly said not to. He ended up having to quit one or the other and chose to quit kava and keep eith the alcohol.

 

[muddywaters]

I see videos of them and a lot of them give off that vibe I don't like too. I think it's just me having too much bias towards popular high culture in general that's really immature and flashy. I mean I have a lot of fun when I'm having a real nice bowl of kava but I have no need to wear it like an accessory in various ways throughout my life and make it the center of my world even though I have so much to thank it for. I would love to have one around but I'd like it to be a more relaxed, casual atmosphere with some light hearted music. I'd also like to know exactly what I'm getting strain wise too. It would be a great place to introduce more people to kava that otherwise wouldn't look into it and make new friends. I personally know of none around here, no one in my area even knows what kava is.

It actually came up in conversation tonight when we were discussing alcohol and I happened to mention why I stopped a long time ago and how bad all around it is for everyone. I actually got a couple people interested, I stumbled around finding the place to start on talking about it feeling kind of stupid since that never happened before and there's so much information to talk about on it but it was a really great thing to see for me.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

I honestly like the thought of kava bars when they're run by thoughtful proprietors like Bula Kava House or MeloMelo. It can be done, it just doesn't seem to be the most lucrative way of being done...hence the "herbals" we see in the seedy (they don't necessarily have to be seedy) other bars.

@Bula Kava House, honest question here. Kapm said "it just doesn't seem to be the most lucrative way of being done". Meaning having just a kava bar. Not including your kava sales, do you think a kava bar that sells kava alone could survive and make money. Or do you think they need to sell other things like tea and other drinks. Not talking about questionable things, just good stuff, kava, tea, coffee, smoothies, stuff like that.
Do you think we will see the ending of traditional kava bars? What do you think the best place is to open a kava bar. For example, on The Big Island, do you think the rich people from the mainland would drink kava or the local in Honokaa. The tourists in Kona or the smaller town of Hilo This is one time I actually value your incite. And I would thank you for any you would be willing to share. I find it interesting that kava would have a hard time standing alone, or maybe the other stuff they use like K***m and other things is just a popular thing. Thank you.

Chris

 

[recentreturn]

I am fully aware that this question isn't directed to me; but I have a hard time shutting up; all my life; ADHD. Kava doesn't taste delicious; it stands to reason that if person A gets excited about kava and takes person b (e.g. his girlfriend) to the kava bar for hours and person b doesn't like the taste and refuses to drink any more, it would be wise for there to be something for person b to spend money on and feel like they are doing something. [Though, personally, If I ever went to Hawaii, I think it would be totally rad if there was just a dude with a big tanoa sitting on the ground at the beach and charging for shells! I wouldn't ask to see a COA! Even WAY better than a beach, in front of an active lava flow at safe distance! I'd rather see a volcano or mountain or forest than a beach.]

 

[Deleted User01]

I just finished telling a friend that I would never drink yukky kava at a kava bar. I prefer to take my medicine at home and not in public. My wife and I have tried Veggie Restaurants with mixed results. I think you need to be in a college or hipster environment to financially survive. Restaurants by themselves are financially brutal and double that for Kava Bars. But hats off to the guys that succeed honestly and without resorting to Kra**m and other slightly illegal botanicals. I just read today where a bunch of kids in Illinois got violently ill from Spice/K2. The symptoms were horrible and yet some FL kava bars have been associated with that in the past. Perhaps they are less skilled in business management than Judd and resort to drugs.
P.S. And they (bad kava bars) would probably be selling other drugs if the cartel was not around protecting their territory and demanding the "dime".

 

[kastom_lif]

@Bula Kava House, honest question here. Kapm said "it just doesn't seem to be the most lucrative way of being done". Meaning having just a kava bar. Not including your kava sales, do you think a kava bar that sells kava alone could survive and make money. Or do you think they need to sell other things like tea and other drinks. Not talking about questionable things, just good stuff, kava, tea, coffee, smoothies, stuff like that.
Do you think we will see the ending of traditional kava bars? What do you think the best place is to open a kava bar. For example, on The Big Island, do you think the rich people from the mainland would drink kava or the local in Honokaa. The tourists in Kona or the smaller town of Hilo This is one time I actually value your incite. And I would thank you for any you would be willing to share. I find it interesting that kava would have a hard time standing alone, or maybe the other stuff they use like K***m and other things is just a popular thing. Thank you.

Chris

Maybe have have a variety of local stuff to appeal to tourists: ʻawa, produce, fish, coffee, mamaki, mac nuts, manapua, shave ice, etc.

If it's in Kona, guaranteed 90% mainlainders and you're gonna have to give "the kava speech" for every new customer. But you might even be able to charge enough to afford the rent prices there.

Elsewhere, mmmmmaybe. Could attract some regular locals or retiree customers who like the environment, as a hang out spot, and go from there.

Uncle Robert's is a good example of a farmers market / hangout spot that has ʻawa nights once in a while. They're pretty rural, but also get lots of traffic from lava-lookers... so I don't know how you'd really compare it to other places.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Maybe have have a variety of local stuff to appeal to tourists: ʻawa, produce, fish, coffee, mamaki, mac nuts, manapua, shave ice, etc.

If it's in Kona, guaranteed 90% mainlainders and you're gonna have to give "the kava speech" for every new customer. But you might even be able to charge enough to afford the rent prices there.

Elsewhere, mmmmmaybe. Could attract some regular locals or retiree customers who like the environment, as a hang out spot, and go from there.

Uncle Robert's is a good example of a farmers market / hangout spot that has ʻawa nights once in a while. They're pretty rural, but also get lots of traffic from lava-lookers... so I don't know how you'd really compare it to other places.

Wow, you know about uncle Roberts? That can only mean one thing, you've been here before. I bet your that guy who keeps coming on my farm and sampling my kava roots. I have been noticing some of the more mature kava plants with some lateral roots missing.
I just thought it was giant Nematodes but now I know the truth. Hey let me know next time your going to be on my farm and I will join you in some root chewing.
Uncle Roberts has a great reputation that is for sure. Aloha.

Chris

 

[kastom_lif]

No worries Chris. I would never steal kava, even if I knew where you grew it. Heck yes I know about Uncle Robert. Dude was a legend.

Just be careful looking for shave ice when you get deep into Real Hawaii...

shave ice,

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I just thought it was giant Nematodes but now I know the truth.

kastom-lif is a giant nematode. You would never have figured it out with that either/or false dichotomy.