LE GRIZZ BRIGHTENS UP SURFERS BAR LANEWAY
You can’t miss the entrance to the newest boutique bar coming to Surfers Paradise thanks to a new mural art work by Le Grizz
THE newest bar project of Tim Glasson is on the go-slow in Surfers Paradise but taking shape with an impressive new graffiti art entrance.
Gerard Brown, aka Le Grizz, has recently completed a colourful mural on the laneway doors marking the front of Glasson’s looming watering hole, Taboo Tiki.
Brown says the art piece, done for Glasson and 42Below, took him a few days of creative thinking and two days to paint with aerosols last month.
It is not the first time they’ve teamed up. Brown also did wall art for Glasson’s Broadbeach bar, Aloha.
Brown, whose “Le Grizz” work can be found across Australia and who has done work around the world for big brands including Bacardi in Russia, says the laneway was “a bit of a mess when we got down there”.
“It was kind of nice to make something out of nothing. But I’m really happy with how it turned out. It was a lot of fun bringing a bit of tiki culture into a dark little laneway.”
Glasson is launching Taboo Tiki with Aloha partner Gavin McDougal just off Surfers party strip Orchid Ave near House of Brews craft beer bar.
The pair are aiming for a laidback tiki vibe with share plate food.
Glasson tells ATG despite best efforts, he can’t see it opening before the end of the year.
“It’s slowly moving forward, slow- ly being the operative word. It’s just the time of year. We’re project managing it as well and trying to organise tradies this time of year is difficult.”
The pair plan launching a second Smashed Burgers fronting Orchid Ave in place of Super Slice pizza and kebab shop in about a week.
It was kind of nice to make something out of nothing
THE man creating the Gold Coast’s newest small bar has roamed far and wide – from Las Vegas to Bunnings, to his strip club basement – for its weird and wonderful decor.
The Tipsy Pig is weeks from opening down an alley off Surfers Paradise party strip Orchid Avenue with an eclectic array of fittings.
Among the 100-squaremetre venue’s quirks are a $40,000 coffee table with mechanical parts, huge metal safe and antique chairs.
Craig Duffy sourced the table from US artist Dale Mathis who does one-off pieces sold from a shop at Planet Hollywood casino in Vegas.
“I’ve had it in storage waiting to use it,” he said.
“But I didn’t buy it with the matching legs so I have got a $40,000 coffee table with a $30 Bunnings wine barrel under it holding it up.”
A giant brown safe also acting as a table was in the basement of his upstairs strip club Hollywood Showgirls.
“I don’t know where it came from. It was just here and so heavy to get rid of I don’t think anyone could be bothered. I don’t know the combo. There might be a million cash in it,” he said.
Sitting above the bar taps, which serves Balter beer by Gold Coast surf stars Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson, is a giant pig’s head shipped in for $1000 from the US.
“I was just trying to build a rustic kind of bar. These are very popular in LA and New York, Melbourne and Sydney and we’ve taken a while to catch up on the Gold Coast,” said Mr Duffy.
“I think the days of Surfers Paradise being known as a tacky $2 T-shirt place and nightclub precinct only is finished. It’s a boutique, speakeasy, cool little bar.”
Son Kalvin, who spent a year as a glassie at The Loose Moose in Broadbeach, will be the assistant manager.
Tipsy Pig will open seven nights from 5pm, also serving food from Smashed Burgers.
The Coast’s second Smashed Burgers is opening in the same building fronting Orchid Avenue soon.