NightClub and Bar Magazine, July 2004

By Erin Bubenhofer

The maraschino cherry has been a long-time companion of the mixed drink. As the figurative sidekick to both Roy Rogers and Shirley Temple, the brightly colored garnish has seen a lot of lonely barflies through some difficult times, but according to some bar owners and managers, the cherry's days in this industry are numbered.

Fun and unique glassware is quietly moving in on the cherry's territory and becoming the new compadre to alcoholic beverages. Duffy's Love Shack in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, is just one bar that has replaced the familiar fruit with colorful and creatively shaped glassware.

"The glassware really sets the stage for the mind-frame we want (our customers) to get into," says Tim Duffy, who owns the Love Shack with his wife Liz. "When you're holding a glass shaped like a parrot, it's hard not to feel tropical."

In addition to the parrot, customers of the tropical-themed bar can drink out of approximately 25 other uniquely shaped glasses and mugs including pirates, skulls, surfers and one of the most popular designs, the Funky Monkey.

"The Funky Monkey comes in a set of three: monkey see no, hear no and drink no evil," Duffy says. "People really love to collect these."

He says a tourist can expect to pay upward of $6 for a frozen beverage in the Virgin Islands, a location known for its outrageous prices almost as much for its beauty. At Duffy's Love Shack, however, the asking price for a beverage may be a dollar or two higher, but along with the drink, guests get a little souvenir to take home with them, which makes the price worth it, he says.

"It costs $2.50 for us to buy the glasses and we want $5 for the drink," Duffy says. "So we ask $7.50 for the drink (and the glass) and each refill is $5. The glassware itself is not a profit center for us, but makes it fun for the customers."

The glassware itself may not be raking in the dough, but it is definitely drawing a crowd for a lot of bar owners and managers.

Kahunaville Island Restaurant and Party Bar is conveniently located in the Treasure Island Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Though they have the luxury of a built-in clientele because of their location, their signature drinks and unique glassware certainly are helping them attract a crowd.

"When a customer walks into a casino with a cup that looks like a volcano, it is naturally going to attract some attention and people are going to want to know where they can find one," Klunan says.

Contrary to Duffy's Love Shack, where the glassware gimmick kind of evolved as their mugs became increasing popular, Klunan says the decorative drinkware has been part of Kahunaville's plan to attract customers from the get-go.

The glassware, however, hasn't always been as colorful or shapely at Kahunaville as it is today. The designs have definitely matured over the years.

When the party bar first opened in Las Vegas five years ago, drinks were served in the now-standard Mexican-blown glass. Though this style of glass was considered somewhat cutting-edge at the time, the staff at Kahunaville decided to add a little something new to their glassware collection once the design was seen in every other bar in Las Vegas, too.

"We try to stay unique," Klunan says. "If someone tries to start selling volcanoes and tiki cups, we will go back to the drawing board and come up with something else."

Klunan says Kahunaville staff really tries to keep their glassware guest-friendly. The 44-ounce ceramic volcano comes equipped with a handle to make transporting the massive contraption less hazardous. Surprisingly durable, Klunan estimates the breakage ratio is less than one percent.

Souvenirs and Repeat Sales
Though the most outrageous glassware is made of ceramic at both Duffy's Love Shack and Kahunaville, the drinks also are served in plastic and glass containers that are shaped like tikis as well as a variety of other shapes.

Las Vegas and the Virgin Islands definitely aren't the only places guests go to get these creatively shaped drinkwares. A concoction known as the Hand Grenade is pretty popular down in the bayou of Louisiana, and not just because of the secret recipe inside. The drink comes along with a fluorescent green souvenir yard shaped like the military's incendiary pineapple.

"(The yards) originally started over in Europe and they were made of glass," says Pam Fortner, an owner of the Tropical Isle on New Orleans's infamous Bourbon Street. "Ours are made of plastic so the customers can take them out in the French Quarter."

The plastic yard is more than just a creative way to serve their signature drink -- it's also a great way to keep your customers coming back, Fortner says.

"You can drink it and refill it, even if it's on another trip to New Orleans," she says. "It's like a little souvenir from New Orleans that you don't have to pay for."

Creative glassware might be a great way to draw new customers to your bar, but it is a combination of things that will keep your customers coming back, Duffy says.

"We are successful because we back the glasses up with good drinks and strong drinks. The glassware is kind of like the tires on a car. They help, but you have to have a combinations of a lot of things to run the machine."