Before Trader Vic’s became an empire of glowing pufferfish lamps and danger-strength rum, there was Hinky Dink’s.
Victor Bergeron opened the Oakland bar in 1934 during the depths of the Depression with borrowed money, cheap drinks, and a gift for storytelling. Then came the travels: Cuba, Hawaii, the South Pacific. Bit by bit, the little neighborhood saloon transformed into the prototype for an entirely new American fantasy. Bamboo, escapism, strong rum, and the promise that somewhere beyond the fog there was still adventure left in the world.
This design channels that early beachcomber era before tiki became polished and commercialized. The artwork feels sun-faded and slightly crooked, like something still hanging behind the bar in an old marina tavern along San Francisco Bay. Built from the mood of vintage menus, matchbooks, and the rough-around-the-edges energy of prewar California cocktail culture.
Printed on a Comfort Colors heavyweight garment-dyed tee. Soft, broken-in hand-feel from day one. Unisex sizing. Wear the story.
