Presented by Eric Jost

From 1955 to 1983, the carved-column Tiki Bob stood proudly at Post and Taylor Streets in San Francisco welcoming guests into the small bar. When founder Bob Bryant left Trader Vic’s in 1955, he enlisted Vic’s architect to help create the restaurant’s playful and unforgettable identity. With its simple lines, cheerful expression, and distinctive style, the Tiki Bob's logo, and the mugs that followed, became one of the most recognizable symbols in Tiki culture. Decades later, it continues to inspire artists and collectors appearing on everything from mugs and jewelry to artwork and apparel. But what happened to the original Tiki Bob’s restaurant? Behind the perpetual smile of “Tiki Bob” lies a wild tale of ambitious expansion dreams, IRS troubles, lingerie lunches, mysterious closures, and abandoned assets.

Eric Jost isn't your average urban anthropologist — he's the spirited time-traveler of San Francisco's vibrant past! With a penchant for unraveling the city's secrets, he's the brain behind the tour “SOMA Origins: Bars, Bathhouses, & Beyond,” and has presented “The Tonga Room: From Swimming Pool to Hurricane Tiki Hut” at both Tiki Oasis and the San Francisco Historical Society.