Last night at this month’s edition of the fun, popular Tiki Night at Over-the-Rhine’s Japp’s Since 1879, someone stole the mascot — a beloved tiki statue that has sat atop the bar and overseen the monthly shindig since it began two and half years ago.
Jeremy Harrison, one of Tiki Night’s founders who also tends bar and spins the cool tunes (including classic early Alt, New Wave and Punk bangers), put word out about the thievery today in a Facebook post
“Those decorations we put out every month because we think it helps to make the night special and enhances the mood and hope that people appreciate the extra effort (alot of it is behind the scenes man hours that we don’t get paid for) we put into doing something more than the usual Wednesday night bar shift,” he wrote.
Harrison — who pays for those extras out of his own pocket — asked that the thief (or someone who knows the thief and can be persuasive or can reclaim it) simply return the statue to the bar, no questions asked.
Jacob Trevino of Gorilla Cinema (which operates bars like Tokyo Kitty, Video Archive and Overlook Lodge) has offered a free bar tab to whoever returns it. And Harrison says he’ll match that same offer for a free tab at Japp’s.
But really, it’s in the thief’s best interest to do the right thing.
The Brady Bunch taught the world two things — never play ball in the house, and never steal a tiki. The guilty party should prepare themselves for a litany of bad luck, including but not limited to smashed ukuleles, serious surfing mishaps, an unwanted visit from a giant spider while you sleep (see scary video below) and getting kidnapped by Vincent Price. The only way to break the curse — take it back to its rightful resting place (cave, bar, wherever), of course.
You’ve been warned, Japp’s tiki thief! Just take it back, have a drink and get the Tiki gods back on your good side.
