After six years in Hamilton, popular beach bar The Bahama Hut will officially re-open its doors in Tauranga this weekend.
The party bar, which will initially employ 12 staff, has moved into 10 Harington St, a central city building previously home to the infamous Harrington's nightclub, which closed in 2009.
Since then
two more tenants have come and gone - hip-hop club Detroit and nightclub Play.
Despite the site's chequered history, former Tauranga Boys' College student Jason McCarthy, 28, says he and Bahama Hut co-owner Jade Jarreau, also 28, are here to stay. Mr McCarthy worked as bar supervisor in the original Bahama Hut on Wharf St, which closed in 2005.
Owner at the time, Clayton Mitchell, said issues with the lease on the building forced him to close the doors and scour the country for the bar's new home.
"It was a really popular, successful business when we left," Mr Mitchell said.
Setting up in Hamilton's Alexandra St the bar was there six years before being bought out and closed down by owner of the competition, The Outback Inn.
Mr McCarthy, who had moved to Hamilton with Bahama Hut, said he saw the opportunity to fulfil a dream of owning his own bar and bought the interior of the Bahama Hut to return it to its original home.
Mr McCarthy has worked for Mr Mitchell, owner Mount Mellick, for the past 12 years.
"I've learnt everything I know from him," he said.
For the past two weeks he has called on old school friends to help transform the spacious Harington St site from a sparse nightclub to a busy beach-themed party bar.
Mr McCarthy said Bahama Hut was aiming for the 18 to 30-year-old market who regularly frequent super club Illuminati across the road and Grumpy Mole Saloon on the corner of Harington St and The Strand. "Between the two bars we could see enough of the crowd we're after," he said.
Bahama Hut's grand opening will be held this Saturday with initial opening hours set at 9pm until 3am Wednesday to Saturday.
Tauranga Police declined to comment on the opening of the new bar.
