Scott and Melissa Davis have talked about opening a tiki bar for about five years.
The talk turned into action earlier this year when they opened Castaway Cove, a mobile tiki bar that caters to public and private events, including weddings and birthday parties.
They bought a 1964 Kenskill travel trailer from a woman in Chico, Scott outfitted it and Castaway launched in April with an event during Kool April Nites week.
“We do both cocktails and mocktails,” Scott recently told me. “The state law doesn’t allow us to serve alcohol at public events until we have our liquor license, which we are working on. So, when we do popups around town, it will be mocktails.”
The response has been so encouraging for the Davises that now they are ready to take the next step of opening a tiki bar and restaurant in downtown Redding in 2027.
“The trailer was a precursor to test the market and see what the interest is in Redding. In just the short time we have been open, there’s been so much excitement in what we’ve been doing,” Scott said.
While they have a location near the Redding Public Market that they have homed in on, the Davises are not ready to publicly announce where it is. When I spoke to Scott, he said they were still negotiating terms.
Scott said the restaurant would feature a light menu with a few entrees and appetizers, like pupu platters and crab rangoon.
“We are working on the menu with a chef in town,” he said.
Among the popular drinks, Castaway serves is the Mai Tai and Lei Lani Volcano, both tiki bar staples, and the Castaway colada, their spin on the classic piña colada.
“It has banana cream. People really like that,” Scott said.
Castaway’s plans to open downtown come as work has started repurposing the former DataRay building at Placer and Market streets into Founders Bar. Scaffolding recently went up around the building.
Stay tuned.
Old Holiday Market building has new resident
Fasteners Inc. Tool Outlet is relocating its Airport Road store in Redding to a former grocery store at Hartnell Avenue and Shasta View Drive.
Holiday Market vacated the 2455 Hartnell Avenue building in March 2025 and moved across the street, where it anchors the Holiday Marketplace shopping center. Holiday had been at the Hartnell Avenue location since 1990.
Randy Sherer of Sherer Enterprises has been refurbishing the concrete floor inside the former grocery store building. Sherer’s work includes a cast-dye red Fasteners logo as you enter the store.
Sherer said McHale Sign of Redding did the stencil for the logo, and Sherer placed the stencil on the floor and sealed it.
Fasteners expects to move to its new location later this summer or early fall.
The company got its start in Redding about 20 years ago and now has nine locations stretching from Medford in southern Oregon to Fresno. It also has North State stores in Anderson and Red Bluff.
Redding joining the Applebee’s/IHOP family
There are locations already in Chico and Red Bluff.
Now Applebee’s and IHOP will open its first dual-branded location in Redding on Hilltop Drive, for years just an Applebee’s location.
Crews have been at work for some time doing the conversion. An opening date has not been announced.
“We’re looking forward to bringing dual-branded Applebee’s/IHOP restaurants to Redding. … This concept brings together IHOP’s world-famous pancakes and breakfast favorites with Applebee’s boneless wings, burgers and more, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy the best of both brands any time of day, all under one roof. We will continue to share updates as they are confirmed,” Sam Soleimani, president and CEO of Siyavoush Soleimani Group, an Applebee’s and IHOP Franchisee, wrote in an email to the Record Searchlight.
Of course, Redding had an IHOP for nearly 50 years before the location, also on Hilltop Drive, closed last year. It has since been redeveloped into a Huckleberry’s.
Free chicken meals at El Pollo Loco’s grand opening
El Pollo Loco will celebrate its first location in Redding with a food giveaway on June 30.
The Mexican restaurant opened in Churn Creek Marketplace in May.
Free two-piece chicken leg and thigh meals will be given to the first 100 customers during the restaurant’s grand opening celebration on June 30 while supplies last. The restaurant opens at 10 a.m.
Guests who download the El Pollo Loco app can sign up for Loco Rewards can spin a prize wheel for the chance to win branded merchandise, free menu items and exclusive offers. One spin per customer.
El Pollo Loco at 4615 Churn Creek Road is open daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for in-store dining and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the drive-thru.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Tiki bar on wheels finds Redding home. Applebee’s, IHOP unite
Reporting by David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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By David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
