Victor Jules Bergeron, Jr. (December 10, 1902, San Francisco – October 11, 1984 Burlingame, California) was the founder of a chain of Polynesian-themed restaurants that bore his nickname, Trader Vic, and one of two people who claimed to have invented the Mai Tai. The other was his amicable competitor for many years, Don the Beachcomber.
Bergeron attended Heald College in San Francisco, California.[1] On November 17, 1934, using $500 in borrowed money, Bergeron opened a small bar/restaurant across from his parent's grocery store in Oakland, California named Hinky Dink's. As its popularity spread, the menu and decor developed an increasingly tropical flair. Hinky Dink's soon became Trader Vic's, and in 1951, Bergeron opened Trader Vic's at 20 Cosmo Place in San Francisco.[2] The chain of restaurants is credited as one of the first successful themed chains, which many others followed.
During the Tiki culture fad of the 1950s and 1960s, as many as 25 Trader Vic's restaurants were in operation around the world, all featuring the popular mix of Polynesian artifacts, unique cocktails, and exotic cuisine. In the 1980s and 1990s, the chain began to shrink as a new generation of people had little or no connection to the restaurants' tiki theme. Poor locations or less trendy addresses also took a toll on the chain's popularity. While many of the original locations have since closed, Trader Vic's is experiencing a resurgence[citation needed]. Twenty-five locations exist around the globe today equaling the previous chain record, with more due to open shortly.[citation needed]
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