Daiquiri Deck
Daiquiri Deck is a American restaurant/bar founded by Troy Syprett with associates Russell Matthes and Matt Grover in 1993. Daiquiri Deck Siesta Key was the first ___location to open in Siesta Key, Florida, followed by locations at Madeira Beach, Florida in 1995, St. Armands Key in 2011 and the most recent Daiquiri Deck ___location opened in Venice, Florida in 2013.
History
The original concept of Daiquiri Deck came to Troy Syprett, founder and president, and a Sarasota, Florida native and University of Florida graduate, while he was drinking at Fat Tuesday, a bar chain known for its frozen drinks, during a trip to Key West, Florida. He thought about how he would like a similar venue in Sarasota that also served food and frozen drinks. In 1993, Troy opened the original Siesta Key ___location; less than six months later, he told his childhood friend Russell Matthes, who was a fellow University of Florida graduate who moved to Sarasota as a young child, that the business was on "fire". Matthes left his job at the Steak & Ale chain and joined Syprett. "When we first opened, I felt like i was riding a tiger, and if I fell off, it would eat me,"Syprett said. Matt Grover, a Maine native who graduated from the University of Maine, knew Syprett from a summer he had spent in the Sarasota area, working at the Peanut Gallery on Siesta Key. He eventually invested in Daiquiri Deck and became a owner in the Business in 1999. A majority of the sales originally in 1993 were from alcohol it wasn't until the later years in 1999 where food was more prevalent. "When the fist Daiquiri Deck opened, more than 70% of sales were alcohol. Today, sales are approximately 60% food and 40% alcohol which is the key to the restaurant's longevity,"Russell Matthes said. In 2008, John Hentschl, a executive chef at Shooters International, moved to the west coast of Florida and became the executive chef of the Columbia Restaurant on St. Armand's Key. He stayed at Columbia for 5 1/2 years until her relocated to the position of executive chef at Daiquiri Deck with their opening near his previous Columbia Restaurant in St. Armand's Key.
Menu
Daiquiri Deck offers a variety of food including most notable there famous Florida Gator bites, which is fresh chunks of alligator tail seasoned which is fried. Daiquiri Deck is famous for there wall of frozen drinks which serves happy hour everyday from 3 pm to 7 pm, a local favorite as it is 2 for 1 drinks. Some of the most popular drinks include the St.Armand's Hurricane, Sex on Siesta #1 Beach and 1993 Margarita.
Entertainment
Most evening at the Daiquiri Deck, there are live performances by musical artist. Thursday nights, the deck has open acoustic mic and interment night for up and coming artist to showcase talent. The deck has a 5 kilometer run that it host regularly, where participants who complete the run will receive a free daiquiri, domestic draft or smoothie.
Works Cited
http://www.daiquirideck.com/locations/daiquiri-deck-st-armands http://www.siestakeychamber.com/home http://www.yourobserver.com/article/full-deck http://www.mustdo.com/articles/sarasota-daiquiri-deck-raw-bar-serves-oysters-and-cocktails-in-a-fun-atmosphere/