Kahala Koa Tiki Bar — Where Every Detail Tells a Story
Branding Support
Custom Website Design & Development
Menu Design
Ongoing Consultation
OVERVIEW
Kahala Koa Tiki Bar began as a bold idea: Creating a fully immersive tiki bar experience in Arlington Heights, IL with it’s own identity. Launched by the same owners behind Lola’s Pizza Palace, they wanted more than a bar—they envisioned a tropical escape in the Midwest, complete with hand-crafted cocktails, intricate tiki mugs, and carefully sourced artifacts that gave the space its soul.
We had already worked with the team previously, and when they decided to pivot, they trusted NovaSlate to bring Kahala Koa online. The goal wasn’t just to design a website, but to capture the magic of the space—the playfulness of the hand-crafted mugs, the rare artifacts sourced from across the world, the care behind every drink, and the welcoming energy that makes people return again and again.
Over time, Kahala Koa’s success grew so strong that it overtook Lola’s itself. What was once “pizza first, tiki second” flipped completely—today Kahala Koa is the main attraction, while Lola’s serves quietly in the background.
THE CHALLENGE
Pivoting from a neighborhood pizza place to a tiki bar in the middle of a pandemic wasn’t simple. The concept needed to be more than a gimmick—it had to feel authentic, memorable, and worth talking about. Their brand needed a digital presence that matched the immersive, transportive feel of the physical space.
On top of that, requirements kept evolving as Kahala Koa gained traction with new menu items, new events, and more press coverage. What started as a simple bar concept quickly became its own destination. NovaSlate’s role was to keep up with this evolution—supporting changes, refining ideas, and making sure the website and design materials always kept pace with the bar’s growing reputation.
BRANDING SUPPORT
Kahala Koa already had a strong visual identity in its physical space and the perfect vibe. Our role was to extend that identity into digital and print, ensuring consistency from mugs to menus to the website. We worked closely with the owners to highlight the tiki story without losing the connection to their roots at Lola’s.
CUSTOM WEBSITE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
The website needed to feel like stepping inside the bar. We designed a custom website designed for performance and SEO, along with rich visuals, playful typography, and bold imagery of the tiki mugs and decor. The site also integrated social media links, which proved crucial as Kahala Koa gained momentum online with thousands of followers and dozens of press mentions. The website wasn’t just a marketing tool—it became a growth engine. Within months, the site began ranking as one of the top results for tiki bars in Illinois, drawing in new audiences organically alongside word of mouth.
MENU DESIGN
The menu was more than a list of drinks—it was part of the experience. We designed illustrated menus where the artwork reflected the tiki mugs and cocktails guests would actually receive. Every page was treated as an extension of the bar’s creativity, building excitement from the moment customers opened it. The design of this entire brand really brought out our creativity.
“NovaSlate is a good company for start up websites. People there are easy to work with.”
Maxine Barton
Owner
