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By PAMELA DAVIS
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 31, 2000
ST. PETERSBURG -- Change out of that starched white shirt or fancy silk dress before you head to Kahuna's Bar & Grill. This place has its own dress code: shorts and T-shirts.
Kahuna's is a beach shack that's not on the beach. Before it became what owner Jim Kenrick calls an "activities bar," the building, along the Pinellas approach to the Gandy Bridge, was a shell shop.
It's got the beach look -- tikis and thatched roofs -- and offers one of the most popular beach activities: volleyball.
And every now and then, Kahuna's offers the best in live beach music: Jimmy Buffett tunes.
Parrotheads gather at Kahuna's on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. When Buffett cover musicians aren't in the house, patrons can get their fill of Buffett music from the jukebox.
There's also live music, mostly classic rock, Thursday through Saturday. And the Friday Afternoon Club, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., has a radio DJ playing music and hosting trivia, dance and Hula Hoop contests.
On a recent Friday, a DJ from WBBY-FM 107.3 (the Bay) got patrons in the party spirit by playing the Village People's YMCA while placing sombreros on their heads and maracas in their hands. "People can feel at ease here and do whatever they want as long as they're nice to people," said Kenrick, who also plays volleyball on one of Kahuna's many teams.
Volleyball leagues take over the courts from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Non-league players can reserve courts for Saturday and Sunday. Kahuna's supplies the equipment, but requires a driver's license or credit card as collateral.
Kahuna's menu, which offers basic fare such as salads, burgers, sandwiches and seafood, brings in lots of families.
The bar also offers darts leagues, two pool tables, arcade games and, for $5 a person, the chance to watch a local amateur wrestling match one Saturday per month.
St. Petersbur
(727) 822-4562
Emphasis on sports, beer, burgers, wings. Indoor and outdoor seating and sand volleyball pit.
3850 Gulf Blvd.
St. Pete Beach
(727) 368-9000
Simple open-air bar and beach volleyball courts with view of the Gulf of Mexico.