Jon and Karen Selkirk open the Sunshine Coast’s newest Tiki Bar

A Sunshine Coast couple have combined a customer focus with a laid back Hawaiian theme to open the region’s newest Tiki Bar in an unlikely location.

Hawaiian shirts, delicious street food and pina coladas are in abundance at Eumundi’s newest venue.

Local Eumundi couple Jon and Karen Selkirk were inspired by their own poolside bar when they decided to open the “laid back, beach holiday, Hawaiian” venue.

“We wanted to bring that experience down to town,” Mr Selkirk said.

Mr Selkirk said the pair were determined to compliment the eclectic town’s already thriving pubs and restaurants.

“We thought how can we compliment that and we thought a themed restaurant and bar would work really well,” he said.

“We think it really compliments Eumundi’s atmosphere and the vibe around the town.”

Mr Selkirk said he hoped the venue – The Tiki Bar Eumundi – located in Eumundi’s Pavilion, could become a “hideaway” for locals and tourists.

“We are tucked away in the trees off the main street and haven't done any promotion because we love that people can find us by accident and think word of mouth is wonderful when somebody has heard about this hidden gem in the back of Eumundi,” he said.

Karen Selkirk in The Tiki Bar Eumundi. Picture: Supplied.

With no prior hospitality experience the couple said they relied on their experience as customers to bring a venue that ticked all the boxes.

“We are coming from a place as customers not a chef or a mixologist,” Mrs Selkirk said.

“We are literally asking ourselves ‘what do we love from different venues and what do we want to bring’.”

Despite battling recent flooding and heavy downpours The Tiki Bar has impressed customers and increased their opening hours by popular demand.

“We have already had some fantastic comments from local business owners who have been in hospitality for decades who have said we are natural and they can't believe we don't have hospitality experience,” Mr Selkirk said.

The Tiki Bar will offer a range of beers and cocktails as well as a selection of loaded fries and salsa from House of Salsa.

Mr and Mrs Selkirk, who moved from England to Australia in 2010, said the new business venture offered a new start for Mr Selkirk after working as a FIFO worker for 20 years.

“In October last year when I turned 40 just felt like I needed a change it was kind of now or never so we ripped up the playbook,” he said.

Once finding their venue location the pair spent three months restoring the old Queenslander and secured food and alcohol licences before opening on May 7.

“Because the venue is so small we find everyone is talking to each other and strangers, no one is on their phones, it’s really nice to see,” Mr Selkirk said.

The Tiki Bar will be open from Wednesday to Sunday till 9pm.