One of our most recent clients, Kris Van de Sande, is a commercial photographer based in Antwerp, Belgium, working internationally for theme parks, museums, entertainment venues, and F&B brands. Accustomed to building immersive stories for others, Kris set out to create one for himself — a personal project where passion, craft, and atmosphere could come together. And at the center of that journey stood a cocktail station that helped turn a dream into reality.

“For many years I kinda knew that there was such a thing known as Tiki, but never really looked into it,” Kris explains. That changed the moment he stepped into Trader Sam’s at the Disneyland Hotel. “I immediately fell in love.” What followed was a deep dive into Tiki culture — its history, the invention of the Mai Tai, and the fantastical worlds created by Trader Vic and Don The Beachcomber. A visit to the legendary Trader Vic’s bar in London, just days before it permanently closed, sealed the decision. “The moment I descended those stairs I knew I was home.”

That feeling became the foundation for The Hideaway. In December 2022, Kris began transforming a rarely used garden shed into a private Tiki bar — “a room that was both tropically themed, as well as a place to entertain, and also a creative space for visitors and invited guests.” Over months of designing, building, sourcing props, and learning the craftsmanship behind cocktails and bar design, the first version of The Hideaway came to life. “Every time I decide to work on the bar, I learn something new.”

After nearly two years of memorable nights and creative gatherings, the bar evolved. The space expanded, frustrations were fixed, and the concept was refined into version 2.0. One essential element was the workflow behind the bar itself. “I wanted to create a place where it would be much easier to create drinks, both for entertaining as for photoshoots.”
That search led Kris to BarSetup.

We worked closely with him to find the right solution for both his space and his needs. With a relatively small bar and no high-volume service requirements, the BarSetup Plus S cocktail station proved to be the ideal fit — compact in size, yet fully equipped to handle everything needed behind the bar. It matched the space perfectly, without compromising on functionality or flow. Since then, our collaboration has grown into a relationship built on trust and shared passion, going far beyond a one-time product purchase.

Today, The Hideaway is a private tropical world, hidden from the outside, where time slows down and stories unfold over perfectly crafted drinks. A space built from inspiration, hands-on craftsmanship, and the right tools — proving that sometimes, a cocktail station can be the beginning of something truly meaningful.