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Tiki
& Polynesian
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 Tiki
Gardens
was the Polynesian dream Of Frank and Jo Byars. This "South Seas Island
Paradise in Florida" Arose on the island of Indian Rocks beach, near
Clearwater / Saint Petersburg Florida. On 9.9 ( expanding to 12.5
over time ) acres of land arose 10 gift shops, a 450 seat TRADER FRANK'S
restaurant, and a trail that wound through lands populated by giant
tikis, lush tropical plants, a flock of peacocks, a menagerie of animals
that included macaws, cockateels, doves, harlequin birds, pigeons,
toucans, squirrel monkeys, a Kinkaju, and a half million annual visitors
at its height of operations. Tiki Gardens managed to gain the Florida
Attractions Associations seal of approval, which linked them to many
of Florida's Premier roadside attractions, such as Caribbean Gardens,
Busch Gardens, Silver Springs, Six Gun Territory, and many others.
Too many of which are now sadly gone. With their success, they were
able to visit the lands that had inspired them to build there success
story. But as Trader Frank put it; "We outdid the Polynesians. We
just seemed to know where everything should go. What we did looked
like old Hawaii." Unfortunately all that remains of Tiki Gardens is
a beach access parking lot. To learn more of the history of Tiki Gardens
visit the well-illustrated Tiki
Gardens Memorial Web Page Submitted by Tiki Gardener. |
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Adopt
this Mid-Century Tiki Palace!
Frank Wallace, architect of
the Prayer Tower at Oral Roberts University, designed this Tulsa,
OK, home in the 60s. The house and its remaining contents are to
be auctioned off on December 20th. The house is open 12-5 pm Sundays
beginning Dec. 1st if you want to just take a peek. More
information here or contact Tulsa
Now.
Needed: photographer to document this building. Contact
submit@recentpast.org for more information.
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Luau
Room, Louisville, Kentucky. It
was a tiki bar, back in the day. 9,000 sq ft of grasscloth, palm trees,
giant tikis, and a bamboo drop ceiling. Two bars. Tiki "huts" creating
rooms within rooms. Originally located in Louisville's airport, it
was forced into a new location by airport expansion. Some of the patrons
did not follow...times changed, The Luau Room shut down. See our Luau
Room page for more photographs and information. Please email
Nancy Beranek if you can
help save the Luau Room. |
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The
Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Classic Polynesian restaurant with on-line gift shop and "celebrated
Islanders Revue" dinner-time floor show--"Each year, owner
and show choreographer Mireille Thornton creates new interpretations
of village life in the South Pacific at the turn of the century."
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Caliente
Tropics Resort in Palm Springs, California.
"Built
in 1963 and opened in 1964, by Ken Kimes, Sr., the tropics was number
38 out of 45 motels Kimes developed in the U.S. Oceanic Arts, considered
by many tiki-followers to be the “Grand Daddy” of Polynesian pop-culture,
designed and manufactured most of the tiki gods and artifacts throughout
the Resort. In addition to Sambos (coffee shop), The Reef (cocktail
lounge), the Congo Room (steakhouse), and the Cellar (basement cocktail
lounge), the central building also housed the main lobby. Re-opened
in March 2001 after an extensive $2.2 million renovation, it is one
of the last and greatest examples of the classic Polynesian-styled
motor hotels of the 60s." Complete
website. |
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