Exotical, Downey, CA (store) - Locating Tiki

TSW The Sperm Whale Tiki Socialite Lakewood California Joined: Aug 23, 2004 Posts: 1553	TSW The Sperm Whale Posted posted on Tue, Sep 6, 2005 8:20 PM Here is my Savage Renewal Topic.... EXOTICAL Hawaiian Apparel Like the previous posters I have passed by this store in Downey California for years. Finally a year ago I decided to see what was inside and found that this store carried pretty cool Aloha Wear and all kinds of strange things from the past. What I especially like about some of the shirts they carry is the Bark Cloth Tapa prints. Anyway, today I went in to talk to the owner Paul Orloff and he has been in business for 41 years at that exact location. His store is just a small place now but years ago he owned both shops on both sides of what he has now. Paul got his start importing bamboo, making and fabricating furniture and tropical decor. Some of the people he supplied bamboo to are Eli Hedly (Bamboo Bens Grandfather), and Bob & Leroy (Oceanic Arts) a long time ago. He used to sell alot of Polynesian furniture and supplies, as well as, Hawaiian shirts, Hula wear, Luau supplies and velvet paintings. This shop is so cool to visit and explore. It is kind of like a time capsule and there still is alot of old stuff there like post cards, Hawaiian Records, paintings, lamps, coconut monkey's (for Badmojo) and furniture. Paul even still uses his old Business Cards. He also gave me an old catalog of what he used to carry when his store was bigger. I chose Exotical for my Savage Renewal project because I have hardly seen much info on this place and I think all of us Southern California Tiki Freaks would be missing out if they never went in to talk to Paul and just explore the store. I remember Sven (Bigbrotiki) briefly mentioning Exotical during his slide show at Tiki Oasis but I definitely think there is more history if you go in and talk to Paul. His store hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday. The phone # is (562) 869-0575 If you are planning on buying anything you should bring Cash because that all he takes. I also should warn you that most of the stuff is on the pricey side. What I highly recommend is that you pay Exotical a visit because it has been around since 1964 (41 years) I don't think it will be around forever. Here are some Pics of his buisness card, pamphlets, old catalog, and some shots inside of the store. (A.K.A. A Buttload of Photo's) Later, Spermy EEEEeeeeeeAAAAaaaaaaOOOOooooooWWWWWwwwwWWWw [ Edited by: The Sperm Whale 2005-09-06 20:26 ]

Here is my Savage Renewal Topic....

EXOTICAL Hawaiian Apparel

Like the previous posters I have passed by this store in Downey California for years. Finally a year ago I decided to see what was inside and found that this store carried pretty cool Aloha Wear and all kinds of strange things from the past. What I especially like about some of the shirts they carry is the Bark Cloth Tapa prints. Anyway, today I went in to talk to the owner Paul Orloff and he has been in business for 41 years at that exact location. His store is just a small place now but years ago he owned both shops on both sides of what he has now. Paul got his start importing bamboo, making and fabricating furniture and tropical decor. Some of the people he supplied bamboo to are Eli Hedly (Bamboo Bens Grandfather), and Bob & Leroy (Oceanic Arts) a long time ago. He used to sell alot of Polynesian furniture and supplies, as well as, Hawaiian shirts, Hula wear, Luau supplies and velvet paintings. This shop is so cool to visit and explore. It is kind of like a time capsule and there still is alot of old stuff there like post cards, Hawaiian Records, paintings, lamps, coconut monkey's (for Badmojo) and furniture. Paul even still uses his old Business Cards. He also gave me an old catalog of what he used to carry when his store was bigger. I chose Exotical for my Savage Renewal project because I have hardly seen much info on this place and I think all of us Southern California Tiki Freaks would be missing out if they never went in to talk to Paul and just explore the store. I remember Sven (Bigbrotiki) briefly mentioning Exotical during his slide show at Tiki Oasis but I definitely think there is more history if you go in and talk to Paul. His store hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday. The phone # is (562) 869-0575 If you are planning on buying anything you should bring Cash because that all he takes. I also should warn you that most of the stuff is on the pricey side. What I highly recommend is that you pay Exotical a visit because it has been around since 1964 (41 years) I don't think it will be around forever.

Here are some Pics of his buisness card, pamphlets, old catalog, and some shots inside of the store.
(A.K.A. A Buttload of Photo's)

Later,
Spermy