Post #202426 by retrogroover on Fri, Dec 9, 2005 8:59 PM

I have a so- called friend who just opened an exotic floral shop in one of the California beach cities. He has some retail space in the front of the shop and wanted to fill it with fun Hawaiiana things. He asked me to sell some of my collection. So I bring in a lot of tiki mugs and cocktail glasses with fun sayings like SUCK EM UP. For three hours he watches me unpack and says that he loves everything I have. I go back to the shop a few days later and I find my stuff thrown back in the boxes. Now he's telling me that all my goods are TACKY and not reflective of the real Hawaiiana feeling that the shop wants to project. He tells me that this TACKY stuff has nothing to do with exotic Hawaii and Polynesia. This made me really upset! He went on to lecture me that his shop now has certain STANDARDS of what true Hawaiiana should be. I guess that I should have known. He loves all that old Victorian koa wood stuff which I find quite nauseating. I have been collecting TIKI and HAWAIIANA for over ten years and I do have some so-called SERIOUS stuff as well. I am knowlegeable about antique koa, cruise line menus, tapa and many more historical things. I am especially aware of the positive southern Californian post world war II experience of Hawaii and the South Pacific. These people brought their fond memories back to California and created their own wonderful Bali Hai. My so-called friend just doesn't get that you have to have a mix of the FUN, TACKY and SO-CALLED SERIOUS STUFF to have a great TIKI experience!!!!!!!! What bothers me the most was his ARROGANCE! Maybe I'm too sensitive but when he bashed my TIKI-NESS he crossed the line!!!!!!!