Post #279926 by Derek C on Sat, Jan 20, 2007 3:24 PM

Yes, I remember the old Kapu Kai Restaurant and Bowling Alley, corner of Route 66 (Foothill Blvd) and Vineyard Avenue in Cucamonga, CA. Cucamonga is roughly 40-miles east of Los Angeles.

"Kapu Kai" supposedly means "Forbidden Seas."

I've also seen it defined: "Kapu kai ... ceremonial bath when in the sea or in other sea or salt water... done to purify oneself after evil or defilement, physical or spiritual and to remove the kapu (taboo) under which the person usually came because of his/her defilement."

My father used to bowl at Kapu Kai and our family ate at the restaurant (on occasion) during the 1960s. I was a young child (well under 10) at the time.

The Kapu Kai was (unfortunately) located adjacent to a flood-control channel and was destroyed during the winter of 1968/1969 by terrible floods (worst local flooding since 1938.) It subsequently remained abandoned for years. During the later 1970s/early 1980s the location re-emerged as "Roller-City" a roller-skating rink.

Roller-City ended as well and the property was (once again) abandoned. Eventually the property was bulldozed and it is now (since the year 2000 or so) an Albertson's Supermarket within a typical mini-mall.

I found photos of this Kapu Kai postcard, matchbook cover and a three-face bucket mug online.

Would like to know more about it too as I was too young to remember much about it when it was open. I vaguely remember the "Tahitian Flame Room" which I believe was the cocktail lounge portion of the facility, the restaurant and bowling-lanes.

[ Edited by: Derek C 2007-02-01 10:26 ]