Post #342324 by tikiyaki on Tue, Nov 6, 2007 7:25 AM

On 2007-11-06 02:25, Tikidownunder wrote:
Kia ora to all Tikiphiles

This is my first post on TC and to my surprise its about THOR store (as promised). I'm putting this reply under travel as I have just (1 1/2 month ago) come back from Hawaii (angels sing)after a 5 day stay. From the TC forums I got an AWESOME amount of places to go but Waikiki was not "THE" best place to go (for Tiki)..however as I am from NZ, we are short on "ANY" tiki gear (other than our native stuff) but I was surprised. I went 3 blocks and found THOR. And then at the back of the INTNL MKT I found a place called JAVA FLOW. Loads of mugs, carved tiki, pictures and paraphenalia(?). Speaking to the owner, he knows some of the famous mug makers (Tiki Farm)and/or tiki people I know about on the net. Remember I'm from NZ.
Anyway I walked away from Hawaii with 20 mugs, 3 Thor prints, an original carving off the street and loads of other stuff.
Moral...Waikiki - Not that bad for the new guys who want to pick up some small stuff....
I know the other islands are better for genuine Tiki but sorry guys I couldn't get there...next time I guess.

TDU
Aotearoa
NZ

I myself also thought that Waikiki was the place to avoid...the "tourist trap" and all that. My opinion of the place has changed. As much as it has been built up and made to look like California, there is STILL lots of Tiki to be found, and the International Marketplace is definitely one of them. I LOVE Java Flow...up there in the treehouse, looking down on the marketplace. The carvers at the marketplace are awesome, and I can't count how many stores have Tikis in them.
Not to mention, that the beach in Waikiki is a sight to behold...paradise indeed.

You probably won't find as much tiki as in Waikiki, except maybe for Kona on the Big Island, which is home to Don the Beachcomber and lots of Tiki as well.
Remember, Tikis were for tourist consumption back in the day (50's) , so Waikiki is still where you'll find that stuff.

The other place is the Polynesian Cultural Center on the North Shore. As for the rest of Oahu....here and there, but not like Waikiki.

The fact that a second THOR store is being built is certainly a good sign for things to come.

Let's hope they keep coming.