Post #422238 by Tom Slick on Thu, Dec 4, 2008 9:44 PM

Today I went in search of tiki with my girlfriend today, and found quite a hidden gem. I went to the old location of where "The Tiki's" built by Danny Balsz once sat. Not just because I wanted to view the current storage facility that now sits there with smaller business suites/warehouses, but right next door, and according to google, there was supposed to be a Goodwill thrift shop in the very next driveway. I figured I might be able to hit paydirt, if in fact there was any to be had, it would be this specially located "Goodwill" store. Anyhow, there was no Goodwill to be seen, not even a drop center.

So, as I was leaving and heading out on the main street, I saw my girl rubbernecked over towards my side, and I asked "Whatchu lookin at Willis?"...She said "I think I saw a tiki or northwest style totem pole..." Needless to say, I about threw a u-turn as she was saying nevermind, just keep going straight. But it bugged me so, that I was thinking ":::We are too close to a legendary tiki icon for it to be a N.W. style totem::::"...And at the very next corner I made that u-turn anyhow, against my girfriends advice to keep driving down Potrero Grande... I needed closure on the thing my girlfriend spotted and that I missed while driving.

As I pulled up to the cactus laden front yard of the duplex...There it was, as if standing guard all these years quietly hidden from view and the street by palm leaves and trees, with cactus grown all around it. The tiki was painted in a pretty horrible earthtonesque scheme, it almost blended with its surroundings. The tiki in the private property yard was only 1 block from the original Danny Balsz "Tikis" location, and I wondered if Danny had owned this property at one time..? Good thing I had my camera with me, so I shot 2 pics quickly, as one of the owners were coming to the front to apparently grab their mail.

My question to any Danny Balsz tiki experts (Sven? Bosko?) know if this could really have been carved by him? Or could this have been a fan and neighbor of Danny's tiki themepark, who lived here at one time and carved the idol themselves in a display of acceptance and approval?

If you look very closely at the google map link below, you can see the tiki looking very subtle as he peeks out to Potrero Grande...If you pull up the google link, and it points you at the cemetary, just rotate the view 180 degrees, and use the zoom to catch a glimpse...If you were to blink while driving by, you'd probably miss it!
Danny Balsz Original Carving?

And here are the photos I took...

and a close up for the experienced eyes:

By the expression on this tiki, it looks as if he waits patiently, anticipating the reopening of "The Tiki's" polynesian playground...