Post #423597 by TikiShopPua on Sat, Dec 13, 2008 8:08 AM

Aloha TC Ohana:

Just wanted to share a quick Shag and Aloha Spirit story about my one and only Shag serigraph, "In Search of Tiki". My friend Wes at House of Tiki (ShakaTiki, here on TC) has long been a Shag fan and has a few of Shag's prints. We also have carried Shag items at the shop. I "inherited" my love and knowledge of Shag art through Wes, but I've never been able to afford my own and never thought I'd be fortunate enough to have one.

House of Tiki has gone through a rough couple of years. Thanks to some of our loyal Tiki Ohana, we've been able to keep our noses above water. Recently, we moved House of Tiki (again) to a smaller, more accessible and visible location in Costa Mesa. We were, for a year, in a warehouse location, and our place was next door to ShagMart. Piet Agle, Shag's bro, handles biz there, and was a very cool neighbor. Piet was kind enough to get Shag to sign one of his books for my daughter when she graduated with a degree in Art this past year, a gift that she treasures.

Anyway, when we moved, it was pretty rough. Wes worked day and night, sometimes 16 hour days to get us out of the old, and into the new, within a week. We were only "closed" for 2 days, which is a phenomenal feat. It was an Ohana effort, as all we had were Wes, myself, my hub, and our kids, and one of Wes's friends to pack everything, unpack, and be ready for biz. We did it expecting no compensation, but as something you would do for ohana. That is the Aloha Spirit I was raised with and the very spirit I have always seen in my friend Wes.

The day after we opened last week, Wes said that he had to go and do an "install" and so I stayed to man the shop. Little did I know that he and Piet had worked together on a "mahalo" surprise for my hub and me. He saw "In Search of Tiki" and said that he knew the instant he saw it that it was meant for the two of us because of the couple in the canoe (I'm Hawaiian, my husband is haole). He went to Piet who got him the art, and then to the amazing and talented Link at Frame Fetish, and then went to my house to do the "install", all without my knowledge. When I got home that night, there in our Tiki Room, was this beautiful work of art with a note that said.."You've Been Shagged!" I was completely floored and needless to say thrilled. I never thought in my wildest dreams I'd be lucky enough to get "Shagged".

So here it is, in all it's glory and to my great pride:

I know that was the long way around, but I couldn't post the pics without the background story. I think it says a lot about the spirit of Aloha and the kind of people who know how to show it! Mahalos!