Post #448907 by Mo-Eye on Wed, Apr 22, 2009 12:27 PM

Here is another article with some good info from the St. Petersburg Times, Aug. 25 1963.

Byars Family Builds New Tiki Gardens

Indian Rocks Beach South Shore - Tiki Gardens are now under construction by Jo and Frank Byars, owners of the Signal House which was devastated by fire last spring.

The new gardens, which will be offered to the public on a paid admission basis, are now under development adjacent to the old Signal House and will reflect the Polynesian Atmosphere ans way of life in gardens filled with exotic plants and flowers from all over the world.

Included in the gardens will be a man made lake, four wild life islands connected by oriental bridges and flowered walkways; cascading waterfalls; and an 18 foot volcanic mountain to complete the south Sea atmosphere.

Landscape architect Robert Lewis Malkin of St. Petersburg has designed the gardens' topographical development and plant placement. Working with Malkin and Mrs. Byars is Virgil Meares, co-owner of Indian Rocks Nurseries, who is now gathering the tropical plants which will make Tiki Gardens an Unusual Showplace.

The present Tiki Gardens with its Tiki gods designed by Gordon Keith Originals of Columbus Ohio, will be the focal point of the new main Signal House building, six specialty shops and a tropic restaurant - "Trader Frank's."

Patterened after the world renowned International Market Place in Honolulu, the gift shops, restaurant and the new gardens are scheduled for opening near the first of December. The first of the garden shops, the Tahiti Hut, is already open to the public.

The entire development will cover a total of seven acres overlooking the bay and Gulf of Mexico.

The article included a photo of construction, but the scan is so bad on google that it's not worth trying to save here. Also, only shows the Byars and the Malkin with a dirt background - no tiki images!