Post #449726 by meega on Sat, Apr 25, 2009 8:42 PM

This being my first post on Tiki Central, I hope everything formats OK!

Since the Leilani was a common site in Brookfield for decades, and I lived only a few miles away for most of its existance, I should have a bounty of artifacts.......but I don't - that's one of the reasons I'm drawn to TC.

For the record, I don't think there was ever a helipad built at the Leilani - a very 'Jetson's' concept, but never an economical or practical necessity at the time. Helicopters were not a common sight around here in the 60's, let alone dropping out of the skies for a bite to eat! There was plenty of space on the east side of the supper club to accomodate a helicopter in a pinch, but it seems to have been just an extended parking area.

I appreciate the Leilani in its absence more than I did before it disappeared. I was at the supper club twice......once for a wedding, and once for a Mother's Day brunch or something. This was in the mid-70s and It was a Reception/Banquet Hall area. There was a a lot of grass matting and a lot of carvings on the wall, but I really don't remember any large statues. I do remember a large tiki hut-like platform in the middle of the floor. I think it was where the wedding party ate, and where the brunch buffets were setup. The only thing I didn't really care for was that it lacked atmosphere. It was too well lit and the decore too uniformly arranged. Even if everything was authentic, it came across as sort of bland. There must have been a more intimate and interesting dining area, but I never saw it, nor the bar.

I also stayed at the motel once, but outside of the architecture, I can't remember anything too Polynesian, just standard motel decor. This was the early 80's and probably slipping into a state of decline.

These may not be what you were looking for, but should help a little with the puzzle.

The Leilani - 1963: the heydays - 3 years later It went bankrupt
The Motel & Supper Club were sold to separate buyers. I'm not sure if this is where the Gille's Leilani & Harold's Leilani came from?

The Leilani - 1970

The Leilani - 1980

The Leilani - 1990

The Leilani - 1995: The beginning of the end - destruction of the Supper Club
Shortly after the Motel would be razed too.

The Comptuter City That replaced The Leilani didn't survive more than a couple years, and now it's an Office Max(I think).

[ Edited by: meega 2009-04-25 20:52 ]

[ Edited by: meega 2009-04-25 20:54 ]

[ Edited by: meega 2009-04-26 15:37 ]