Post #45003 by tikibars on Mon, Jul 28, 2003 6:15 PM

Here's the Times article:

(I didn't actually use the word 'warhorses', BTW)...

"
July 28, 2003
Fire Leaves Tiki Bar Damaged, and Its Regulars Displaced
By JONATHAN MILLER

CLIFTON, N.J., July 27 — In the suddenly trendy world of the Tiki bar, Lee's Hawaiian Islander was a bit of a throwback: dark and full of bamboo and blowfish lights. Nevertheless, it attracted fans from all over northern New Jersey and was even considered something of a classic among Tiki aficionados.

But on Saturday afternoon, Lee's was engulfed by fire faster than a rum-infused Flaming Virgin, leaving customers wondering whether the nearly 30-year-old restaurant and bar had held its last Hula Night.

Officials here are still unsure what started the blaze at Lee's, at 635 Lexington Avenue, just off Route 46 in this blue-collar town, only that it began in the wall of an apartment above the restaurant.

According to Chief John Dubravsky of the Clifton Fire Department, restaurant workers ignored a fire alarm that went off around 2 p.m., thinking it was a false alarm. By 3 p.m., employees could smell smoke and called fire officials. But by that point it was too late.

Water collapsed part of the roof and damaged much of the restaurant, Chief Dubravsky said. A firefighter battling the blaze was treated for heat exhaustion at the scene.

The potential loss sent reverberations throughout the Tiki community.

"Anytime one of them vanishes it's a loss," said James Teitelbaum, author of "Tiki Road Trip: A Guide to Tiki Culture in North America" (Santa Monica Press). Mr. Teitelbaum, a Chicago resident, visited the bar and restaurant in 1996 and wrote about it in his book. Now that Tiki bars are making a comeback, he said, it is important to remember the old warhorses. He considers Lee's one of two dozen or so legendary Tiki bars still in existence in America.

"It was a classic place," he said. "The fact that it survived that long gives it extra credibility."

It had survived since 1974, when Steven Lee, a Chinese immigrant with no special connection to Polynesia, started two places named Lee's Hawaiian Islander, one in Clifton and one in Lyndhurst. Mr. Lee still owns and works at the Lyndhurst location, but Daniel Yee, a business partner, now controls much of the operation of the Clifton location, Mr. Lee said. Attempts to reach Mr. Yee were unsuccessful.

On Sunday, many longtime fans wandered through the debris in the parking lot, glimpsed up at the painted red-brick exterior and green-tiled roof and offered wistful reminiscences about a place that had served up a powerful Singapore Sling.

Al and Terry Biro, both 54, and their daughter, Jen, 17, of Clifton, peered through the front doors. "Our favorite booth is messed up," said Mrs. Biro, pointing to a thatched bamboo nook near the waterfall.

Mr. Biro responded, "They have a lot of work to do here."

The Biros have been going to the restaurant since the 1970's. When Jen was a baby, they would bring her into the lounge and plop her down in one of the booths. Just a year or two ago, Jen was called from the audience to participate in a Hula dance.

Nancy Smyser and Marilyn Manzione, both 48, of Totowa, had been in the restaurant on Friday and were at the Lee's in Lyndhurst on Saturday when they heard the news.

"We were shocked out of our minds," said Ms. Smyser, who said they were waiting in the parking lot to see if they could commiserate with other regulars today. "It's a landmark. There's not a lot of them left." It was unclear whether the owners would rebuild, but on the front door, the management had taped a sign that read, in part, "We are very sorry our establishment was burned down by fire."

Just below that notice was tacked a hand-written note:

"We love this restaurant. Please rebuild! Much luck, your customers and friends."
"