Post #481468 by savage sissy on Fri, Sep 4, 2009 6:00 PM

I found a few tidbits, nothing grand. Opened around 1958 owner was Wally Burnett. No references to it being Polynesian, only mentioned as a Chinese Restaurant or Oriental Restaurant. In one case, the chef who was Chinese was referred to as Japanese. Gotta love the info in newspapers.

There were a few grainy pics from the early 60's. Saw some tapa cloth designs on the wall, and a fish net, but nothing that showed the interior, at least yet. I'll keep looking.

Wally purchased an interest in another building and opened it up as a hotel. The Tiki Cove was relocated there in 1977. That hotel was named the Polaris and is now either torn down or soon will be.

Side note is that the original chef stayed with the Tiki Cove until his death in the mid to late 70's. And 2 bartenders were found by Wally inside a fake wall in the Tiki Cove. Guess they were hiding there until the place closed so they could rob it. They had welding equipment, who the heck knows what that was all about. Maybe there were some awesome Tikis bolted to the floor!