Post #48502 by procinema29 on Tue, Aug 19, 2003 7:16 PM

Okay, I got hold of "The Book of Tiki," and I've been thumbing through it. An amazing book.

"The Tikis" was located at 1001 N. Potrero Grande Drive, Monterey Park, CA (according to the documentation in the book).

And looking at the pictures, I find it very hard to believe that such a place existed in Monterey Park. I'm not sure I do believe it at all. The photos seem impossible; how could all that stuff have fit anywhere down there? All that sculptured, painted cement... From the edge of the hill, very little of the place was visible; the cover provided by trees effectively blocked the view from above, I suppose, ensuring that only paying customers got the show.

An excerpt from the text:

"THE TIKIS represents the culmination of the Tiki era, which peaked with unprecedented grandeur and decadence..."

Yes, the idea that this establishment was practically in my backyard the whole time I was growing up completely amazes me.

Thinking back now, I do very vaguely recall that some people in the neighborhood had been complaining about the noise generated by the place, and that the complaints had had something to do with THE TIKIS eventually being closed.

But that was quite some time ago. "Wow" is all I can say.