Post #600079 by TikiTomD on Sun, Jul 31, 2011 8:11 AM

In 1948, 39-year old Jimmie Kam Sun Lee immigrated to the Daytona Beach area from Hong Kong. He was born in Canton, China, according to his 1971 obituary. Jimmie Lee opened the doors of the Lotus Restaurant as owner-operator in 1950 at 308 Seabreeze Boulevard, on the ground floor of the building formerly hosting Charlie’s Grill & Hi-Hat Club and most recently Club Pier Casino & Shepard’s Hi-Hat Club.

Jimmie Lee Photo from Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal August 16, 1971

Various newspaper articles also cite an opening in 1951 or 1952, but I believe the following “Honor Roll” ad of Daytona Beach area restaurants seems a reasonable basis to call it 1950. Recall that Betty Jean Reese and her Mom swore out arrest warrants for the former leaseholder and his associates at the beginning of 1950. If Jimmie Lee was already in the area, perhaps with a restaurant business already established elsewhere in Daytona Beach, it seems reasonable that he could be in place by the end of 1950...

Daytona Beach Morning Journal June 24, 1961

Here are several other ads over the years...

Daytona Beach Morning Journal February 8, 1961

Daytona Beach Morning Journal October 6, 1964

Several observations from these ads: Notice that Maine Lobster was featured at the Lotus; it was also featured in the 1948 ad for Charlie’s Grill & Hi-Hat Club (a coincidence?). The 1961 Lotus ad indicated that it was the only Chinese restaurant in Daytona Beach, whereas the 1964 ad omitted that claim. In each case, the cocktail lounge was featured. Sadly, I have not run across the drink menu.

This article indicates that by 1962 Jimmie Lee was joined or succeeded by Wei Lee (okay, it says Lee Wei, but I have more sources that indicate the name was reversed in the article), presumably a family member, in the running and operation of the restaurant...

Daytona Beach Morning Journal June 23, 1962

Note that “the chef is also imported.” :) But no mention of tikis in the restaurant decorations...

In 1971, Jimmie Lee, age 62, passed away at the local Halifax Hospital. The obituary cited numerous survivors living in the area.

What about upstairs at the old Hi-Hat Club? In 1942, Maurice Laney of Sumter, South Carolina moved to the Daytona Beach area at age 16. According to his obituary, he was born in Camden, South Carolina and served with the US Navy in World War II (would have been very young), returning in 1946. He founded Laney’s Supper Club, located upstairs above the Lotus Restaurant according to those vintage postcards captioned as “Lotus Restaurant & Laney’s Supper Club.” It’s not at all clear what the business arrangement was between Laney’s and the Lotus, though food and cocktails for the club had to have been made at the Lotus as there were no separate kitchen and bar upstairs.

Laney’s Supper Club treated guests to entertainment, as this article recalls...

Daytona Beach Morning Journal March 15, 1980

The entertainment at Laney’s apparently peaked in 1953...

Daytona Beach Morning Journal April 1, 1953

Daytona Beach Morning Journal May 13, 1953

Martian-tiki, could sure use your help here in acquiring a visual of Miss Starr and her “curvaceous” features!

Laney’s Supper Club continued to operate until 1963. Maurice Laney passed away in 1988 at age 62, achieving the same age as Jimmie Lee, founder of the Lotus Restaurant.

Next, the Lotus Restaurant (Lee family) spawns more Chinese restaurants around Volusia County...

-Tom