Lotus, Daytona Beach, FL (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

T TikiTomD Grand Member (6 years) Flagler Beach, FL Joined: Sep 20, 2009 Posts: 700	T TikiTomD Posted posted on Mon, Aug 1, 2011 7:27 AM In perusing the archival data, I was amazed at the ever-expanding cast of characters cited for their role in the Lotus Restaurant... all part of the extended family of Lee. Each enjoyed a role as owner-operator and/or chef while bringing the succeeding generations into the business, subsequently retiring or moving on to a new restaurant. An example follows, though it’s not the entirety of it. In 1972, Wei Lee, then owner of the Lotus Restaurant, embarked on the construction of a new Chinese restaurant to be called the Hong Kong. It was to be located north of the Ellinor Village Shopping Center. This was the same shopping center that hosted the Tropics, explored in the Julian’s thread of this forum. Wei’s grandson, Chong Fu Lee, was to be a principal. The Golden Phoenix restaurant group was a business partner, helping to underwrite the estimated $500,000 cost of construction. This group comprised a successful association of Chinese restaurants along the Gulf coast of Florida, as well as Washington, DC, with the flagship Golden Phoenix at St. Petersburg... St. Petersburg Times December 17, 1969 Here’s the local newspaper article announcing the coming of the Hong Kong... Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal October 8, 1972 The Hong Kong opened in 1973... Daytona Beach Morning Journal January 20, 1973 Meanwhile, back at the Lotus Restaurant, Tim Lee, a grandson of one of the original founders, had taken over operations... Daytona Beach Morning Journal January 27, 1979 In 1974, Wei Lee retired to Hollywood, Florida. He passed away at age 66 in December, 1987 at the Pembroke Pines General Hospital. His obituary cited his former ownership of both the Lotus and Hong Kong Restaurants, and noted his many surviving family members. The Lotus Restaurant continued in business until 1987, when the remaining family operating it acquired and moved on to an existing restaurant in Deland, renaming it the New China Restaurant... The Daytona Beach News-Journal September 16, 1987 As howlinowl previously posted, Yuk Ping Lee, a matriarch within the Lee family cited above as a part owner, just passed away in July, 2011 at age 81... Late Saturday afternoon while in Daytona Beach with my family, I decided to pay a visit to 308 Seabreeze Boulevard, site of the former Lotus Restaurant. It was just before sunset, and I parked along the boulevard a block east of the location, then walked. This is an old business neighborhood in a funkier section of Daytona Beach, though I didn’t feel threatened at all. Nevertheless, my wife insisted that my son, a third degree Black Belt in martial arts, escort dear old incompetent Dad. Actually, I rather liked the location, a few blocks west of the ocean and just east of the Seabreeze Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. There’s a beautiful old coquina stone church a block south on the eastbound lane of Seabreeze. Here’s the view looking west... A brief walk and there it was, 308 Seabreeze... Of course, no tikis were to be seen. It’s the same old building constructed back in 1932, recast as a sports bar known as Frank’s Front Row. One reviewer who went by the moniker “Big Kahuna” (pretty sure it’s not our TC Big Kahuna) offered this description of Frank’s at http://daytonatikifinder.com/2011/04/19/franks-front-row/... One of the places locals know to go to, Frank’s also is a great place for people from out of town that are looking for a place with a more rock and roll atmosphere. There are drinks at the huge bar, pool tables and lots and lots of live music. Just a couple blocks off the beach, this is a place worth spending a little time off the beach for. I always have a great time at Frank’s and we always include this place on our loop up and down Seabreaze Blvd. After expanding into the space next door a few years ago they are even better than ever. There is always plenty of live local music at Franks and I have been to some awesome concerts by nationally known acts there as wall. I would call this one of the last real rock and roll bars left in the city and being a big supporter of local music I try to support Frank’s Front Row as much as possible. So if you are looking for a great Daytona Beach bar with a rock and roll attitude, get off the strip and take a walk on the wild side of Daytona. Head on west on Seabreaze until you find Frank’s Front Row. Here’s an interior photo by the owner... The upstairs area, scene of the old Hi-Hat Club and later Laney’s Supper Club, appeared to be vacant. I took a last look and photo. As I was leaving, I gave a respectful tip of the hat in the direction of upstairs, should the ghost of Charlie Reese be peering down... Next, tiki connections at the Lotus Restaurant... -Tom

In perusing the archival data, I was amazed at the ever-expanding cast of characters cited for their role in the Lotus Restaurant... all part of the extended family of Lee. Each enjoyed a role as owner-operator and/or chef while bringing the succeeding generations into the business, subsequently retiring or moving on to a new restaurant. An example follows, though it’s not the entirety of it.

In 1972, Wei Lee, then owner of the Lotus Restaurant, embarked on the construction of a new Chinese restaurant to be called the Hong Kong. It was to be located north of the Ellinor Village Shopping Center. This was the same shopping center that hosted the Tropics, explored in the Julian’s thread of this forum. Wei’s grandson, Chong Fu Lee, was to be a principal. The Golden Phoenix restaurant group was a business partner, helping to underwrite the estimated $500,000 cost of construction. This group comprised a successful association of Chinese restaurants along the Gulf coast of Florida, as well as Washington, DC, with the flagship Golden Phoenix at St. Petersburg...

St. Petersburg Times December 17, 1969

Here’s the local newspaper article announcing the coming of the Hong Kong...

Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal October 8, 1972

The Hong Kong opened in 1973...

Daytona Beach Morning Journal January 20, 1973

Meanwhile, back at the Lotus Restaurant, Tim Lee, a grandson of one of the original founders, had taken over operations...

Daytona Beach Morning Journal January 27, 1979

In 1974, Wei Lee retired to Hollywood, Florida. He passed away at age 66 in December, 1987 at the Pembroke Pines General Hospital. His obituary cited his former ownership of both the Lotus and Hong Kong Restaurants, and noted his many surviving family members.

The Lotus Restaurant continued in business until 1987, when the remaining family operating it acquired and moved on to an existing restaurant in Deland, renaming it the New China Restaurant...

The Daytona Beach News-Journal September 16, 1987

As howlinowl previously posted, Yuk Ping Lee, a matriarch within the Lee family cited above as a part owner, just passed away in July, 2011 at age 81...

Late Saturday afternoon while in Daytona Beach with my family, I decided to pay a visit to 308 Seabreeze Boulevard, site of the former Lotus Restaurant. It was just before sunset, and I parked along the boulevard a block east of the location, then walked. This is an old business neighborhood in a funkier section of Daytona Beach, though I didn’t feel threatened at all. Nevertheless, my wife insisted that my son, a third degree Black Belt in martial arts, escort dear old incompetent Dad. Actually, I rather liked the location, a few blocks west of the ocean and just east of the Seabreeze Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. There’s a beautiful old coquina stone church a block south on the eastbound lane of Seabreeze. Here’s the view looking west...

A brief walk and there it was, 308 Seabreeze...

Of course, no tikis were to be seen. It’s the same old building constructed back in 1932, recast as a sports bar known as Frank’s Front Row. One reviewer who went by the moniker “Big Kahuna” (pretty sure it’s not our TC Big Kahuna) offered this description of Frank’s at http://daytonatikifinder.com/2011/04/19/franks-front-row/...

One of the places locals know to go to, Frank’s also is a great place for people from out of town that are looking for a place with a more rock and roll atmosphere. There are drinks at the huge bar, pool tables and lots and lots of live music. Just a couple blocks off the beach, this is a place worth spending a little time off the beach for.

I always have a great time at Frank’s and we always include this place on our loop up and down Seabreaze Blvd. After expanding into the space next door a few years ago they are even better than ever. There is always plenty of live local music at Franks and I have been to some awesome concerts by nationally known acts there as wall. I would call this one of the last real rock and roll bars left in the city and being a big supporter of local music I try to support Frank’s Front Row as much as possible.

So if you are looking for a great Daytona Beach bar with a rock and roll attitude, get off the strip and take a walk on the wild side of Daytona. Head on west on Seabreaze until you find Frank’s Front Row.

Here’s an interior photo by the owner...

The upstairs area, scene of the old Hi-Hat Club and later Laney’s Supper Club, appeared to be vacant. I took a last look and photo. As I was leaving, I gave a respectful tip of the hat in the direction of upstairs, should the ghost of Charlie Reese be peering down...

Next, tiki connections at the Lotus Restaurant...

-Tom

Post #600243 by TikiTomD on Mon, Aug 1, 2011 7:27 AM