Red Shepherd's Waikiki, El Centro, CA (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

M MadDogMike Grand Member (8 years) The Anvil of the Sun Joined: Mar 30, 2008 Posts: 11036	M MadDogMike Posted posted on Sun, Sep 11, 2011 12:28 PM Thank you DC & TikiTom. Appearently that photo was an ad from the local high school yearbook, seems the place was a big hit with the car cruising scene. From the 1956 yearbook: Nickname:"Shorty" Usually Found: Waikiki Drive-In. Weakness. Earrings and shoes. June 27, 1953 IV Press: The "hamburger king" of the Imperial Valley, Red Shepherd, today opened his newly remodeled Twin Barrels drive-in at the corner of Second and Main streets in Brawley. Shepherd has gained prominence for his successful operations of the Waikiki drive-in just north of "Four Corners" in El Centro August 10, 1960 IV Press: Well-known Valley restaurant operator Red Shepherd and his wife, Terry, are greeting friends at their newly opened Shepherd’s Restaurant, 1510 Adams, in El Centro. Shepherd, who has operated five eating establishments in Imperial County since he moved here from Ft. Worth, Texas, in June 1948, opened the doors of the new restaurant Aug. 9. Life as a Dance (autobiography - Rick McManus) "But who could resist the Waikiki Drive-In restaurant at Adams and Imperial where the waitresses wore grass skirts and skated out to the cars? Pulling in there and observing the laughing, yelling kids in cars all around me, I stayed long enough to order a chololate malt and then to drink it quickly." Ad from 1948 Police and Peace Officer's Journal of California WAIKIKI DRIVE IN Specializing in FRIED CHICKEN, SHRIMP AND STEAKS We Cater to Private Parties. My dad says the rumor was Red Shepherd came into town in a Cadillac convertible with a dollar in his pocket and turned it into small forture. The Waikiki filed corporation papers December 30, 1959. I'll try to hit the old phone books at the library to see if I can tell what years they operated. Be good to yourself and to the ones you love [ Edited by: MadDogMike 2011-09-11 12:29 ]

Thank you DC & TikiTom. Appearently that photo was an ad from the local high school yearbook, seems the place was a big hit with the car cruising scene. From the 1956 yearbook:
Nickname:"Shorty" Usually Found: Waikiki Drive-In. Weakness. Earrings and shoes.

June 27, 1953 IV Press: The "hamburger king" of the Imperial Valley, Red Shepherd, today opened his newly remodeled Twin Barrels drive-in at the corner of Second and Main streets in Brawley. Shepherd has gained prominence for his successful operations of the Waikiki drive-in just north of "Four Corners" in El Centro

August 10, 1960 IV Press: Well-known Valley restaurant operator Red Shepherd and his wife, Terry, are greeting friends at their newly opened Shepherd’s Restaurant, 1510 Adams, in El Centro. Shepherd, who has operated five eating establishments in Imperial County since he moved here from Ft. Worth, Texas, in June 1948, opened the doors of the new restaurant Aug. 9.

Life as a Dance (autobiography - Rick McManus) "But who could resist the Waikiki Drive-In restaurant at Adams and Imperial where the waitresses wore grass skirts and skated out to the cars? Pulling in there and observing the laughing, yelling kids in cars all around me, I stayed long enough to order a chololate malt and then to drink it quickly."

Ad from 1948 Police and Peace Officer's Journal of California
WAIKIKI DRIVE IN Specializing in FRIED CHICKEN, SHRIMP AND STEAKS
We Cater to Private Parties.

My dad says the rumor was Red Shepherd came into town in a Cadillac convertible with a dollar in his pocket and turned it into small forture.

The Waikiki filed corporation papers December 30, 1959. I'll try to hit the old phone books at the library to see if I can tell what years they operated.

Be good to yourself and to the ones you love

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2011-09-11 12:29 ]

Post #606296 by MadDogMike on Sun, Sep 11, 2011 12:28 PM