What WAS this former Tiki bar in Santa Clara California? - General Tiki

T tikicleen Tiki Socialite ripon: almond capital yet no orgeat Joined: Nov 11, 2003 Posts: 338	T tikicleen Posted posted on Mon, Dec 15, 2003 9:37 PM sorry to dig up an old topic here but i felt compelled to post! all of these places were my old stomping grounds and reading this post brought back so many wonderful memories! i think i found tc a few weeks after this thread was posted...so i never got a chance to get first crack on identifying the location. yes! the circular building was a don the beachcomber, and the building next door to it was captain cooks (a south seas-esque seafood restaurant). don the beachcomber had a real neat building, with a moat around it. it always had torches lit at night too. it did get bought out and changed to a horrid club in the 80's. i think it was called the oasis or something to that nature (because they still had palms in the front). the business clientele spiraled downward (it became seedy) and the place closed because one of the owners was murdered (supposedly by the other owner!) both buildings were destroyed for mammoth sized apartment buildings that cost a bundle to live in. and yes, on the other side of 280 was the futurama bowling alley. my mom described it as concrete, round, and very futuristic looking. i remember when they put the safeway in and took down the sign. from my recollection, they put up a totally new retro styled sign. they completely ripped down the old one. and finally, the menu tree! oh my goodness, i had completely forgotten about this place! my grandparents took my brother and i there and to the old mill ALL THE TIME. i will have to raid our photos during the holidays to see if we have any pictures. i remember how we would insist that we would not leave san antonio mall until we heard the birds sing. my grandparents finally smartened up and took us there 10 till the hour so they wouldnt have to wait around forever. ah yes, the big cuckcoo clock, the huge tree, the garish fake birds, the long curvy ramp to go upstairs. wow, i know this may sound dorky to others and sickly sentimental, but those truly were some of my best memories of my grandparents. this thread really brought back some great memories i had long forgotten about. mahalo :)

sorry to dig up an old topic here but i felt compelled to post! all of these places were my old stomping grounds and reading this post brought back so many wonderful memories! i think i found tc a few weeks after this thread was posted...so i never got a chance to get first crack on identifying the location.

yes! the circular building was a don the beachcomber, and the building next door to it was captain cooks (a south seas-esque seafood restaurant). don the beachcomber had a real neat building, with a moat around it. it always had torches lit at night too. it did get bought out and changed to a horrid club in the 80's. i think it was called the oasis or something to that nature (because they still had palms in the front). the business clientele spiraled downward (it became seedy) and the place closed because one of the owners was murdered (supposedly by the other owner!) both buildings were destroyed for mammoth sized apartment buildings that cost a bundle to live in.

and yes, on the other side of 280 was the futurama bowling alley. my mom described it as concrete, round, and very futuristic looking. i remember when they put the safeway in and took down the sign. from my recollection, they put up a totally new retro styled sign. they completely ripped down the old one.

and finally, the menu tree! oh my goodness, i had completely forgotten about this place! my grandparents took my brother and i there and to the old mill ALL THE TIME. i will have to raid our photos during the holidays to see if we have any pictures. i remember how we would insist that we would not leave san antonio mall until we heard the birds sing. my grandparents finally smartened up and took us there 10 till the hour so they wouldnt have to wait around forever. ah yes, the big cuckcoo clock, the huge tree, the garish fake birds, the long curvy ramp to go upstairs. wow, i know this may sound dorky to others and sickly sentimental, but those truly were some of my best memories of my grandparents.

this thread really brought back some great memories i had long forgotten about.

mahalo :)

Post #65098 by tikicleen on Mon, Dec 15, 2003 9:37 PM