Kon Tiki Motel, El Centro, CA (motel) - Locating Tiki

M MadDogMike Grand Member (8 years) The Anvil of the Sun Joined: Mar 30, 2008 Posts: 10855	M MadDogMike Posted posted on Sun, Sep 30, 2012 8:12 PM Yes, the building is still there, but here is the only evidence that it was once the Kon Tiki Motel: a hand lettered sign in the alley Looks like it's now the "American Inn", probably neither American nor an inn :D This motel was part of the tiki fabric of my youth. I never had reason to go inside but remember riding by in the back of the car often. Down the road a bit was the old style Kentucky Fried Chicken (before it became KFC) with the red tin roof, the old style Taco Bell with the fire pit out front, Sambo's, the Polynesian Villiage Mobile Home Estates, and this gem The recently remodeled Tropicana Restaurant. Too bad they didn't strip off the 1980's paint job from this tiki when they remodeled the building It was a dive when I last ate there 30 or 35 years ago. But it's been there at least 40 years, they must be doing something right?

Yes, the building is still there, but here is the only evidence that it was once the Kon Tiki Motel: a hand lettered sign in the alley

Looks like it's now the "American Inn", probably neither American nor an inn :D

This motel was part of the tiki fabric of my youth. I never had reason to go inside but remember riding by in the back of the car often. Down the road a bit was the old style Kentucky Fried Chicken (before it became KFC) with the red tin roof, the old style Taco Bell with the fire pit out front, Sambo's, the Polynesian Villiage Mobile Home Estates, and this gem

The recently remodeled Tropicana Restaurant. Too bad they didn't strip off the 1980's paint job from this tiki when they remodeled the building

It was a dive when I last ate there 30 or 35 years ago. But it's been there at least 40 years, they must be doing something right?

Post #653952 by MadDogMike on Sun, Sep 30, 2012 8:12 PM