Post #70513 by kctiki on Sat, Jan 17, 2004 8:58 AM

I worked at the K.C. Kona Kai in 1978. It was indeed lush and extravagant - just gorgeous. The bar was my favorite.

Everyone who worked there was always saying the company paid "a million dollars" to decorate it, or was it two or three million?

I vaguely recall a postcard but don't have one, or any other momentos for that matter. I don't think customers had the option of keeping their mugs, but I'm not sure.

The Tiki Quest book has the following:
Pages 39 & 40 mugs, page 114 - salt & pepper shakers, page 121 - plate, page 143 - ashtray.

8 ft. Tiki, the people you bought the Tiki from, did they say how they acquired it? Maybe you could follow the chain of ownership and find out when and where the Kona Kai stuff was distributed when it closed.

When I worked there a Mr. Victor Lim was the manager. As I recall, he was a lifelong restauranteaur. Maybe he's still around somewhere.

You know when you stay at a hotel they always have those books in the rooms with restaurant ads with photos. Maybe those companies keep archives of old photos. Also the Entertainment Coupon Books print photos of some of the nicer restaurants, maybe they keep archives.