Tiki Shop in 1961 Family Photos - West Los Angeles on Wilshire? - General Tiki

C congawa Member Long Beach, CA Joined: Aug 11, 2008 Posts: 358	C congawa Posted posted on Sun, May 4, 2014 8:24 PM In going through some of my parents photos, I found these shots, taken during a visit by my grandfather Harry Walker. On January 18, 1961, he and my mother Doris Walker left my parent's apartment at 625 S. Barrington Ave. in Brentwood, walked south on Barrington to pick up Chinese food at the Mandarin Inn. I've researched that, and found that it was at 11829 Wilshire Blvd., 1 1/2 blocks west of Barrington. Since it would be logical for them to walk down Barrington, then turn right and go west for a block and half, it is likely they saw this "Tiki Shop" somewhere near Wilshire and Barrington. I posted the photo of my mother yesterday on Facebook, and BigBroTiki, Bora Boris, Lake Surfer and others gave me some good tips and TC thread links (and that they were in the general style of Bumatay and Ellis). I'm posting these here in case anyone recognizes this place. My grandfather Harry Walker in front of the Tiki Shop in West LA area, January 18, 1961: My mother Doris Walker in front of two Tikis. The poster is for the 1961 NFL Pro Bowl game, held at the LA Coliseum three days earlier. The back of the bigger billboard makes me think this could be closer to San Vincente and Wilshire, which is near a large traffic intersection and the VA Hospital (there were tall office buildings built on those sites in the 1970s/80s). Bora Boris pointed out that the Tiki on the right resembled one at Mar Vista Lanes, which isn't very far from the Wilshire/Barrington area: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1738&forum=1&vpost=316137 Harry Walker (visiting from my father's hometown of Moline, Illinois) typed up an 18 page recollection of his several week visit to LA. On this page he wrote: "1-18-61 - Relaxed and caught up with household chores, but took time out to sun ourselves by the pool and also read a little. 82 degrees. I strolled down to Wilshire Blvd. checking up on a Tiki Shop to see how they carve the different characters. Then I went to Mandarin Inn, picked up part of our dinner." So this wasn't just a Tiki broker/retailer, carving was going on there. My grandfather mentioned they were picking up Chinese at the Mandarin Inn. It didn't take much research (LA Times Historical) to find the Mandarin Inn was at 11829 Wilshire Blvd. It's no longer there...the building now houses the "Cabo Cantina." However, I found this site with a 1978 photo--the Los Angeles Public Library Archive Grid: http://184.168.105.185/archivegrid/collection/data/731094056 Hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll drop by Oceanic Arts to see if Bob or Leroy are familiar with this place, and report back if I find out anything. Caltiki Brent

In going through some of my parents photos, I found these shots, taken during a visit by my grandfather Harry Walker. On January 18, 1961, he and my mother Doris Walker left my parent's apartment at 625 S. Barrington Ave. in Brentwood, walked south on Barrington to pick up Chinese food at the Mandarin Inn. I've researched that, and found that it was at 11829 Wilshire Blvd., 1 1/2 blocks west of Barrington. Since it would be logical for them to walk down Barrington, then turn right and go west for a block and half, it is likely they saw this "Tiki Shop" somewhere near Wilshire and Barrington.

I posted the photo of my mother yesterday on Facebook, and BigBroTiki, Bora Boris, Lake Surfer and others gave me some good tips and TC thread links (and that they were in the general style of Bumatay and Ellis). I'm posting these here in case anyone recognizes this place.

My grandfather Harry Walker in front of the Tiki Shop in West LA area, January 18, 1961:

My mother Doris Walker in front of two Tikis. The poster is for the 1961 NFL Pro Bowl game, held at the LA Coliseum three days earlier. The back of the bigger billboard makes me think this could be closer to San Vincente and Wilshire, which is near a large traffic intersection and the VA Hospital (there were tall office buildings built on those sites in the 1970s/80s).

Bora Boris pointed out that the Tiki on the right resembled one at Mar Vista Lanes, which isn't very far from the Wilshire/Barrington area: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1738&forum=1&vpost=316137

Harry Walker (visiting from my father's hometown of Moline, Illinois) typed up an 18 page recollection of his several week visit to LA. On this page he wrote: "1-18-61 - Relaxed and caught up with household chores, but took time out to sun ourselves by the pool and also read a little. 82 degrees. I strolled down to Wilshire Blvd. checking up on a Tiki Shop to see how they carve the different characters. Then I went to Mandarin Inn, picked up part of our dinner."

So this wasn't just a Tiki broker/retailer, carving was going on there.

My grandfather mentioned they were picking up Chinese at the Mandarin Inn. It didn't take much research (LA Times Historical) to find the Mandarin Inn was at 11829 Wilshire Blvd. It's no longer there...the building now houses the "Cabo Cantina." However, I found this site with a 1978 photo--the Los Angeles Public Library Archive Grid: http://184.168.105.185/archivegrid/collection/data/731094056

Hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll drop by Oceanic Arts to see if Bob or Leroy are familiar with this place, and report back if I find out anything.

Caltiki Brent

Post #715898 by congawa on Sun, May 4, 2014 8:24 PM