Tiki Archeology-The Trade Winds-Oxnard, Ca (Image Heavy) - General Tiki

2CM 20th Century Man Tiki Centralite Thousand Oaks, CA Joined: Feb 21, 2012 Posts: 59	2CM 20th Century Man Posted posted on Tue, Dec 16, 2014 12:22 AM Thanks, Boris. I've continued my conversation with Mr. Lee through his son and I now have a clearer picture of his place in the history of the Trade Winds restaurant. Mr. Lee had been hired in 1968 by Hop Louie, who had taken over Trade Winds from Martin "Bud" Smith. In 1971, Mr. Lee, manager Mike Smalley (pictured with Mr. Lee in the staff photo above), and a third partner named "Dale" (last name not recalled) acquired the Trade Winds from Hop Louie. In 1972, Mr. Lee sold out his interest in the Trade Winds to the other two partners. This would explain the TW newspaper ad here in this TC thread (see page 6) which shows "Mike and Dale's Tradewinds." Note also that the top TW ad displayed on the same page says: "Your host Mr. and Mrs. Mike Smalley." Mr. Lee took the proceeds from the sale of his share of the Trade Winds to start his own Chinese restaurant, The Fortune Inn, in Oxnard which he operated from 1972 until he retired and sold the restaurant in 2005. I saw that Born Tiki (page 3 of this TC thread) said his grandfather, Kai Fee Chin, had been executive chef at the Trade Winds at one time, so I asked Mr. Lee if he had ever worked with Mr. Chin, but he replied he had not. I hope that this background information from Mr. Lee fills in some of the Trade Winds history between 1968-1975 on the timeline created by Dustycajun (nice job, Dusty) on page 6 of this TC thread. Aloha! 20th Century Man

Thanks, Boris.
I've continued my conversation with Mr. Lee through his son and I now have a clearer picture of his place in the history of the Trade Winds restaurant. Mr. Lee had been hired in 1968 by Hop Louie, who had taken over Trade Winds from Martin "Bud" Smith. In 1971, Mr. Lee, manager Mike Smalley (pictured with Mr. Lee in the staff photo above), and a third partner named "Dale" (last name not recalled) acquired the Trade Winds from Hop Louie. In 1972, Mr. Lee sold out his interest in the Trade Winds to the other two partners.

This would explain the TW newspaper ad here in this TC thread (see page 6) which shows "Mike and Dale's Tradewinds." Note also that the top TW ad displayed on the same page says: "Your host Mr. and Mrs. Mike Smalley." Mr. Lee took the proceeds from the sale of his share of the Trade Winds to start his own Chinese restaurant, The Fortune Inn, in Oxnard which he operated from 1972 until he retired and sold the restaurant in 2005.

I saw that Born Tiki (page 3 of this TC thread) said his grandfather, Kai Fee Chin, had been executive chef at the Trade Winds at one time, so I asked Mr. Lee if he had ever worked with Mr. Chin, but he replied he had not.

I hope that this background information from Mr. Lee fills in some of the Trade Winds history between 1968-1975 on the timeline created by Dustycajun (nice job, Dusty) on page 6 of this TC thread.

Aloha!
20th Century Man

Post #733229 by 20th Century Man on Tue, Dec 16, 2014 12:22 AM