Post #753838 by tikiskip on Wed, Nov 11, 2015 4:40 AM

Don't know where else to put this so here it is.
Will post a link as well.
http://thebeachsideresident.com/2015/11/wayne-finally-gets-his-way/

Wayne Finally Gets His Way

The November issue is a tribute to Art. I’d like to say a few words about one artist in particular, someone that touched my life- Wayne Coombs.

Photos by Ray Baldino for Baldino Studios

When I first came to Cocoa Beach, my office started out in the old auto body shop on the corner of Brevard and Minutemen in Downtown. It was 2010, and I had just got out of the Marine Corps and found myself in Cocoa Beach beginning the exciting venture of small business ownership. Wayne’s Mai Tiki studio was just a couple hundred feet from there. I had rented the lot between both of our properties and we used to host events there. Wayne spoke of the alley behind our businesses and how he thought it really could be something. I agreed with him.

Wayne was a large man, some would say a giant. With this I also agree. He had a great hand shake and when he spoke you became immediately interested in what he was talking about. Sometimes a distinct aroma would come out of his gallery… He might say something along the lines of, “Like my cologne?” with squinty eyes and a cheeky smile. He had spent so much time at Mai Tiki that he had trained the curly tail lizards to eat from his hand.

Wayne and his wife Beki had spent over 40 years supporting the art community and it made me really think about how much someone had to love to do something to do it for 40 years. Wayne’s impact was significant. You see his art worldwide, and locally you see it at some pretty iconic place like the end of Minutemen Causeway leading into the beach, Coconuts on the Beach, Cocoa Beach Surf Company, the Cocoa Beach Pier, Sandbar, Ron Jon’s, the welcome sign for Cocoa Beach, and of course at Mai Tiki Market, just to name a few.

My relationship with Wayne was very short. He passed away on the street corner next to the Mai Tiki property on September 4th, 2012. In the short amount of time we spent together before his death I learned so much about him and his family, and how he had such a positive impact on the community and the people that surrounded him. Seeing this and wanting to make sure it continued for years to come, I made the decision to take ownership of Mai Tiki and carry on Wayne’s legacy.

Wayne Coombs by Ray Baldino

This month we invite you to come to Mai Tiki Market in Downtown Cocoa Beach during the Cocoa Beach Art Show where we will be hosting the ribbon cutting for Wayne Coombs Way, the newly renamed section of Burris Alley directly behind Mai Tiki Market. Please come join this celebration to honor the tiki carving legend. There will be live music, food and fun for all. For more information check out our Facebook or like Mai Tiki Market on Facebook to get more details.

I think Wayne would be excited about the future of Wayne Coombs Way. It has some great businesses on that street: Roberto’s, The Tiny Turtle, Wahoo Coffee, Hair Biz, The Fat Donkey, Rick Piper’s Big Art Studio, Nui Tiki, Coastal Produce and more to come. It is a family friendly environment where you can enjoy art and hopefully get inspired to create some on your own or maybe buy locally.

All and all I think Wayne would be happy… He always had a grin to spare. This one’s for you, Wayno.

By Craig Harriman