Pago Pago Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge, Tucson, AZ (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

D Dustycajun Tiki Socialite Santa Barbara, CA Joined: Nov 16, 2007 Posts: 5295	D Dustycajun Posted posted on Fri, Mar 24, 2017 3:53 PM A little more history on the original Pago Pago building and its transformation over time. As discussed above, it became the Aku Aku which was owned by famous Tucson restaurateur Dean Short (he also owned the Kon Tiki). In 1968, Short reopened the burned out Aku Aku under the new name of Ports o Call. It was billed as a mix of Nautical and Polynesian styles. In 1980 Short sold the restaurant to Chul Chung and it became Bali Hai, retaining its Polynesian decorations. Nice Tiki devolution statement in the article: As hokey as it may sound, its actually pretty nice Tiki with toned down Gilligan's Island Muzak. It only lasted a few years. In 1982 Dean Short bought it back from Chung and it became a Rib place called 22 Hundred. What’s really amazing is that the bones of the old building can still be seen on Google Street view, albeit with a modern stucco twist. The street changed names from Miracle Mile to Oracle in 1987. Now, if we could just pull of a Tiki Bob's - Pagan Idol historical morph one more time! DC

A little more history on the original Pago Pago building and its transformation over time. As discussed above, it became the Aku Aku which was owned by famous Tucson restaurateur Dean Short (he also owned the Kon Tiki). In 1968, Short reopened the burned out Aku Aku under the new name of Ports o Call. It was billed as a mix of Nautical and Polynesian styles.

In 1980 Short sold the restaurant to Chul Chung and it became Bali Hai, retaining its Polynesian decorations.

Nice Tiki devolution statement in the article: As hokey as it may sound, its actually pretty nice Tiki with toned down Gilligan's Island Muzak.

It only lasted a few years. In 1982 Dean Short bought it back from Chung and it became a Rib place called 22 Hundred.

What’s really amazing is that the bones of the old building can still be seen on Google Street view, albeit with a modern stucco twist. The street changed names from Miracle Mile to Oracle in 1987.

Now, if we could just pull of a Tiki Bob's - Pagan Idol historical morph one more time!

Post #774405 by Dustycajun on Fri, Mar 24, 2017 3:53 PM