new tiki obsession

Hey guys and gals...Just wanted to say hi! I'm a new member who has just re-discovered tiki culture. Thought the forum looked fun. I'm from PA and would love to find more tiki culture around. Drop me a line sometime..catch everyone later!!

Welcome aboard!

:tiki:

Good evening, Mr. Tikiboi....Your usual tonight?

Aloha Tikiboi. Welcome to Tiki Central!

You mentioned re-discovered. Does this imply a personal journey of re-discovery of past experiences? Or do you mean you just found out about tiki culture?

Well..I'm always on some sort of personal journey..but I just forgot how much I liked tiki culture. I wasn't aware how much kewl things are out there. I hope to get a good collection going. I was looking for a new hobby, and this is something that I think is great! I have a collection of Madonna cd's from around the world, but beyond that, her career is too expansive. I wanted something more unique..and I found it. Anyone have any good suggestions on what I should obtain for my collection or some "must have" items?

tikiboi wrote:
Anyone have any good suggestions on what I should obtain for my collection or some "must have" items?

Yes, I do....First let me tell you that from 1994 to 2001, I owned a collectibles store, and have seen MANY, and I mean MANY collectors of all types come and go, and do you know why?...They bought what others told them to buy. Collectors got into a frenzy because their peers were getting something they weren't (remember the crazed buyers trying to get Cabbage Patch, Hot Wheels, BEANIE BABIES!)

So with that being said, I'll say what I've always told thousands of customers & friends:

"Buy what YOU like".

You are the one that has to live with the collection. Buy what makes you happy, and don't worry if the item you buy now will go up in value later. Believe me, I've seen the "I hope this goes up in value" customer and they burn out within a year or two.

Oh, and welcome to Tiki Central!

SugarCaddyDaddy
(stepping down from the soapbox)

[ Edited by: SugarCaddyDaddy on 2002-12-30 15:54 ]

I second sugarcaddydaddy -- buy what you like. You'll see a lot of bashing, grandstanding, debating, etc. regarding what is good tiki and what is not, but it's all in good fun. If your tastes run contrary to others here, you'll actually find people to be pretty supportive. As long as your tastes don't include a certain Floridian musician....

That said, there is one purchase I think everyone here will agree you need, if you don't already have it:

http://www.bookoftiki.com

Additionally, if you'd like to browse a bit and see what's out there, to figure out what's on your own personal must-have list, the tiki gallery could be useful:

http://www.tikiroom.net/gallery/index.php

Welcome to Tiki Central!

Buy what YOU like

AMEN! I have a buddy who thinks my tiki obsession is totally stupid. This coming from a guy who collects Hot Wheels, Baseball Cards and Legos. Now how un-original is that? He keeps talking about how much his stuff has escalated in worth but he can't even enjoy them.

Hi there, Tikiboi, I'm from PA too. Happy hunting for polynesian gear!

Thanks for all the tips! I'm really taking that to heart. I'm so exicted to get my collection started.

-What part of PA?

Anything that involves drinking, collecting, and high style is alright with me!

I never understood the idea of collecting NEW things -such as beanie babies, cabbage patch, Star Trek figures, that sort of thing. If you can just go buy it at wal-mart, what's the challenge? How is that a hobby? It's just a shopping trip. It's not a pastime, it's about how much of your paycheque you're willing to forfeit. That's why I dont play the magabucks Ebay tiki mug game either. As I have said before, I derive 99% of my satisfaction from FINDING the item in the field. Having it is secondary.

Your point is well taken, tikifish, and valid, but I actually feel the exact opposite way about pez dispensers. I only buy them new; buying used ones (esp. for top dollar) has never interested me. They don't come out with new dispensers all that often (collectors are more into the old ones, typically), and it's only a couple bucks a pop. I've got hundreds of 'em, all ones I've bought new myself (or my mom bought for me) going back to the 70s. Some of them are worth hundreds, which I can't understand. Why on earth would someone pay hundreds for a cheapo plastic batman pez dispenser???

Some of them are worth hundreds, which I can't understand. Why on earth would someone pay hundreds for a cheapo plastic batman pez dispenser???

Humu, a lot of people think this way about our tiki obsession (see my post above about my buddy who only collects what's trendy). What I object to his style of collecting is he is just "following the crowd." He collects whatever the hot, cool collectible is (from a mainstream stanpoint) today - which I think shows no personality.

Tikiboi, I'm in suburban Philly. Tiki wasteland, as I call it. Where are you?
Also, I agree with Tikifish, its the thrill of the hunt that I enjoy. I could go on ebay or go to a pricey antique store and outfit my pad with tiki stuff and 50's stuff in one day (for top dollar, mind you), but then the project would be over and I'd have nothing to search for and my enjoyment would be somewhat lessened, along with the weight of my wallet, haha.

One man's trash is another man's treasure

Aloah Tikiboi!
I concur with what these guys have been saying - and I agree also that this is an obsession.
My problem is that I like it all - so it comes down to price if I'm to purchase.
I used to get angry when I saw that tiki had gone "mainstream" but now I'm okay with it. The people who like it because it's a fad or they think there's money in it will be gone eventually and the real tiki lovers like us will be left. I just wish they didn't keep jacking the prices up but then again that's what's driving the production of all the new cool tiki stuff.
I live in Maryland, by the way. PA's just a little drive up the road. You should consider joining some of the DC area tiki lovers sometime.