Kahiki collecting for the family

I met the original owner and builder of the Kahiki this weekend, Bill Sapp. I also met his daughter Linda and Skip the bartender, etc. I found out that the family has nothing from the Kahiki. They were pretty shocked that it was all collectibles now and on Ebay.

Linda has been trying to reacquire what she grew up with and her father created. She is now bidding on Kahiki items on Ebay.

So, when you see umeone bidding, realize you are bidding against the Kahiki owner/builder. You are bidding against the family...

Yeah, me too. Tommy Orchid here. Son of Gladys and Sol Orchid. You've heard of the Orchids of Hawaii. I'm just trying to piece the family history together one mug at a time.

"I can't die until the government finds a safe place to bury my liver."
Phil Harris

[ Edited by: pappythesailor 2005-08-23 12:10 ]

Got it... No Kahiki. No Orchids of Hawaii.

Most people would archive their history and legacy, rather than let decades slip by and then come to the revelation that they were relevant, and would like artifacts to remember their collective history by. My great-great-grandfather produced a minor whiskey brand called Old Pike for over thirty years. I have an old advert, and some photos of his "Big Sandy" distillery, but no bottles, batch recipe, or anything he produced. The brand was sold and is at present a very small "bargain" brand. At its zenith, it was the best "red likker" produced in eastern Kentucky. I regret this, and wish my Grandfather would've preserved that history. They did not, and I cannot whine about spilled whiskey.
If any item makes it to eBay, we all know it is a consumer free for all. It is too bad that the original owners did not set aside all their collateral and designs.

Swanky, are you saying we shouldn't bid on Kahiki items so we don't hinder the efforts of the original family or are you merely stating a fact?

Some people have no heart and no respect for family!

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=7176762703

How could you Kohalacharms!? :cry:

You take it as you will.

It's not uncommon for the ephemera of your business to dissappear. When I asked the Mai Kai family (the business is still owned and run by the original family, including the general manager) if they had any old stuff, the answer was 'no'. As they said, when they get a new shipment of postcards, they are trying like hell to get rid of them all. They didn't think about keeping them or any of it.

I did get to look at the scrap books of the Mai Kai which they have and what was in them was not what you and I would drool over. They were mostly business related articles in the paper, etc. There was nothing for the collector, more for the historian.

From what I understand of the Kahiki, the daughter became somewhat distant from her father due to divorce and much of what he was and did, is part of her early childhood memory. She "worked" at the Kahiki as a kid. One of her jobs was marking out the face of the lady on the "People you are likely to meet at the Kahiki" hand out that refused to give her permission to print her picture.

It's interesting that the daughter wants to gather memoriabilia now that it's collectible (valuable). Would she feel the same way if the souvenirs were worthless? If it were a part of my family history, I'd want to collect pieces regardless of perceived marketplace value.

I don't know about you guys but they have new stuff still being produced and it just doesn't look right.

Funny how life works out, now the daughter is going to have to pay an arm and a leg to bid. Those prices on the above post are high.

Anyone want to sell a Shecky for the original price of $18. Anyone LOL

hey I'm just sellin the stuff

[ Edited by: bdler3 2005-08-25 13:39 ]

don't be mad at me
[ Edited by: bdler3 2005-08-25 13:38 ]

[ Edited by: bdler3 2005-08-25 13:41 ]

I wouldn't worry too much, nothing can stop me from bidding. Well maybe a strong earthquake but otherwise nothing else.

On 2005-08-25 06:45, hiltiki wrote:
I wouldn't worry too much, nothing can stop me from bidding. Well maybe a strong earthquake but otherwise nothing else.

Pookie, would you even big against me?!

bdler3,
I am not telling anyone not to bid. I am giving info. Plus, Linda is not interested in the new stuff. She wants the old stuff from her youth at the Kahiki. It's th9ings she will keep and treasure.
Ebay is new to her. The family had no idea this stuff was out there and going for so much. It would be nice if it were out there and cheap. It would be nice if they had boxes full of it all. Imagine paying 10-100 times for things you bought new! Linda was also buying long before Michael died. Just look at her Ebay history.

actually, in the early 80's, according to Linda, there WERE boxes of the stuff in storage but were tossed away in the trash by another family member when they were cleaning out the storage unit. As for the stuff prior to the kahikis demise, she said some of it has dissappeared, mainly the photos of all the celebrities that once hung in the upper offices and some in the bar.....

as for finding old mugs, here's one of my old secrets i'll share with you....i have always done well when happening across former employees of tiki bars...they always kept some mugs and stuff for themselves and now, years later are happy to get rid of it for a few bucks......I made a huge mai kai score some years ago....a woman I met was a waitress at the mai kai back in the day. she owned a vintage store in florida years ago and had stashed in the back room, a couple dozen mai kai mugs and bowls. i bought all of it plus some mugs from a couple other places. she said her and her roomate at the time used to bring home mugs and stuff all the time when they were working there.....I've had similiar luck with other bars as well.

On 2005-08-25 10:14, Tipsy McStagger wrote:
here's one of my old secrets i'll share with you....i have always done well when happening across former employees of tiki bars...

Now tell us the secret of how to find former employees of tiki bars! :D

Why is everybody pissing on Swanky?

His heart is in the right place and he played excellent tunes at the Hot Rod Hula Hop last weekend.

No one is going to stop bidding on the Kahiki stuff.

We're all addicted to tiki, it's our version of crack!

But don't be mean to Swanky, he doesn't deserve it.

Besides, if this is the girl I saw in the picture on the Fraternal Order of Moai site posing with Mr. Sapp, she's hot!

Well, you can at least feel good about losing an auction to the kahiki builder's family

Hi, Linda here(umeone). from the Kahiki.
I would like to thank Swannyfor trying to help me in my quest to collect memorabillia from my past. My husband and I had the privilege of spending time with Swanky and Tikiskip this past weekend at the Voodoo Lounge in Columbus, OH.and wer had a great time.

Since Craig and I Started buying on eBay, we have acquired several new items from b adler, rusassy,kdougwell, and many others. However, our interest is in the older items that relate to my father and mother.

We are nor sellers on eBay, nor would we sell or trade our purchases. We intend to pass them onto our children and eventually their children.

Best of all, we have made great new friends that have turned us on to the Tiki affection that I assume we all share.

I am saddened by the seeming attacks and cynicism that has come from my new friends help. Being the optimist that I am, I look forward to meeting more nice people through our affiliation with Tiki Central and eBay.

May we all have success in our personal quests.

As for me, my new friendships are priceless.

On 2005-08-25 19:09, Tiki Joe wrote:
Why is everybody pissing on Swanky?

Errrr...I just re-read this thread and can't say I really see anyone "pissing on Swanky."

On 2005-08-25 19:09, Tiki Joe wrote:
Besides, if this is the girl I saw in the picture on the Fraternal Order of Moai site posing with Mr. Sapp, she's hot!

Well, God Dangit!, can we have a link please!?!?

Uanemone, are we allowed to bid against you or not? :wink:

Please don't be just another TC ebayer. Tell us your personal history re: the Kahiki and your thoughts and feelings about the history of the establishment. There are many Kahiki freaks here who would love to hear what you have to share.

This thread reminded me to re-post the photo album of the Kahiki Salvage, so here it is:

http://www.haxan.com/kahikisalvage/

Warning: don't look at these pictures unless you are prepared to see the Kahiki as it was torn down.

-m

Dear Linda:

We are all friends here, and we all get a bit manic about our hobby and mug collecting habit. I wish you well at preserving you family and their heritage. I am sure you understand that once something goes up on eBay..it is simply a matter of highest bidder takes the item. It is not done to keep your family history from your kids. but I am sure that you understand other folks feel passionate about these vintage items, as well. I can assure I will never bid against you. Good luck on your quest to reclaim some more of your past from your families history business.

Here is a still from the video John Holt graciously offered to me to edit into a short Kahiki tribute. I was very amazed to know there was video of the end of the Kahiki and it's hey-day.

Linda, you really should post a bit about the Kahiki. The people of TC would eat it up. These are the fans.

The Swank Pad Broadcast - If it's Swank...

[ Edited by: Swanky 2006-03-07 16:09 ]

I had a 3-chip DV camera out there as well and shot a lot of footage, especially the water fountain and the fireplace Moai being pulled out the hole in the roof, but they ran over schedule and I had to leave without capturing the actual building demolition, unfortunately.

I can dig that footage up if you want to use it for anything non-commercial, Swanky.

[ Edited by: TheMuggler 2005-08-27 13:45 ]