Tiki Central / General Tiki
Trader Eng's, Tallahassee FL
Pages: 1 39 replies
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JTD
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Sun, Apr 13, 2003 4:19 PM
Anybody out in Tiki-land ever hear of this place? I found an old swizzle stick here in Jacksonville and was wondering if I should look for this place on my next trip over that way. Thanks, |
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Philot
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Mon, Apr 14, 2003 8:01 AM
I've lived in Tallahassee about seven years, and I have never heard of Trader Eng's. They're not in the 2002 phonebook in either the white or yellow pages. I did find this plate, though. And someone refers to it here, but that was in 1994 and they say that it's been a few years then. |
J
JTD
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Mon, Apr 14, 2003 11:00 AM
Philot, Let the urban archaeology begin! -JTD |
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kep1113
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Fri, Jan 7, 2005 9:18 AM
This is a late reply, but I'm just getting around to finding this site. I've lived in Tallahassee all my life and used to go to Trader Eng's on "special occasions", birthdays, etc. The business is long gone, but the building still stands. When Trader Eng's folded in the 70s, it became Lucy Ho's Chinese Restaurant. At that point they did away with the hibachi-style cooking and it became a more traditional restaurant. Lucy Ho's several years ago and it is now the King House Buffet, yet another low budget all-you-can-gorge Chinese/Pizza/Crab Legs type place. It is at 2814 Apalachee Parkway. They do a decent lunch business, but not much else. I imagine that with the skyrocketing prices of commercial real estate, it won't be long before this one closes and is torn down. I have some chop sticks from Trader Eng's. If I get my scanner working, I'll post a picture. [ Edited by: kep1113 on 2005-01-07 09:26 ] |
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puamana
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 10:07 AM
I just found a menu from Trader Eng's while in Florida a few weeks ago. Though there is no mention of the Jacksonville location ( Atlanta and Myrtle Beach, SC are listed on the inside flap ), perhaps this was a chain ? Here's a few menu pics : Front and back : Closer view of photo on the back, and it looks like a Witco carving on the wall : Inside of menu: Closer view of the tropical drinks offered : |
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mrsmiley
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 10:19 AM
AH yes...."in a nutshell" appeals to my pun-y (not puny!) personality! |
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donhonyc
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 10:42 AM
Awsome! Those drink names are a riot 'The Beach Boy', 'Moonlight in Kaluha', 'Suzie Wong' (heh, heh...he said 'Wong'). Fabulous! |
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Tikiwahine
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 10:46 AM
The name "Trader Eng" sounds SO familiar to me, I wonder where I've heard it before? |
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mrsmiley
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 10:52 AM
par·a·pher·na·lia. I think Hilo Hatties was selling "Trader Eng" mugs a few years ago. Assuming the company wasn't around a few years ago, the mugs were fakes. They were made in China and had fake "age-cracks""crazing" to make them look vintage. I only know of modern mugs being made in China-I don't know of any vintage Chinese mugs ever being made-at least not with a "made in China" label on them. |
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Tikiwahine
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 11:07 AM
Interesting mrsmiley! |
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aquarj
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 12:59 PM
FWIW, the mugs at Hilo Hatties are labeled Trader Pang's, which I heard was fictitious. Also, crazing isn't necessarily intentional fakery. I don't know much about making ceramics, but I think crazing is sometimes done on purpose for esthetic reasons, and also sometimes occurs unintentionally because of the cooling process or the kind of glaze. We have some cheap Home Depot flowerpots at home that are crazed like crazy on the inside but not at all on the outside (different glazes). In fact it's weird, this one pot makes a little "tink" sound every once in a while, which we imagine is the sound of a new crazing crack in the making. -Randy |
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Tikiwahine
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 1:04 PM
P.S. it was the yellow one [ Edited by: Tikiwahine on 2005-01-18 13:06 ] |
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mrsmiley
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 1:05 PM
Thanks for for "engs/Pangs" correction. My memory is a little fuzzy as I am now in my GOlden Years! :) I do believe that they crazed the mugs intentionally to make them look vintage. |
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mrsmiley
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 1:14 PM
There are a lot of "crazed" vintage mug collectors out there. Tee hee , I made a funny! [ Edited by leevigraham on 2024-03-17 14:06:08 ] |
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Philot
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 1:27 PM
Looks like it was a Polynesian Benihana-alike. I love that menu design! She opens her kimono and shows you the delights within! :tiki: |
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puamana
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Tue, Jan 18, 2005 2:36 PM
Interesting info about the Trader Pang's mugs ! Thanks for posting that, I was always curious about that particular name. That would explain why the mugs are pretty easy to find, but I never found a menu or postcard ! |
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JTD
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Wed, Jan 19, 2005 6:24 PM
Puamana, -JTD |
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kep1113
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Thu, Jan 20, 2005 1:43 PM
A little more background info (mostly unrelated)...from January 2003 Georgia obituaries - Funeral services for Mr. Walter England HUCKABEE Jr., 83, of |
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uncle trav
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Sun, May 13, 2007 3:37 PM
A new find. Hard to come by matchbook. |
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bigbrotiki
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Sun, May 13, 2007 4:08 PM
A Western culture classic!: First bomb the sh#t out of them, then open a restaurant inspired by them! :D |
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uncle trav
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Sun, May 13, 2007 4:14 PM
Noth'n like jump'n on the trend band wagon I guess. Drop a bomb and then let em get "bombed" in the lounge. |
BTP
blindy the pirate
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Sun, May 4, 2008 3:40 PM
Took my camera over to the old loction of Trader Engs. It is still open as King House Buffet. |
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bigbrotiki
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Sun, May 4, 2008 10:05 PM
What a great building, thanks. |
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uncle trav
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Sat, May 9, 2009 7:14 AM
Here's an exterior shot of Lucy Ho's (Trader Eng's) looks to be the early 80's. Still a bit of Tiki left. At least we have a good idea of the original architecture to add to the thread. "Anyone who has ever seen them is thereafter haunted as if by a feverish dream" Karl Woermann [ Edited by: uncle trav 2009-05-09 07:17 ] |
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TIKIMIKE FL
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Sat, May 9, 2009 8:23 AM
The interior photo looks like Bamboo Ben's work. I want to be Bamboo Ben when I grow up. He's my Tiki Idol. Mahalo |
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Dustycajun
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Sat, May 9, 2009 8:26 AM
Trav, Great photos. DC |
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Dustycajun
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Sat, May 9, 2009 8:35 AM
Also saw this matchbook on ebay from a Trader Eng's located in Atlanta, Georgia. Anybody ever heard of that one? DC |
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Dustycajun
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Sat, May 9, 2009 10:24 AM
Did a little internet archeology for the Trander Eng's in Atlanta. Here are some nice ads I found. DC |
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uncle trav
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Sat, May 9, 2009 2:02 PM
That's some good stuff Dusty. I believe this Atlanta location was in a converted theater and lasted through the 60's. The building was demolished in the 80's. Eng's had at least three locations I think. Would be great to track down the others. Nice work. |
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uncle trav
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Sat, May 9, 2009 6:16 PM
As far as I can tell there were locations for Eng's in four states. |
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ron-tiki
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Mon, May 11, 2009 5:30 PM
here are a few omc shot glasses from engs.. |
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ron-tiki
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Mon, May 11, 2009 5:37 PM
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Dustycajun
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Mon, May 11, 2009 6:07 PM
RonTiki, Nice shot glasses. I never knew Trader Eng's had mugs. I grabbed your photo to post here rather than on a link in case it goes away (RED X) Here is another Trader Eng's mug from Ooga Mooga. DC |
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Dustycajun
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Mon, Aug 17, 2009 5:40 PM
Check this out, I just scored a postcard from the Trader Eng's in Dallas. Very cool interior scene with the bamboo drop ceiling, waterfalls, tikis and lights. Some close ups The back of the card DC |
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debo
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Fri, Nov 13, 2009 11:27 AM
I really loved seeing the Pictures of the Tallahassee restaurant. After I got out of the army in late 1973 I began an 18 year career as a carpenter and the first place I ever worked on was Trader Eng's. The restaurant had been there since the late 60's and was owned by Walter "Huck" Huckabee who lived in a building behind it. Huck was one of the best bosses and finest men I ever knew. In 1973 and '74 he expanded the place by building the large carport pagoda in the front and the new bar pagoda to the right of that in the pictures. I learned so many interesting construction techniques on that job that I was never able to use again in the ensuing 18 years. I also did all of the decorations in the bar so I really appreciate those pictures too. |
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Dustycajun
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Tue, Dec 20, 2011 4:42 PM
Spotted this Trader Eng's menu on The Bay. A rather unique Tiki on the cover. Looks like an early Elvis hair-do! Any background on where this style came from? Some images from the menu. The hibachi rooms. Drinks Back cover hula girl. A "Tiki Reviver" post. DC |
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Dustycajun
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Mon, Jul 16, 2012 11:14 PM
Trader Eng's had a plate (seen on ebay). Now all we need is a swizzle! DC |
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Philot
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Mon, Apr 29, 2013 8:05 PM
Trader Eng's in Tallahassee in 1964 from the Florida Archives
Strangely, there's two other entries with Lucy Ho's at 2813 Apalachee Parkway. ?! There's also a couple of Mai Kai photos in the Florida Archives site. Not sure if they're available elsewhere. [ Edited by: Philot 2013-04-29 20:09 ] |
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Tikigoob
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Wed, Sep 10, 2014 6:29 PM
The old Trader Eng's building in Tallahassee burned down last night. :( |
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LostIsland
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Wed, Sep 10, 2014 7:06 PM
A news report and more pictures... |
Pages: 1 39 replies