Barefoot Trader Polynesian/Tiki Stores

I have been collecting Tiki (mainly postcards) for several years now and am finally getting around to posting on Tiki Central. I recently acquired two postcards from the Barefoot Trader stores - one located in W. Yarmouth Cape Cod, Maine and one located in Pompano Beach, Florida. I also found some pictures from a brochure and an old photo from the W. Yarmouth store.

Here are postcards

Here are the brochure images

The Barefoot Trader stores specialized in unique gifts from around the world set in a Polynesian themed atmosphere. The buildings had great Tiki/Polynesian pop architecture. The store in Cape Cod also had a moai statute in front with a flame coming out of the top of the head - you can see the statue in the old photo. One of the trademarks of the stores were barefoot footprints set in the concrete leading you to the front door.

I read that the W. Yarmouth store had been torn down and is now a factory outlet center. I don't know about the building in Pompano Beach. Does anybody know if there were any more of these stores?

I can't answer your questions Dusty Cajun but as far as first posts go, yours is one of the All Time Greats.

Thanks for sharing your cool stuff.

Wow great, your kind is badly needed around here since Sabu and Puamana dropped out of posting visuals. Those are mighty fine images, thank you. A frames are my biggest thrill. One of these would have made it on my A-frame collage in Tiki Modern for sure had I seen these before.

Thanks Bigbro and Bora Boris. I will try to start posting some of my more interesting Tiki items more often. Wish that the Barefoot Trader could have made it into Tiki Modern.

On 2008-03-26 19:38, bigbrotiki wrote:
Wow great, your kind is badly needed around here since Sabu and Puamana dropped out of posting visuals. Those are mighty fine images, thank you. A frames are my biggest thrill.

My sentiments exactly. These are the kinds of posts that knock my socks off. Can't wait to see what else you've got DC. Thanks for sharing.

I love the fact that they had a life-sized statue of their logo Beachcomber/Trader over the entrance!
Could you maybe use your scanner to frame and blow up some of the interiors? They look fairly sharp.
Here is a postcard from the Beachcomber shop in Dallas, the printing is out of registration, unfortunately, making it sort of fuzzy, not suitable for close ups:

There was a Beachcomber Shop in Palm Springs too until the early 90s, I doubt they were connected:

Bigbro,

The scan I had from the brochure was not very good, but I gave it a try for a couple of fuzzy close ups. So, now we are posting Tiki shopping. I will put a few postcards of other Tiki stores I have later on tonight.

As a follow up to Bigbro's post, I have scanned a couple more postcards in the Tiki Shopping theme.

This one is from the Waikiki Shopping District on Kalakaua
Ave

These are from the original Signal House which was the precursor to Tiki Gardens.

These are from the Arcade Shops at Kauai Surf Hotel - note the Tikis by the beams

And finally the Waikiki Outrigger Club Arcade - check out the Tiki on the back wall.

Happy shopping!

Aloha! great post and great images, thanks for sharing them.

I love that barefoot traders on cape cod! I had no idea something that cool used to be near my old stomping grounds!

A little FYI to your first post: W Yarmouth (correct boston pronunciation: west-YAhmuth) is in Massachusetts not Maine.

Welcome to TC and keep posting those great cards!!!!!

Polynesiac,

Maine - Mass, its all so confusing for us west coast boys. Sorry for the mix up and GO SOX.

On 2008-03-27 09:55, bigbrotiki wrote:

There was a Beachcomber Shop in Palm Springs too until the early 90s, I doubt they were connected:

Here is an exterior shot (1965)for the Palm prings location.

Staying with the retail theme, how about the Hale Hawaii in Birmingham, Michigan

Or off topic a little, the Bali Hai Hair Stylists in West Islip, NY

Alright Mike, way to go! How about this "South Pacific Boutique...and Take Out!":

At first I thought those door Tikis were Witco, but no, they are just Weirdo!:

I have no idea where this place was. I'd say Florida.
Now how about gift shops in Tiki Temples? Here is the early one at the Seattle Trader Vic's:

Nice work people. I was hoping we could get a little Tiki shopping thing going on with this post. Thanks for keeping it moving Bigbro and ZuluMagoo (is that Mike from the Gallery?)

I have a few more, these are somewhat standard - except for maybe a new unheard of shot of the Witco fountain at the B-Hive store????

The first one is the Witco fountain at the B-Hive Gourmet Grocer and Gift Shop that we have all seen. There is a Tiki Hut store for "unusual gifts".

The second is a very early version of the Witco fountain that I have never seen. What is up with with the SNOW SHOVEL in the background? This place is located in Sanibel Island, Florida for Pete's sake (Big dogs??).

The next set are from Trader Hall's gift shop in Hawaii where one can "Purchase from a large selection of Hawaiian and South Pacific gifts and curios".

Shop on Tikis

(Where's Sabu?)

[ Edited by: Dustycajun 2008-03-28 21:25 ]

Bigbro,

I'm pretty sure that The Eggroll was located in San Jose, CA. I remeber seeing that card before. Lets get some intel on that.

(Where's Sabu?)

[ Edited by: dustycajun 2008-03-28 23:12 ]

The 'Net House', I don't know the location.

Don't forget about Exotical in Downey, CA. This place is still open! Or at least it was 2.5 years ago the last time I was down there.

The Sperm Whale has an excellent Savage Renewal Post/trip visit thread here.

ZuluMagoo,

Do you and the Mrs. shop there for your matching outfits?

This one is from Coco Joes Gift shop

I saw this one on ebay from the Pirates Cove Tiki Gift Shop in Clarksville, Mo.

I picked-up another Barefoot Trader postcard from the Yarmouth Mass store. This one is a painting that shows the footsteps in the concrete leading to the front door.

I also found a postcard from Jill's Hawaiian shop which claims to be "nestled in the Tiki Garden at the Waikikian Hotel.

Tiki Shopping!

Just in time for the holiday season, a few new posts for this shopping thread.

This collection wouldn't be complete without the gift shop at Seafood Sam's Sea Food and Hawaiian Village Family Restaurant. This is the subject of an entire thread in itself.

Here is a nice Hawaiian/Tiki scene from the Charlottetown Mall (this in in Duke's book).

And finally, the Tiki Bar at the Tide Creations Gift Shop in Ocean Shores Washington. Nice Witco fountain.

With that said, I'm off shopping for a few last minute gifts myself.

DC

Great that you found the rendering of one of the Barefoot Traders, architectural renderings are always the best. Though this might be one of the rare examples where the original photo eclipses the rendering. Thanks for the card!

I know the shopping season is officially over, but hey what's a few more tiki shopping spots.

Here are a couple of old photos I found on the internet of the Mai Kai Gift Shop.

DC

Hale Hawaii store, Birmingham, Michigan:

(Courtesy of puamana's site)

Dusty Cajun,
I was spending a couple of summers in W Yarmouth as a young girl, about 1963-65. We always went to the Barefoot Trader, and I walked in those footsteps in the concrete sidewalk every time. I was fascinated with the fire topped Moai, and in heaven inside that shop. The height of the A frame made the ceiling stratospheric to a 6 year old! I still have glass floats and fishing net that my mom bought there, as well as heavy metal seagulls and lobster pots. I just loved that store. I have tried to buy pamphlets and such of ebay when they come available, but am always outbid at the last minute. Rats. Thanks for the memories.

The building is still there, the big A frame and the smaller side A frame still visible. A large addition was put on. Here is the aerial view link.
http://www.capelinks.com/cape-cod/maps/aerial/o/41.65265943188114/-70.25007426738739/2/
Any one live on the cape? Can you take some front street level shots?

Here is a great post card from the Sea and Jungle Imports shop I spotted on ebay.

DC

On 2008-03-30 11:28, Dustycajun wrote:
I saw this one on ebay from the Pirates Cove Tiki Gift Shop in Clarksville, Mo.

Is that shop still open?

I couldn't find any info on it.

The photos in this post are all vintage. With the exception of Exotical (I hope), not one of the shops in this thread still exists. That facet of Tiki culture is virtually extinct (with a few exceptions!). Today this genre of "exotic import" stores lives on as Pier 1/ World Market, but they are not Polynesian pop at all.

Panampia, great aerial archeology, hope someone will document the contemporary fate of this fine A-frame!

On 2009-02-11 12:13, bigbrotiki wrote:
The photos in this post are all vintage. With the exception of Exotical (I hope), not one of the shops in this thread still exists. That facet of Tiki culture is virtually extinct (with a few exceptions!). Today this genre of "exotic import" stores lives on as Pier 1/ World Market, but they are not Polynesian pop at all.

It stinks that most of those types of places are no longer around. Back in Ye Olden Days they had their own section in the phone book. Hey so did Hay! :D

Bora Boris,

Thanks for those great phone book ads. I have been wanting to do some research like that in Santa Barbara - do you just go to the library and say "where are the old phone books"?

Here is another from this area. A postcard from the Island Shop in Ojai - seen but not won on ebay.

DC

On 2009-02-11 21:28, Dustycajun wrote:
Bora Boris,

Thanks for those great phone book ads. I have been wanting to do some research like that in Santa Barbara - do you just go to the library and say "where are the old phone books"?

Yep! That's what I do. Some libraries don't have a lot of them but usually the main branch for a city or a county will. However some libraries are actually tossing old phone books due to lack of space. Ugh!

Notice the proximity of "Toby" to Sea & Jungle. Toby was the S & J store owner's label.

On 2008-03-30 11:28, Dustycajun wrote:
I saw this one on ebay from the Pirates Cove Tiki Gift Shop in Clarksville, Mo.

Nothing more tiki than Cinder Blocks and Brick!

Classic!

They coulda least painted them black :wink:

Cool thread. I didn't see these in here so figured I would add them.

This one has got to be considered a Tiki Store even though it was a studio.
Tiki Junction in Sausaltio, Ca:

Now that's the kind of shopping I would like to do!! Now really, what Tiki artist's studio had their own postcards??

This next one is another from The Pirates Cove Store that was in Clarksville, Missouri:

Cool shot with all the stuff hanging from the ceiling, along the walls and stuff basically stacked on top of stacks! What a mix of items. I bet lots of people bought a few cool things home for their home bars here!!

Mahalo, TabooDan

On 2008-03-28 19:01, ZuluMagoo wrote:
Or off topic a little, the Bali Hai Hair Stylists in West Islip, NY

Found another tiki hair stylists postcard.

This one is from the Tiki Hut located in Pasadena California.

The inside of the shop.

Love the phrase on the back of the card:

If you are par-TIKI-lar, You'll call the Tiki Hut

That is one of the all time classic tiki ad lines.

DC

The thing about the four languages, too. Great find! :)

On 2009-04-21 13:42, bigbrotiki wrote:
The thing about the four languages, too. Great find! :)

Japanese, Colombian, Chicago-ese, and New York-ese.

All very distinct dialects to a Southern Californian.

DC

Here is an advertising card from Our Tahiti Hut in New York City. Straw hats and hula girls!

DC

Saw this guy on ebay.

Trader Haynes
Polynesian Curiosty Shop

Card advertises Polynesian gifts, Mu-Muus, Aloha Shirts, Leis, Beads, Tikis, Masks, Wood Carvings, Lanai Decorations, Fish Nets, Sea Shells, Artificial Palm Trees, etc.

230 E. Anaheim St,. Wilmington, Calif.

Nice shirt and hat, Trader Haynes Rocks!

DC

Time for a few more entries in the tiki shopping theme.

The Bamboo shirt store in NYC. What a sight on 5th Avenue

The girls going Gidget at Peg's Tiki Togs

And how about a little gift shopping in Hawaii for the Holidays.

With this recession we can all dream a bit.

DC

Hey Dusty, you may have already noticed this but Peg's Tiki Togs(8140 e. Firestone)was just a door or two down from Exotical in Downey(8136 e. Firestone)

Was there close-by competition back in the day? any connection?

I just got another postcard from the Barefoot Trader in W. Yarmouth, Mass.

This one shows the second smaller A-Frame building on the right with the flaming Moai lit up at night.

This must have been added later in the life of the project as it does not show up on some of the earlier images.

A little hard to tell, but it looks like a pair of Witcos flanking the front door.

DC

Here is another old photo I saw on ebay of the Barefoot Trader before the second building and flaming Moai head where in place.

DC

Aaaah! A-frame heaven! Didya get it, didya get it!!!?

Bigbro,

Got the postcard but not the old photo.

DC

Hmm, did KoCharms get it then? I just love the clarity of it. Two things bout the night shot (which is very nice too):

It must have been shot quite a bit later than the previous postcards, judging by the oil spots in the parking spaces!

And they made the effort to erect a SECOND statue of their logo, the Barefoot Trader, on the awning of the additional A-frame. Man I would love to see a close up of that guy!

I am really lovin this thread DC ....boy do you have an incredible PC collection.
Thanks for sharing with us all .

The Barefoot Trader was a favorite place for our family to go when we spent a week or two in W Yarmouth in the summers in '63 and '64. I remember it well. I have fishnet and floats that my mom bought there hanging in my Tiki Bar, nearly 50 years later! The A frame is still there. I haven't been to the cape in years and years, but thank goodness for satellites. Take a look: http://www.capelinks.com/cape-cod/maps/aerial/o/41.65265943188114/-70.25007426738739/2/