Portland Alibi update

I have been fortunate enough have an opportunity to forge a relationship with Larry and Carla White, the owners of Portland's legendary Alibi tiki bar. I have some updates to pass on to those of you who know and love this fantastic bar.

First of all, Larry's health is not good. He's awaiting a heart transplant, and that's a really big deal. He's in good spirits, but he's not spending much time in the bar. His wife Carla is running the show for the most part. The good news here, if there can be said to be any good news, is that the Whites have assured me that they will be keeping the bar, no matter what. That means they will stick to the traditional decor, which they have learned to appreciate.

Speaking of decor, the Alibi is undergoing a good deal of renovation. Don't freak out - we're talking about general fixing up, not any kind of drastic changes. In fact, the Whites have enlisted a few of us in the Portland tiki core to advise them on how to remodel without disrupting the classic feel of the place. We have and will continue to consult on matters of interior and exterior decor; we couldn't be more humbled than to be asked to help maintain the integrity of a place that means so much to us.

Maori Man and I met with Larry today to discuss the repainting of the Alibi's famous sign. We were relieved to get there before they had decided on an unfortunate teal and purple color scheme! We advised Larry to revert to the painted faux woodgrain that was on the original sign, and a nice, feathered red and white color scheme on the large Alibi lettering. We believe that the sign will come out looking fantastic. Most of the other graphic elements on the sign will remain the same, just cleaned up and repainted in their original color palettes. The smaller sign (closer to the Palm motel)will be changed somewhat, due to new restrictions that no longer allow the Alibi to be a "Family" restaurant.

Interior plans include a thatched roof over the bar, the repair of all the original Oceanic Arts lamps, and revamping the original fountain. They'll also be looking to add more original tiki art to the mix.

Overall, the prognosis is great for the Alibi, if not for Larry. He greatly appreciated the "Get Well" banner we left him after the NW Crawl, and often tells me how much he enjoys and appreciates the hardcore tiki crowd. If you'd like to send good wishes to Larry, feel free to PM them to me and I'll be sure he sees them. He doesn't do email so that's pretty much the only way to get him messages unless you want to snail mail him.

More updates (and photos of the renovation) as they're available.

On 2005-09-20 16:41, TikiMaxton wrote:

He greatly appreciated the "Get Well" banner we left him after the NW Crawl

That was a nice touch.

Mahalo for the update.

Mark, please tell Larry to hang in there, the Alibi will defintely be in my new book coming out next summer. Though not Witco, the Alibi sign and interior are a class of its own !

Sorry to hear Larry is not well. Sounds like you and Maori Man are on top of the tune-up project. Keep up the good work.

It's gratifying that Larry genuinely wants to keep the Alibi true to its roots. He knows that he's not steeped in the tradition like we are, so he's willing to call us in for advice to help him avoid incurring the wrath of the tiki community. For our part, we're honored to be asked to help. It's a win-win situation. Now if we can just get personalized bar stools...

Portlanders!
For all of you who love the Alibi and the Palms

The Mid-Century Modern League needs your testimony or written comments in favor of a Historic Neon District on Interstate Avenue.

April 22 at 6pm the Planning Commission will take public testimony on the North Interstate Corridor Plan.

May 1 at 3:30 the Design Commission will take testimony

Location for both meetings is 1900 SW 4th Avenue @ Hall Room 2500A

If you cannot attend PLEASE EMAIL your comments to [email protected] before the meeting starts on Tuesday.

the Design Commission comments may be FAXED to 503 823 5630

Here is a link to the PDF it's 75 pages and takes a bit to load

http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=191494

Just a quick note explaining that you want to see the neon and motels preserved in a historic district would be great

Thanks!
Marci-Treasurer http://www.mcmleague.org

[ Edited by: sputnikmoss 2008-04-21 16:08 ]

[ Edited by: sputnikmoss 2008-04-30 08:30 ]

I just sent in my email.

[ Edited by: Aaron's Akua - to remove spam - 2008-04-28 12:35 ]

I offer you this:

Spamming (posting the same message in more than one forum, or posting unwanted advertising in the forums) is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.

Sputnikmoss, how did the planning commission meeting go?

April 22nd Planning Commission Update

Most of the meeting was filled with testimony from residents of the area expressing opinions about the new zoning, height restrictions,parking,and green spaces. Several people from the Mid-Century Modern League testified in favor of creating a Historic Neon District and it seemed very positive. The Neon District is only a small portion of the proposed development in the Interstate Corridor but the Commission did a great job researching the plan so we are hopeful. Our next goal is to find a spot to place the Crown Motel sign, once restored to it's former glory! The Design Commission meets today and once again we are sending out our members to attend this important meeting. More later....

Not sure how it works in your municipality but generally Design and Planning Commissions are appointed advisory boards that report to the elected body of either city or county commissioners. I might suggest an early "educational" campaign be implemented ahead of time for those commissioners votes. Getting them info as soon as possible means they will have more exposure to your views and not just what they get in their packets from staff (that they sometines scan over) and what you are able to convey at the meetings with your five minute allotment of testimony. I have seen many a planning commission vote favorably on proposals only to have the elected officials shoot it down. Politics is Politics. Sounds like you guys are doing an awesome job! Applauding your efforts to keep the culture alive and vibrant.

I visit The Alabi everytime I'm in the area visiting extended family. As a photographer I drove there just to get some pictures and the neon not only fits in this district but defines it in my opinion, and I spent money adding to the economic viability of the area.
I hope that they try and incorporate it and embrace the historical design instead of slapping up a "whorearbucks" veneer on the whole area.

Vote locally! It's where your voice is heard best and can serve you most.

Update from Design Commission meeting

I was not able to attend but I spoke with several of my cohorts and they said it really went well. There was even talk of bringing other Portland neon signs that have been taken down into the area, using solar power, and giving incentives to developers if they incorporate neon into the design. Apparently all were in agreement on the commission, so it will go up for a vote in June or July in City Council.

I will post updates then or you can stay in the loop here

http://www.mcmleague.org