Niagara Falls, New York, Niagara Falls, NY (restaurant)

Name:Niagara Falls, New York
Type:restaurant
Street:Old Main Street
City:Niagara Falls
State:NY
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
Abandoned and vacant restaurant (type unknown) adjacent to the Niagara Falls State Park. Exterior appearance in the form of a Tiki. Picture (2008) follows.

Niagara Falls, New York

I have been staring at this picture all day, trying to decide if the tikiness is a coincidence, something that our Tiki-attuned senses are making us see by some sort of Pavlovian autosuggestion, or if some insane, wacky, amazing genius architect actually pulled a fast one and subliminally slipped this one past his vanilla proletariat bosses.

Either way, someone needs to open a Tiki bar here.

On 2008-07-14 21:55, tikibars wrote:
I have been staring at this picture all day, trying to decide if the tikiness is a coincidence, something that our Tiki-attuned senses are making us see by some sort of Pavlovian autosuggestion, or if some insane, wacky, amazing genius architect actually pulled a fast one and subliminally slipped this one past his vanilla proletariat bosses.

Either way, someone needs to open a Tiki bar here.

I don't know...it's TOO weird of an architectural slip up to NOT be a Tiki building of some kind. especially in the mouth area....too bizarre. I'm curious about the history of this place.

I've spent a bit of time trying to learn something about the histroy of this building but haven't had any success. I haven't been able to find any information on the internet (including Critiki) about the building/resturant. I didn't take the time to talk to the leasing agent.

It is located in an area of very high tourist tourist traffic just across the street from Niagara Falls State Park. I'll post a aerial pic of the building later.

I know this is splitting hairs, but I look at it and see a traditional shape from a native American totem pole. Western NY has a pretty strong Native American tradition (I seem to recall going to a museum shaped like a turtle as a child). If you told me an architect in that area tried to mimic the Native American totem, I'd be more inclined to accept it.

Another theory, perhaps we at tiki central have unique tiki inclined brain. Instead of the typical human response of Anthropomorphizing items, we see Tikis.

Aerial Image: The tiki/totem building (resturant) is located just below the large circular building at te center of the image at the following link - http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=niagara+falls,+ny&ie=UTF8&ll=43.084796,-79.063067&spn=0.004247,0.008723&t=h&z=17&lci=lmc:wikipedia_en

On 2008-07-15 07:52, timidtiki wrote:
The tiki/totem building (restaurant) is located just below the large circular building at the center of the image

Looks like totem wins. The large circular building is the turtle shaped museum I mentioned in my last post. It was/is (I can't figure out if it is even still open) the Native American Center for the Living Arts. My guess is the totem shaped building was part of the same complex. When I was a young lad, my 3rd grade class went there on a field trip. It's not very often that an obscure memory from my childhood proves useful.

[ Edited by: MNZombie 2008-07-15 12:01 ]

Right you are!!! But I still have not been able to find any other information on the place. The entire complex now appears to have been abandoned (for a number of years) and there is no indication on the exterior of the site of its original use other than an old sign in the part of the building pictured above indicating a "restaurant" entrance. Perhaps someone in Niagara Falls can take a closer look and see if they can learn more.

Looks more like a fish.