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Dustycajun
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10/24/2008
I recently acquired a collection of matchbooks from different Don the Beachcombers. I started looking into how many locations there were and what paper items (matchbooks, postcards, menus) were around for each location. Based on the listings contained on the back of the more modern matchbooks and the information I found on the web, I compiled the following list of 35 locations plus two locations that were advertised but never existed. I have added the opening dates and addresses and reorganized them chronologically based on info from Sven's menu and the web.
Never Existed Memphis I have also included Donn's Boats and his Encino House. I think this is a complete list, let me know if there are some that I missed. Now for the paper - I found something for 12 locations. Hollywood Chicago Palm Springs Las Vegas St. Paul Marina Del Rey Waikiki Dagger Bar Lahaina Corona Del Mar San Diego - Harbor Island This postcard provided by ZuluMagoo for the location on Harbor Island These matchbooks state a Vacation Village location that appears to be incorrect and was never really there (as reported by Bosko) Dallas Kailua-Kona So, we still need representation for the following locations: San Jose/Santa Clara, California Anybody got anything on these? Feel free to add more images if you have them. DC [ Edited by: Dustycajun 2020-01-09 07:45 ] |
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ZuluMagoo
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10/25/2008
Excellent idea DC. Here are some more from the Hollywood location. |
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ZuluMagoo
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10/25/2008
Chicago |
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ZuluMagoo
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10/25/2008
Waikiki
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ZuluMagoo
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10/25/2008
San Diego It was located on Harbor Island, just across the bay from the the Bali Hai over on Shelter Island.
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ZuluMagoo
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10/25/2008
Denver Cosmopolitan Hotel - 1982 |
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Dustycajun
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10/25/2008
ZuluMagoo, Wow, thanks for all of the great posts. I have always wanted to see what the Chicago, San Diego and Denver locations looked like. Only 9 more to go. DC |
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TIKIBOSKO
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10/25/2008
Hey Zulu does your San Diego postcard have a post mark saying 1971!? Or how did did you come by the date? Thanks Bosko |
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bigbrotiki
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10/25/2008
Amazing record, guys, I have nothing to ad. :) Maybe some dates: 1934 Don The Beachcomber opens in Hollywood A lot of these dates are from a 1971 menu, so one would assume that all other places not mentioned here, like Dallas and Denver, opened AFTER 1970. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-10-25 10:25 ] |
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Bora Boris
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10/25/2008
So besides Hollywood and Chicago it's possible that Donn never set foot in any other mainland location? :o |
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bigbrotiki
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10/25/2008
Well, I believe he was kept on as an "advisor", and did get to see some of the early places. But he was not a business man, more a project inventor and gracious host, so he concentrated his energies on his Waikiki place, and the International Market place, and then later his "Hong Kong Lady" riverboat restaurant that sank in the Hong Kong harbor. |
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bongofury
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10/26/2008
More from Chicago... The design submitted to the city by the new owners of the Trade Winds in Oxnard, Ca... Coming soon... Trade Winds/Don The Beachcomber exterior... Interior shot of DTB Waikiki from the 1954 film "Hell's Half Acre" confirmed in the 1988 book "Hawaii In The Movies" The movie has about 10 minutes of interior & exterior shots. I recorded this to dvd from the Mystery channel a few years back. |
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Dustycajun
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10/26/2008
Bongofury, Thanks for the great post! Cross Oxnard off the list, we're down to 8 locations to find paper on. Great matchbook from Marina Del Rey. Where are those images from Chicago from? Is that a postcard? DC |
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ZuluMagoo
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10/26/2008
It was an auction from several years ago that I did not win. However the seller commented that it was postmarked 1971. |
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arriano
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10/26/2008
Does anyone know how many Don the Beachcomber restaurants were still around when the chain folded in 1990? [ Edited by: arriano 2010-05-27 15:09 ] |
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RevBambooBen
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10/26/2008
this is cool! |
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bigbrotiki
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10/27/2008
That is interesting indeed, looks like maybe they were taking over after The Trade Winds failed? I dimly remember going to a Don The Beachcomber in Malibu in the 80s, when I knew nothing about Tiki. In retrospect I always wondered if that was at the site of the old Tonga Lei... |
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Dustycajun
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10/27/2008
Bigbro, Right on both accounts. From Critiki - Malibu: Before becoming a Don the Beachcomber (probably sometime in the '70s), this location was Tonga Lei. It closed sometime during the '80s, and this location is now the non-tiki Malibu Beach Inn. From Critiki - Oxnard: This Don the Beachcomber opened at the former Trade Winds; it likely operated for a few years in the late '70s. In later years, this location briefly became Coconut Joe's Warehouse and Hawaiian Cowboy, and the building was demolished in 1984. DC |
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TIKIBOSKO
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10/27/2008
Thanks Zulu, I picked up a nice Harbor Island brochure/booklet circa 1973 and they make no mention of a Don the Beachcombers and it lists every little shop on the Island. The purpose of it was to show you how swinging the area was thus it is confusing there isn’t a Don's listed? Arriano do you have some new documentation for the Vacation Village Don the Beachcomber? I think there was a thread about this somewhere here? Bosko |
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arriano
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10/27/2008
No new info, but here's the earlier thread: |
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Psycho Tiki D
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10/27/2008
This menu was from the Palm Springs location...
The food and drink menu insert is dated 09-64. PTD |
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Dustycajun
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10/28/2008
Arriano, Thanks so much for your post. I have added the second San Diego Don the Beachcombers on Vacation Island to my list, bringing the total number of locations to 23. I also added a matchbook that was on the previous thread. Do you happen to still have the library picture of the Harbor Island restaurant? PTD, Thanks also for the menu post. What is that Zombie card on top of the menu? Is that a postcard or a drink recipe card? |
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Bora Boris
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10/28/2008
Besides the Hong Kong Lady Donn also had the Singapore Lady ~ It Counts! or it should... kinda. :roll: |
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bigbrotiki
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10/28/2008
Well, Donn had a couple of projects that he dabbled in later in his life that were not "Don The Beachcombers". I think that's another thread. |
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Psycho Tiki D
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10/28/2008
Dustycajun, The Zombie drink card is stapled to the menu. I think it probably sat on a table. The inside of the card has a Don The Beachcomber story of Rum. PTD |
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Dustycajun
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10/28/2008
Bora Boris. If that counts that this should as well! Donn's boat The Marama from Tahiti. That Donn knew how to live! Actually, I think Bigbro is right and this should be the subject of another post. DC |
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Bora Boris
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10/28/2008
Well Dusty Cajun considering it's your thread I think we should do as you wish. Sorry for the interruption but at least it gave everyone a nice opportunity to show some of Donn's boats. Were there ever any stories in Architectural Digest or any magazine like that on any of his homes? We could show the homes and boats in the next thread. :) |
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TIKIBOSKO
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10/28/2008
I briefly covered this in my San Diego Tiki talk at the 07 Oasis, there was never a Don the Beachcomber at Vacation Village. I’ve spoken to several old timers who used to go there in the 60’s and they say there was (always) the Barefoot bar and a steak house/small bar but no Don’s. If you look at Sven’s list on page one of this thread there is no mention of a San Diego location until the 1970 (Harbor Island) so if there had been one here in the 60’s why not list it? Also if there was another restaurant at Vacation Village which building could have housed it? Unless there is some new compelling evidence which I would be happy to acknowledge, this was just a mistake that got perpetuated up until now. Bosko |
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bigbrotiki
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10/28/2008
The mysterious Vacation Village might have just been a project that got never realized. Sweet Jesus DC, WHERE did you get those Marama photos, do you own them? Me wanna use for boook! Strange how the name "Marama" is blocked out to spell "Karma", Don's must have been not so good then considering both of his Hong Kong riverboat restaurants sank. |
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Dustycajun
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10/29/2008
Bigbro, Those are great shots, eh! I found them at the same place I found these great photos of the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood with Donn mixing drinks. Unfortunately, they are not mine. Did you say Book? DC |
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bigbrotiki
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10/29/2008
Very cool! That last photo was used for the menu illustration I used in the BOT page 165! |
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Dustycajun
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10/29/2008
Here are some photos of Donn's house in Encino.
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bigbrotiki
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10/29/2008
Note that wherever he went, he had his Tahitian Cannibal Carvings with him. |
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Bora Boris
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10/29/2008
Wow! Definitely the home of a beachcomber. We need a new thread before this one gets derailed beyond the point of no return. |
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HOUSE OF KU
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10/30/2008
Is that a baboon skull?? :o |
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
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12/06/2008
The Palm Springs location. From the Oct 1970 issue of Palm Springs Life magazine. For a re-model, this might have been an evolution instead of a de-evolution, given the 1970 date. Had we reached the zenith and started the decline of Tiki restaurants by 1970 yet, Bigbro? I really like the tiki torches jutting above the roof in several places, on their long, bamboo-style poles. |
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bigbrotiki
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12/06/2008
The peak of Tiki style was between 1959 and 1964. I personally can tell the difference in some places by around 1968, but the dates of devolution vary with the places. I would say that in this case, if the decor was straight Beachcomber style before, they probably added some Tikis, so it must have been an upgrade, still. :) They didn't start to "downplay" the Polynesian theme in existing places until the late 70s. |
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Dustycajun
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12/06/2008
Sabu, Thanks for the photos of the Don's in Palm Springs. First time I have ever seen a photo of the place. Sven, as always thanks for the history lesson. Here are a few more pics from the Chicago Don's from the Life Mag photos. Still looking for these locations. San Jose/Santa Clara, California |
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Tangaroa-Ru
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12/12/2008
I am beyond impressed with all the accumulated photos and info on Don the Beachcomber! I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this guy. I was born and brought up in Malibu (surf's up, dude!) and I do remember the Tonga Lei, though not very well, because I was just a child. (When it was torn down, I was in San Francisco, goofing off...uh, wait...going to film school, so I missed its sad demise.) For some reason, though, my parents were more fond of Kelbo's on Pico and The Luau, maybe because of their dating memories from those places. But if anyone has any menus or promo stuff from the Malibu Don's, please post them! All I've ever been able to find rarely) is Tonga Lei matchbooks and postcards -- although there is a guy on Ebay who is selling copies of vintage Tiki menus, including an old Tonga Lei one. I might cave and get it. And yes, the Tonga Lei was adjacent (on the left side) to the Malibu Pier. (Not to be confused with the Santa Monica Pier.) There is a parking lot now where it once stood. The most public Tiki atmosphere in Malibu now can be found at Duke's Restaurant. (PCH at Las Flores.) They have a nice collection of vintage Hawaiiana on display, some tropical drinks on the menu and the food is very good. However, Bamboo Ben has created an homage to the Tonga Lei inside one of the restaurants on the Malibu Pier. It's a private dining room within the restaurant, which, unfortunately can only be enjoyed if you pay a hefty price to reserve that special room for you and some of your friends. At least, that's the last word I heard on the place. Maybe that's changed by now. |
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GatorRob
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12/12/2008
Geez, where was I when this thread was going on?? Dusty, thanks for all the wonderful Donn pictures. The ones of him behind the bar and mixing are just priceless, not to mention inspirational. Zombie anyone? |
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Dustycajun
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12/13/2008
Your right GatorRob, Donn was "The Man" behind the bar back in the day. See the thread on the 75th anniversary and toast a Zombie to Donn. Here are a couple of slides from Don the Beachcomber's in Hawaii circa 1955. |
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RevBambooBen
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12/14/2008
( Mrs Bamboo got a new scanner. There is a future! for old Eli photos... ) |
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Dustycajun
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01/06/2009
BambooBen, Thanks for the post, the outside Don the Beachcombers bar sure looked a lot better than the restaurant inside the Sahara. Which ones Eli? Here is another slide with Donn in rare form at his Waikiki Luau. DC |
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Dustycajun
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01/14/2009
Added the defunct Don The Beachcombers at the Disneyland California Adventure from TikiKate's expedition.
DC |
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bongofury
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01/14/2009
Hey DC....check out this article from a while back in your local paper. I think the guy must have been bit high when he visited DTB.... |
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Dustycajun
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01/14/2009
Bongo, Thanks for the article, I lived through that era in Santa Barbara and remember all of those places well. The DTB on the beach in SB was not satanic, we used to hit it pretty hard for the Scorpion Bowls that were half price at Happy Hour. Pat's Grass Shack was a hole in the wall live band spot in Goleta that also had a little Tiki flair going for it. DC |
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bongofury
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01/15/2009
Have you checked the Santa Barbara Library for photos? Would like to see the interior. I bought these lamps a few years ago from a dealer in SB that said they came from that DTB... |
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Dustycajun
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04/18/2009
Updated to add the newest DTB in Huntington Beach at the former Sam's Seafood. Have not been yet by am going to try and swing by on my way to/from Bamboo Ben's Nooner. Any postcards, menus, or matches from this place yet?? DC |