The Dive-N-Surf building, Redondo Beach CA - what's its history?

Over the last year or so, the building housing Dive-N-Surf's corporate offices on 610 N. Catalina in Redondo Beach has been puzzling me. With my "tiki-archeology" eyes opened in the last few years, I recognize it as a classic example of Polynesian-pop architecture of the 60s. But what occupied it back then? It sits right on a wedge of property where Catalina and Broadway meet in South Redondo. The Dive-N-Surf store itself is accross the parking lot and has a Broadway address. Doctor Z and I have vague memories of this building being vacant in the 1970s, but we may be wrong.

Was it a restaurant? A bar? A south-seas or nautical decor shop? Or was it built in Polynesian style for style's sake alone, like almost all of the architecture on the Redondo Beach pier, just a mile down the road? The El Torito restaurant on the pier has similar architecture, even though it was always a Mexican restaurant.

Anyone have any insights on the history of this building? None of my old postcards or matchbooks are any help.

Man that place had to be a tropical bar/resturaunt back in the day.
I have often wondered that too, when driving by, good luck Sabu.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Pup N Tiki Taco?

and an Arrrrr! for the anchor!

Not sure, I born and raised in PV, I always remember it being Dive and Surf, and getting my wetsuits there. Certainly the "tiki Bar" was up the street (not tiki at all, except the large Moai, which last I remember ended up on the Pitcher house roof)

You are right about a lot of tiki style architecture in the South Bay, like the El Torito. It may be the same thing.

I will ask my parents and in laws who have been in the South Bay for approx. 50 yrs, they may know.

Thanks for bringing back memories.

-S

I don't remember the Dive 'n' Surf building looking like that. When I was growing up down there it was a lot plainer looking and smaller. Perhaps they've moved sometime in the last 20 years?

I had posted this in another thread asking for Dr Z and Sabus help, and Hakalugi directed me to this thread.(Thanks Hak!) and after reading this thread, I guess I'll be the one shedding a little bit of light here....

Redondo Beach Dive n' Surf has offices located in an old A-Frame structure, 500-600 block of N. Catalina...It was formally a bar for many years...I called Dive n Surf to get details, but the details were vague and the only name that was given to me, was "The Flying Jib". That was the name of the former bar prior to Dive n Surf taking over the defunct bar. But, I'm wondering if it carried another name prior to "The Flying Jib"?...I'm told that it might have been called the "Sugar Shack" at one point, and that bands like Jan and Dean among other top surf bands used to perform there regularly. It was also told to me that it was polynesian/surf themed, and ALWAYS packed. Any more ideas?

[ Edited by: Tom Slick 2009-03-10 11:52 ]

wow how cool,
we need Brian Chidister on this one.
hes got all the info on old places bands used to play.

good work Tom.
good to see ya so much recently.
Jeff(bigtikidude)

[ Edited by: bigtikidude 2009-03-10 13:01 ]

Hi Guys,

I'm not sure about a place called the Sugar Shack in Redondo Beach, but I DO know something about the Flying Jib. You've actually helped tremendously here with my urban archeology, as I did not know what the building looked like. But I have one advertisement from the Flying Jib. I've been researching folk music dens, jazz nightclubs and coffeehouses in SoCal, c. 1952-66 for an upcoming book, and I have to admit, I've only done one day of research in Redondo Beach thus far, though I've gone surfing more times than I care to admit in the South Bay. Good times over research? Damn, I can be so lazy sometimes.

Anyway, I don't know how to post pictures on these message boards, so I'll just email the ad to Bigtikidude privately, and he can post it. It is from a 1965 issue of the Los Angeles Free Press.

Yours,
Brian Chidester

Tom, I forwarded you Brian's e-mail with the Flyer attachment.
there is no pic of the place, just a band, and the address.
you can post it if you want.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

A 1973 LA Times article refers to it as the "Blind Jib"

[ Edited by: nichols 2009-03-10 13:36 ]

Hi Chris,

Does that article say anything about who played there or anything worth noting about the coffeehouse?

Brian

Thanks Jeff, I figure I might as well post it for future reference and help to link possible future urban archeology...Here is the picture Brian sent..Thanks Brian! One step closer to unraveling the once unsolved mystery of the building!

Sure thing. I wish I had an old picture, but as research continues, I'll keep you posted.

I've been wondering about the building too. According to propertyshark.com it was built in 1957 and it's 5560 square feet.
http://www.propertyshark.com/mason/Owners/Building/CA/Redondo-Beach/504-N-Broadway/16858287

The Dive N Surf website has their address as 504 North Broadway Redondo Beach, Ca. 90277. The Flying Jib and Dive N Surf have different addresses.

The Flying Jib burned down in August 1972 according to this.

http://businesslessonsfromrock.com/notes/2009/08/nurture-the-freaks-and-geeks

If The Flying Jib burned down then it was rebuilt almost exactly as it stood before the fire. I used to go to this place quite a bit. There was a great band on weekends that played hard pounding music of their own making. They would turn out the lights and turn on multiple strobe lights overhead. People would then unroll tubes of aluminum foil and stretch the foil over-head while dancing to catch the strobes and intensify the show. A lot of drugs, mescaline, LSD type stuff and booze. The women were hot and the room rocked with this sixties abandon, life in the moment, feel as good as you can, to hell with the future. It was quite a place. The Polynesian design of the building had very little to do with anything. I never went by there in the daytime so I don't know what the place was like for "normal" people.

oMG! I remember going to the Flying Jib almost every Friday night with my girlfriends...we would check out the crowd before we went in...we were not yet 21 and had to see who was working the door and if the motorcycle gangs were there...i am sue they thought we were stewardesses, what a hoot this was!! maybe lots of stuff going on around us, but once we were in
the dancing and music was what it was all about! I remember the fantastic drum solos...great great music...burned a lot of calories in those days...everyone left sweaty and smiling! We loved rounding the bend on Catalina and seeing the pointed roofline and cars parked everywhere..it seems no tickets were given out then for parking...

I don't know if anyone even looks at this post anymore but I just happened to think about this place today and wonder whatever happened to the Flying Jib. I now live in Arizona but do get back there once in awhile

Anyway, I used to go to the Flying Jib back when I was in my late teens. I moved to Redondo when I was 17 (in 1966). They had a lot of different types of bands at the Flying Jib. I remember going there with my girlfriends in 1967 and 1968. Because we were underage we had to have our hand stamped so they couldn't serve us alcohol. If you look in the picture you can see a small enclosed area. That was a place you could sit outside when it go too warm inside. I remember sitting there with a some friends and someone threw a cherry bomb over the fence into the crowd. I think that was the last time I went there. LOL.