the lost chapter: Hop Louie and the Stockton Islander (image heavy)

Ok, hear is some info I recently uncovered from Lodi News Sentinel reports:

The last owner of the Islander was Dick Degrande. Degrande was Italian and was born on November 7, 1931 in San Francisco. He was raised in North Beach and later moved to Stockton where he worked in the restaurant business for over 20 years. He owned and operated the historical Cosmopolitan Restaurant (open since 1919) in Lodi for a long time. In March of 1980 he closed the Cosmopolitan and took over the Stockton Islander. There he changed the name to Dick Degrande’s Surf and Turf Islander and operated it until going out of business on New years day 1983. Legend has it that he had a big blow out New Year’s Eve party before closing. He then returned to San Francisco and worked at Joe’s Restaurant until his passing on July 30th 2003. He had two sons, Gary and Ron and was an avid 49er/Giants fan. He was loved by many.

Here is an open letter to the citizens of Lodi announcing his closing of the Cosmopolitan and his new venture with the Stockton Islander. This was originally published in the Lodi News Sentinel.

Here is a photo of Dominic "Dick" Degrande published by the Lodi News Sentinel.

Last Sunday the Stockton Record ran an article on my Urban Tiki Archeology of the Stockton area and today I get a call from Mike Fitzgerald who wrote the article. He said a guy has contacted him and says he's got Islander Tikis in his yard. So I grab my camera and meet Mike at this guys home. This was about three hours ago. We meet him and yes he does have three Islander Tikis. Two are from the Latitude and one from the inside of the show room.

This Person wanted to remain nameless and the location kept secret. He told me he used to go to the Islander often and that the entrance to the Latitude was to the left of the Islander's main entrance, He said it faced inward toward the shoping center parking lot like the main entrance did.

He said he purchased them at a Pollardville Antique shop a long time ago. There was another guy there who had cash and purchased the others that were for sale. He said he thought the guy was from San Jose.

Any way This first Tiki is the one seen in the Bank of Stockton Photo, the one with the girls on stage. On the Top is carved ISLANDER. The other two are from the Latitude and are very similar to the ones I found at Minnie's.

Happy Hunting! :)

So hot on the trail, you're on fire!

Great to see that Tiki archeology is infectious to other people like at that paper, and that folks react to that and reveal their treasures. :)

How much fun is that? Way to go!! So jealous : )

cool! great finds david!! what do you make of the top of it? is that metal in the middle? was the tiki somehow used as part of the stair railings?

any chance the article in the record can be posted here too?

Here it is:

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100228/A_NEWS0803/2280303

Thanks everyone for your posted comments! That is a metal disk of some sort, I couldn't take it off and there was no disk on the bottom. There were no other markings on the Tiki other than the "ISLANDER" on top. Maybe some one put it on to cover a hole in the center. It looks like it is attached by big nails. There is no easy way to really get it off.

I have been looking at it more closely along side the the BOS photo. I'm not sure now if this is an indeed the same exact Tiki as in the photo. Does any one else have an opinion on this?

abstractiki - I also noticed that tiki looks similar to these ones in the Tahiti Bar at the Marie Antoinette Restaurant in Quebec:

Yah, if you look close you can see that those are 2 different tikis.

WOW! David, what an amazing discovery! Any chance the owner will part with them? If anyone deserves to have those tikis in their collection, it is you, my friend!

Great work, let the tiki sleuthing continue!

hey paranoid! thanks for the link, and hope things are going well in nyc for you!

vic- holy smokes, you must have perfect vision! where is the difference??! :)

sabu- nice find in comparisons. im guessing that both places were supplied by OA? any guesses on who carved these fellas?

david, nice article! it is awesome to see someone pick up the torch and turn it into a raging inferno. im glad to see all of your hard work get chronicled in the local newspaper. i'll admit, it is difficult to be completely out of it now in getting leads on the islander (read: a touch of jealousy), but i do enjoy seeing the updates and madly respect your sleuthing skills and dedication. i just wish that i also could have received the same response and interest from the stockton record when i was sniffing around there doing research for the initial post of this thread. i hope you are able to uncover more stories, pictures, and artifacts -- and are willing to share the stories on tc so we can vicariously live through you!

On 2010-03-02 17:08, abstractiki wrote:
Thanks everyone for your posted comments! That is a metal disk of some sort, I couldn't take it off and there was no disk on the bottom. There were no other markings on the Tiki other than the "ISLANDER" on top. Maybe some one put it on to cover a hole in the center. It looks like it is attached by big nails. There is no easy way to really get it off.

I have been looking at it more closely along side the the BOS photo. I'm not sure now if this is an indeed the same exact Tiki as in the photo. Does any one else have an opinion on this?

as for the tiki being the exact same one, i would have to guess maybe(?) if you look at the woo family's photo, you can see another one at the bottom of the other stairs. i think these guys were staffed next to the bottom (and maybe tops?) of each stair railing. you can see in the pic that there is metal in the back of them, maybe to stablize them to the wall. i would have to guess that they were supplied by oceanic arts, and that there were probably quite a few of them. neil pollard told me that each stair rail had tikis that supported them, but i could never get a very clear picture as to where they were and what they looked like. someone sold me a tiki rail a few years back that claimed it was from the islander, but it was marked "trader vic's" because the seller felt it would draw more interest. however, i'm pretty sure now that he was bullshitting me. :)

Wow, very cool work and find. That tahitian tiki is beautiful.

Hey! Just read the article from the Stockton Record, and I'm mentioned in it!

"Lincoln Center's Islander remains the Big Kahuna... It is still revered in tiki circles.
That's no exaggeration. Recently I attended a tiki convention in Modesto. A tiki buff up all the way from North Hollywood was wearing an Islander logo on a necklace."

I'M THAT TIKI BUFF!!! From West Hollywood, not North Hollywood, but who's to quibble when you get some ink in an article about the Islander?
And I have proof! Here's the pendant the author mentioned:

Yay! A brush with tiki fame!

http://ericoctober.com

[ Edited by: tobunga 2010-03-03 11:04 ]

Sabu - Yup! it sure does, nice postcard.

JT - I'll see you next week at Minnie's, don't forget the Rum!

Tobung - Thanks! I gave him my card and asked him to call me if he ever wanted to sell them. And yes you are indeed the Tiki Buff he's talking about! The Tiki sleuthing shall continue, Cheers!

Virani - thank you.

Tikicleen - Ive always felt that the Islander is your baby and your approval means allot to me. It was Svens book Tiki Modern and this Hop Louie thread you started in particular that got me hooked on this urban Tiki archeology. You laid the ground work for me and for what was to come. You made it all possible. I really owe you big Mahalo. I shall not rest until all the Islander Tikis are accounted for!!!

:)

Nice, I like Image heavy posts of the historical variety. After visiting and throughly enjoying this site for quite a while now, I thought It might be time to finally join in. I'm an animation professional who spent a good twenty years in Hawaii, and has been an avid Tiki fan for decades.
See ya next Post.
Cheers

on the nose the swirly line is different (starts off staighter on left, more curvy on right) and there is more wood taken off under the eye of the one on the right.

Oki NiKsoKoWa
(Hello all my relatives)
http://TikiJungle.com

[ Edited by: Jungle Trader 2010-03-07 13:17 ]

Tommy Lee's oldest daughter (Valerie Lee Acoba) just sent me this family photo. I don't know the date but it was in the 70's. Mahalo Valerie.

Tommy Lee and family in front of the Islander, 1970's

OH

MY

TIKI

GODS!!!!

Val Acoba taught at my high school!!!!! Never had her as a teacher; she taught dance, but I sure remember that name... she probably wouldn't know me, though.

I always look forward to updated from abstractiki, but this really blows my mind!!!!

COOL PIC, by the way, thanks for posting! I'm guessing that's Val in front in the lavender blouse? SHe was much older when I knew of her!

http://ericoctober.com

[ Edited by: tobunga 2010-04-08 21:40 ]

ISLANDER FIVE 0, FOSTER P.I.

Tobunga, yup that's her! Small world, she just recently retired her teaching job and is now producing theater. She still lives in Stockton.

Jungle Trader, ha ha, I loved that show, I've been watching it on HULU internet TV! Maybe it's rubbing off on me.

Breaking Islander NEWS!

I'm sad to report that the Islander's last days are upon us. Demolition is imminent.

The end has finally come for the Stockton Islander. I was there a few hours ago and took these pictures. :(

DAMN!!!!!!!!
What tha hell ?
I dont live anywhere near the place and I feel sad!
Can somebody grab me a piece of the place?

Another great building is down :(
Thanks for the photos and news again.

Another one bites the dust.
Thanks for a great thread Cleen!
May it continue.

Doh!!
Bastards!!!

Jeff(btd)

God I hate demolition photographs!!

Sorry to see the building go...what a waste.

Thanks again to abstractiki - for distributing the famous Islander bamboo souvenirs that help memorialize this once-grand tiki temple.

Thanks for the update guys (I think).

That Sucks!! What A great old place.. Those that were fortunate enough to go to the Islander back in the day, Long live the memories you have.. :)
Abstractiki ~ Again mahalo's to you for all the updates and my awesome bamboo from there.. It's all history now...
I think I'll have to have a mai tai in my Islander mug now..
Aloha Islander

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

F*CK !

What a damn shame.

Thanx to you Abstract, I DO have a piece of bamboo from there.

You should have tried to get those doors.

what a sight to see.

its incredible that it stayed this long, considering it was supposed to be torn down back in spring 2007. while its very sad to see the images of it being ripped apart, it was depressing to drive past it in its abandoned defunct state. i cant help but think of the kahiki video that was made when the guy filmed the entire demolition of the kahiki with corresponding depressing background music while it rained. guess we'll see if a walgreens pops up it in its place.....

Abstract,

Thanks for the final photos, glad that someone who cares was there to say goodbye to the old gal.

DC

Dang.

While it still stood, I always harbored a tiny hope that it could somehow be resurrected... no chance of that now...

Mahalo Tikicleen for starting this post and all your research and Abstractiki for your tireless urban archaeology! You inspired Manuel and I to sneak into the abandoned building twice on our recent trips up to Stockton, and I'm so glad we had a chance to actually stand beneath the a-frame of this classic tiki temple!

Guess I shouldn't bother trying to win the lottery now... woulda bought the Islander and brought it back into town and reopened it!
Too bad I'm not a millionaire! Heck, are there ANY millionaires out there who have any affinity for classic tiki culture? Where are you guys?!?! Help save our tiki past! AAAAAAAA!!!!!!

I'm sad now... but we'll raise a mai tai tonight to toast the Stockton Islander and mourn the departing of its earthly remains...

LONG LIVE THE STOCKTON ISLANDER!!!! :cry:

Warning! Sad and shocking photos!

Thank you everyone for your comments. On Tuesday there was a lot of media including Lodi News Sentinel who interview me for their story. Channel 10 News and the Stockton Record were among the others. I also met with the demolition contractor who is a nice guy that has fond memories of the Islander and Latitude 20.

By Wednesday I heard there was a whole bunch of people watching it. I couldn't stick around since my daughter was sick. They didn't get done with the demolition until last night.

Photo posted on Facebook by Ron, a Stockton Historical group member.

I took this picture early this morning.

I managed to salvage an outrigger beam from the debris.

:x

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2010-04-15 12:11 ]

A sad sight, indeed. :(

:music: From the ashes we can build another day :music:.....Moody Blues

Had no idea that demolition day had come - just drove past the heap of debris that was the Islander :(

Philistines
Another Tiki palace that now only resides in the memory of those fortunate enough to have enjoyed the experience of its grandeur. May its passing not be forgotten. (tissue please)
Trader Bob

I recently met with Marty Thorpe of Stockton and he gave me this awesome photo. (Thanks Marty) That's him with his hot rod in front of the Islander's Latitude 20 lounge in 1968. He was about 19 in the photo.

The Latitude was 3,500 sq ft and extended west from the Main Islander building. The entrance was facing the same direction as the Islander's.

Note the Islanders roof line, how small it seems in the distance.

That is a sweet photo! It's got all the right elements.

and lotsa coolness!

Funny, I think of silver as a car color for the new millennium...I didn't think silver was a popular car color back in the 60's. I don't think it came as a standard manufacturers color. Anyone have any knowledge on this ?

That car looks badass in silver.

I just realized the front of the car was cut off in that last picture so I scanned it again. The colors are almost dead on comparing the computer screen to the original but in the original photo the car looks like it might have a bit of a gold tone to it.

The Islander/Latitude was right on corner of Pacific Ave. and Benjamin Holt Drive. Pacific Ave was the main drag and cruising was big there during the sixties. I used to cruise it myself in 79-82 and even at 14 I rode my bike to this corner to watch the action. Then it was outlawed in the mid 80's and just as the Islander left Pacific Ave in the mid 80's so did cruising, end of and era.

Yea, I love this picture, this is a classic period photo. I almost fell over when he showed it to me.

Wow!

Leave it to abstractiki to dig up such a cool photo!

And finally the entrance to Latitude 20 in relation to the rest of the Islander is established! That question has been driving me nuts for quite some time now!

From the photo, it looks like it's much farther from the A-frame than would be accommodated in what was moved out to the Pollardville site.

Abstractiki, do you know if the Latitude 20 addition to the Islander was moved with the rest of the building or not?

Mahalo!

Found this by accident:
Anybody's dad in there?

"In 1972 the North Stockton Rotary Club met at the "Islander Restaurant" Nightclub called "Latitude 20". Needless to say, if those walls could talk......"

Blog with larger photo.

unga! is that YOU??!

:)

i think tobunga posed a good question. it seems like latitude 20 wasnt part of the move since it appears to be such a long extension from the a-frame. however, in all of the articles that talked about the big move to pollardville, it only mentions how the cut the place into three sections; top, and halved the bottom.

cool pic of marty!