Pages: 1 23 replies
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Sat, Aug 15, 2009 11:48 AM
I picked up this sign yesterday from Craigslist - the seller says it used to hang at the now defunct Trader Vic's at 20 Cosmo Place in San Francisco. The story seems believable to me, but I was wondering if anybody has a picture to prove this (I couldn't see it in any pics in the locating tiki thread for 20 Cosmo: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=30113&forum=2&hilite=20%20cosmo)
Signed "Pischoff" - which I found out is a defunct SF sign company It appears to have been attached with metal bolts which were cut off: It's not in perfect condition, but I don't care :) - I see paint drips in white and red (couldn't they have coveried it??) The seller told me his family owned the 20 Cosmo Place building when TV's was a tennant. Apparently when TV's closed, some items were left behind - everything was auctioned off except for this sign. His father passed it on to him, and it has been in dry storage ever since. He told me he's been trying to sell it for a while, and almost sold it to Jimmy Buffett's new restaurant in Waikiki (yikes!! :D) Adam (the seller) told me he remembers the sign hanging in an alley facing the parking lot(?) He said it was very difficult to remove, partially due to the fact that it had lots of lava rock surrounding it. Anyway, I hope this is the real deal, but I like it either way. It was a fair price too (I believe). Trad'r Bill UPDATE - This sign is not from TV Cosmo PL - read my later post on this page [ Edited by: Trad'r Bill 2009-08-19 17:06 ] [ Edited by: Trad'r Bill 2010-06-15 21:50 ] [ Edited by: Trad'r Bill 2011-05-05 17:06 ] |
BB
Bongo Bungalow
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 3:05 AM
Looks very cool! If there's a picture of it in place, someone will come up with it. "Chow 'n Grog"... does that phrase appear on other Don's materials? |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 10:49 AM
Bongo Bungalow- Yep, I know I've heard Trader Vic use the phrase "chow n' grog" somewhere before... maybe it was in one of his books. I think he actually coined the phrase, but I will need to investigate more to prove this. :) |
OGR
Or Got Rum?
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 2:20 PM
In Ooga Mooga they show a Tiki Bob's Chow and Grog mug...supposedly an early version. Just a thought as the sign came from a San Francisco Company. ??? OGR? |
OGR
Or Got Rum?
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 2:53 PM
....and on a matchbook from Cherry Capri's collection on Critiki |
1
1961surf
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 6:40 PM
Both Tiki Bobs and Trader Vics used that slogan on their menus and mugs. |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 7:57 PM
Thanks OGR - forgot about Tiki Bob's using this too... '61surf - can't wait to see what you can find! |
T
tikisobayli
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Aug 17, 2009 5:49 PM
Man...the ATL Craigslist only has "bad" ads for rusted out BBQ grills and "free" landscape stuff as long as you dig it up yourself....Super cool...nice!!!! |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Aug 18, 2009 8:21 PM
Don't feel bad tikisobayli - I had to wade through thousands of decaying tiki torches and party store tiki to find this sign on the SF craigslist... just gotta keep looking! |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Aug 19, 2009 4:44 PM
Well, I found some info... the sign is not from Trader Vic's 20 Cosmo: From our friend, Kier - the TV Warehouse girl: "Thanks for the Email. Kinda a bummer, but I still really like the sign. (I would have bought it anyway, even if I had known this info). Trad'r Bill |
A
anahata1
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Jun 7, 2010 9:53 PM
Hello, |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Jun 13, 2010 4:10 PM
OMG - I just read this - YES I still have the sign! sending PM right now!! [ Edited by: Trad'r Bill 2010-06-13 16:11 ] |
B
bigbrotiki
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Jun 13, 2010 4:52 PM
You know, Tiki Bob's used the "Chow'n'Grog" concept, too.... |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Jun 13, 2010 8:31 PM
hey bigbro- yeah, I just recently bagged my Tiki Bob "Chow 'n Grog" mug on eBay... seems like the sign could possibly be from one of the Tiki Bob's incarnations... just a guess at this point. I'm patiently awaiting a response from anahata1! Trad'r Bill [ Edited by: trad'r bill 2010-06-14 09:52 ] |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Jun 15, 2010 8:41 PM
Ok, so I made contact with anahata1 (wu!) - she doesn't have info herself about the sign, but tells me her Mom/Aunts/Uncles all went to see their father's signs at various restaurants. Very promising lead! We are arranging a time she can stop by and see the sign - our quests have merged, so we are both very excited... I'm collecting pictures of old Bay Area tiki joints so she can show her family. Who knows, maybe this sign ain't even "tiki" at all, but it's a place to start... and I can dream :D If anyone has any informed guesses of where this sign may have lived, please share so I can pass it along to anahata1's family... Here's my list: Thanks! |
1
1961surf
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Jun 15, 2010 8:57 PM
Good luck with your quest Trader Bill .I would want to know as well . |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Jun 15, 2010 10:16 PM
Maybe?
-Trad'r Bill [ Edited by: Trad'r Bill 2010-06-15 22:52 ] |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Fri, Jun 25, 2010 3:44 PM
anahata1 and I should be meeting up in the next week or so... can't wait to see what info she can gather! Trad'r Bill |
1
1961surf
Posted
posted
on
Fri, Jun 25, 2010 6:03 PM
Cant wait . |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 12:58 AM
Maybe it's from Skipper Kent's?? |
1
1961surf
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 1:16 AM
Id still like to think it from here .
|
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 1:21 PM
Little update on my quest... I've been in touch with the Pischoff family regarding the lineage of the sign - Mr. Pischoff's daughter confirmed that her father worked extensively with Trader Vic on his signs. She also specifically remembers my sign! I'm waiting to hear back if she can confirm this sign was actually at one of Vic's locations... and which one. Looks like the original seller of the sign may have been on the money when he said it was from Vic's? The Bergeron clan has already stated that they believe this is not from Trader Vic's, but it's always possible that background info like this gets overlooked/forgotten. Trad'r Bill |
STCB
Sabu The Coconut Boy
Posted
posted
on
Wed, May 4, 2011 5:02 PM
I'm more inclined to believe this sign came from Tiki Bob's now that I've seen the lettering on a new menu that just got posted on the Tiki Bob's location thread: |
TB
Trad'r Bill
Posted
posted
on
Thu, May 5, 2011 5:01 PM
Agreed Sabu - this mystery is solved in my mind! Thanks for posting this connection. Trad'r Bill |
Pages: 1 23 replies