Tahiti Hut, Vancouver BC, CANADA (Restaurant)

Name:Tahiti Hut
Type:Restaurant
Street:1316 West 73 Avenue
City:Vancouver BC
State:
Zip:
country:CANADA
Phone:266-1211
Status:Defunct

Description:
Back in the summer of 2009 I started doing alot of research on local Tiki/Polynesian/Hawaiian establishments. Almost anything I could find that had a tropical or exotic name to it. After coming across the name of this restaurant while doing some research, I remembered I had this matchbook:

Tahiti Hut 1316 West 73 Avenue in Vancouver, BC.
On the back of the matchbook it reads "Aloha Loni (Welcome) Hawaii-Tahiti you like it. The Tahiti Hut International Exotic Drinks and Cocktails".

I have had this matchbook for years and I also thought I had a mug with the same name on it but until recently, my collection was in storage and had been for a few years so I couldn't check it.

While talking to a local dance instructor a few years back who has been in the Hawaiian Entertainment business here in BC for years, we talked about the Hawaiian Village in New Westminster. He said that he and a few girls used to perform (Hawaiian Dance) there on the weekends. He told me how he believed the owners of The Hawaiian Village also had another Tiki/Hawaiian place in Vancouver. He couldn't really remember the name but that was enough for me.

I believe the Tahiti Hut to be the Restaurant affiliated with the Hawaiian Village for really only one reason, actually two but I will get into the other one later. When I talked to Tom who worked in ceramics and made molds for mugs (and alot of other things) he said he made mugs for the Hawaiian Village Restaurants one being in Vancouver and the New West location close to his home. I said there was only one Hawaiian Village location but he said there was two but under a different name. Once I remembered the mug I had it all clicked together.

The mugs are pretty much the exact same ones except there were different versions. They were all pretty much copied Orchids of Hawaii mugs just smaller, less detail and with the name Tahiti Hut on the back along with the phone number. Just like the Hawaiian Village mugs. Even the same writing style, placement of phone numbers and "Aloha" on thier mugs.

Here's one that I have from the Tahiti Hut:

Sorry for the bad photo! This is the Surfer Girl mug.

Here is a picture of 4 Hawaiian Village mugs:

Besides the white Wahine mug up front, the 3 other mugs were molded from Orchids of Hawaii originals and then produced with the Hawaiian Village name and phone number on it. The Tahiti Hut mug is done the exact same way. Check out the Surfer Girl mug on the back left!

I am still on the track of the owners for The Hawaiian Village but nothing yet.

I tried looking for Ad's or anything like that but there are none for the Tahiti Hut. I did go through listings and was able to establish that the Tahiti Hut was open from 1984 to 1989. Not lasting as long as The Hawaiian Village but was open during the same period. Hawaiian Village closed it's doors about 9 years later.

More to come!
Mahalo, TabooDan

[ Edited by: Taboodan 2011-08-05 23:07 ]

Nice work TD. Here is a little blurb I found from a Vancuver Sun article talking about area restaurants.

Vancouver Sun, August 8th 1986