Paulynesian Paradise - Refurbished Bantam Products Tiki Bar

Thanks to a request, I thought I'd post a photo of my 1960s (sometime between 63-65 from my googling on it) refurbished Bantam Products Tiki Bar. My understanding is this was sold by Sears; that's where the original owner that I purchased it from said he got it.

This still has the original laminate. I removed and replaced the rubber edging and ditched the thatch grass skirt from the front and sides and went with some tiles made of coconut shells. So that it could withstand the humidity of the DC area, I varnished all of the wood in Marine Varnish (including the wood the tile is mounted on and the edges of the bar before replacing the rubber edging.

If anyone else knows further history on it, feel free to post!

Cheers,
Paul

Thanks to a request, I thought I'd post a photo of my 1960s (sometime between 63-65 from my googling on it) refurbished Bantam Products Tiki Bar. My understanding is this was sold by Sears; that's where the original owner that I purchased it from said he got it.

This still has the original laminate. I removed and replaced the rubber edging and ditched the thatch grass skirt from the front and sides and went with some tiles made of coconut shells. So that it could withstand the humidity of the DC area, I varnished all of the wood in Marine Varnish (including the wood the tile is mounted on and the edges of the bar before replacing the rubber edging.

If anyone else knows further history on it, feel free to post!

Cheers,
Paul

Cool bar!!!! I really like the style of the build. :)

So it came with those outrigger beams on the roof? Very cool feature, that really makes it early 60s vintage. Can you post another photo of them, they disappear against the dark ceiling.

...and the coconut shell tiles look great! I'd like to know more about those. thanks!

Sure, I'll try and take a photo next nice day we have to show off the roofline; this was one I had forgotten I had just after we finished the refurbishment. I'll also take one of the laminate top as it is a really cool tribal-like pattern.

I was planning to build my own, when my wife found this on Craig's List for $125; that was about 4 years ago. I instantly fell in love with the lines.

We sourced the coconut tiles for Home Depot's now defunct Expo store. It was a custom order and we planned to use it in our kitchen. Unfortunately the Expo salesperson led us wrong and where we were going to use them (as a back splash for a stove) was inappropriate. They wouldn't take them back because it was a custom order even though their salesperson gave us incorrect information. So when we got the bar, we immediately thought of them as a replacement for the grass skirt. I'll try and remember to post the manufacturer of them. I still have several boxes of them, so perhaps I'll consider reselling them.

Thanks for the gracious comments everyone and feel free to ask more tiki-Qs on it...

That is great...can you post some more up close and personal pictures. Outrigger top is out of this world!!!