Tiki Archeology-The Trade Winds-Oxnard, Ca (Image Heavy)

Love this post. A menu and ashtray from the Trade Winds.

DC

I'm born and raised in Oxnard and I have been interested in the Tiki/Polynesian culture for about the last 15 years or so.I knew one day I would build my own Tiki Bar in my backyard.After 2 months of research and endless trips to HomeDepot and long days of cutting,drilling,hammering,etc. I finally done it!I can honestly say that this is one of the best things I've built.I've had 2 big parties and it's been a big hit every time.I heard people say this is Oxnard's best kept secret and they want to come back every weekend!And that makes me very happy.The bar itself seats about 14 people and is somewhat fully stocked for all those mixed drinks.I also made a small DJ booth for my good friend who is a well known DJ from a local radio station.I also have a small dancefloor for those restless feet.All this is inside a 18ft x 18ft Tiki hut.My wife thought I was crazy when I told her what I wanted to do.I think she understands now.I will post some pics in the future but can't reveal the exact location because I'm afraid the city might make me remove it.I've always wondered about those wind swept palm trees by Wagon Wheel.Now I know thanks to Tiki Central.I knew something was there at one time.I was so intrigued that I went there yesterday.The whole area is abondoned.Kind of an erie feeling standing in the middle of that lot just knowing that was the place to be decades ago.I believe demolition is going to begin soon.They're making way for a housing development.I hope they keep those palm trees there!They're awesome!I believe there was something by the Oxnard airport also back in the day.I remember being in the backseat as my dad drove by there,seeing a Tiki/Polynesian type of building.Does anyone know what was there?My guess it was probably a liquor store or bar.Does anyone know of more places of interest in my area?My dream is to open up a Tiki bar in Oxnard(preferably by the beach)Maybe use the old Trade Winds as my guide!I think we need something like that in this area.I'm looking for 2 Tiki statues(5ft tall) for the entrance of my Tiki bar.Anybody in my area?Reply on Tiki Central or [email protected]!

Welcome aboard there Tiki Bar Chris,

Nice to see folks from the 805 on TC.

You need to post pics of your bar.

I'd go to a cool tiki bar in Oxnard Shores if one opened up.

There used to be a Don The Beachcombers in Santa Barbara in the 1980's that I frequented.

DC

Aloha Tiki Bar Chris. Would like to see what you have done. TikiTony is local for your Big Tiki needs. Also Tiki Diablo, Polynesiac, Kirby, Crazy Al, Tiki Ray and many other Tiki Central members can carve you something. Check out Oceanic Arts in Whittier for decor and Tikis. The bar at the Oxnard Airport was Ted Hughes Tiki Club + more here

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=28606&forum=17&hilite=oxnard%20airport

Also there was Wellman Jue's Paradise in Ventura on Main Street

Aloha Tiki bar Chris, and thanks for the plug Bongo!
I have just brought two more palm logs back to life in my Secret Volcanic Lair.This latest set has a small set of Bose Speakers installed in them so you can listen to music poolside or on the outdoor patio.
I carve custom tikis, any size, and I'm right here in Ventura.
Call VonTiki at 805 218 2855 or email me at [email protected]
Mahalo!
I'll post some pix tomorrow.
I recently carved a tiki for David Ellis, who's father Richard, was the carver who did most of the tikis for the Tradewinds. The Tiki was a tribute replica carving of one his father carved over 40 years ago.

[ Edited by: VonTiki 2009-03-20 19:49 ]

Aaaah what a great post, TC at its finest. X-ept that Bongofury's opening post's pictures are all postage stamp size now.
Oh well, nothing lasts:

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/sep/30/judge-rejects-bid-to-halt-wagon-wheel-demolition/

Judge rejects bid to halt Wagon Wheel demolition

A Ventura County Superior Court judge on Wednesday ruled against an effort to stop the demolition of the historic Wagon Wheel Restaurant and Motel next to Highway 101 in Oxnard.

A preservation group, the San Buenaventura Conservancy, wanted the court to halt the demotion of the old buildings and order the city of Oxnard to redo an environmental impact report on a developer’s planned $100 million makeover of the 64-acre property.

The group argued that the city neglected practical alternatives to tearing down the structures, which is required under the California Environmental Quality Act.

But Judge Glen Reiser said in his written ruling that the city — and attorneys for the developer Oxnard Village Investment LLC — showed that preserving and restoring the dilapidated buildings would create extra costs “sufficiently severe as to render it impractical to proceed.”

Neither Susan Brandt-Hawley, the attorney for the San Buenaventura Conservancy, or Oxnard City Attorney Alan Holmberg had seen the ruling as of late Wednesday afternoon and would not comment on the judge’s decision.

While the ruling was a victory for the city, he issued some caveats and chastised the city on several levels. Reiser said the city could not consider his decision as vindication for its conduct.

The judge said the city had, in fact, violated CEQA and Mayor Tom Holden and another councilman had inappropriately ridiculed the conservancy’s viewpoint publicly during a hearing. The judge also said the city attorney, in Reiser’s court, apparently misrepresented the administrative record of the process.

According to city estimates, it would cost $7 million to restore the old Wagon Wheel roadside attraction. Instead, the developer plans memorialize it in photographs and by incorporating pieces of it in a new transit center planned for the site. But the preservationists argued that the plan was akin to “drawing a chalk mark around a dead body.”

In January, the city approved the plan, which entails razing the old motel, restaurant and bowling alley as well as taking a 171-space mobile home park and the other old industrial and commercial buildings. In their place, the developer plans to build about 1,500 homes, apartments and town homes, as well as commercial development and a transit center.

About 225 homes would be affordable, some for very low-income families. Included in the plans are about 50,000 square feet of new mixed-use commercial buildings and possibly two 25-story high-rise apartment buildings.

It was not immediately clear what Wednesday’s ruling meant for the conservancy’s effort to stop the demolition or whether the group would appeal the decision or sue the city on grounds it violated CEQA rules.

Okay, it's time to document what's left of the Wagon Wheel. How about those of us in Ventura County get together (soon) one weekend and stroll through the WW.

We can end up by bowling at WW Bowl or hoisting a few at the brew pub across from the palms of the Trade Winds. Or both.

Anybody interested?

If anyone wants to meet we could also have drinks at my place where you can see the blueprints of the Trade Winds exterior, interior, and lake.

As far as the development of the property, nothing will happen until the economy changes. Directly across the freeway is a large shopping center that was started 3 years ago and sits uncompleted. After most of the exteriors were completed there has been little work done on them in over a year.

I agree that nothing will be built for some time (or never). But how many times have we seen demolition happen overnight?

Developers knock it down first. Then we look at a hole for years when their funding fell through. Case in point: The Miramar.

Best not to dilly dally.

On 2009-10-06 08:44, bongofury wrote:
If anyone wants to meet we could also have drinks at my place where you can see the blueprints of the Trade Winds exterior, interior, and lake.

I'd be up for a Wagon Wheel expedition starting at the Rincon Room.

DC

Cool, Stacey and I would be up for an expedition.

On 2009-10-06 08:44, bongofury wrote:
If anyone wants to meet we could also have drinks at my place where you can see the blueprints of the Trade Winds exterior, interior, and lake.

Since you volunteered the Rincon Room, you deserve the right to select the date (or at least start the date selection process.)

Under the Trade Wind's trees would be a cool field trip from the Rincon Room. Maybe we could have a mini luau there?

Hey Ojaitimo! Do you have any pix from when you and I explored the WW? We even got a few cool souveniers!
We explored it when it was very recently closed. We scored menu's and wagon wheels and clip art and lots of shwag. Tim you have the pix somewhere. Remember when I tore my pants climbing in the window? That was fun. The sign is really cool and still in tact. That would be a really cool thing to have, but it's so big!

Yep, I'll start a post in Beyond Tiki. Here is a post card from Jeffrey Maullhart's new book on Oxnard. Lots of great images of all of Bud Smith's projects and some cool surprises like the Crow's Nest next to Oxnard Airport

Hawaiian Cowboy? Yikes, that must have been around the Urban Cowboy style/fiasco.

I know I am years late for this topic, but that's ok as the only incarnation of the building I ever knew was the final one. I may be wrong, but I think it was simply known as The Ice Cream Palace. I was very young, but it was my favorite place anywhere until the day they shut it down. Then I discovered the Tiki Room in Disneyland and the addiction was born. The design has stuck with me for so long that to this day I am determined to thatch the roof on my house and put tiki's in my yard. If I ever get around to it that should bring some interesting looks from my neighbors here in NW Oregon.

Aaron

[ Edited by: WouldThatICould 2010-09-29 18:13 ]

Wow, this thread is fascinating! I'll start by introducing myself. I'm a resident of Oxnard and me and my gal purchased a mid-century modern home in North Oxnard just minutes from Wagon Wheel. I go by the place every day. Anyway, I want to do a tiki inspired room in our home. This forum is so full of great ideas I don't know where to begin!
My hats off to all the hard working people and activists who tried to save the Wagon Wheel area from the wrecking ball. To no avail, its scheduled to become high-rise condos. But much of the area remains for now.
Our home was designed by Richard Kehoe and I will be posting pics soon.
Cheers!
Todd

Local News reports show that Hop Louie and Minnie Woo took over the Trade Winds from Smith in mid 1968 and reopened it on August 6th 1968 as "Hop Louie's Trade Winds".

Reports also show that he and his wife were making many changes in the restaurant including "extensive redecoration to pattern it after their quarter million dollar Latitude 20 in Torrance".

When I was a kid growing up in So Cal we'd occasionally drive up thru Ventura county and I still remember looking out to just the other side of the gigantic rotating neon Wagon Wheel Junction sign (you could see that thing for miles at night) and seeing the tall palms and high A-frame of the Trade Winds calling to me. Dad never would stop for dinner because 'It's too damn expensive'. Oh well. At least he'd take us to Kelbos.
BTW: I drove past The Junction on a trip over the holidays and it practically made me cry to see what's happened to it, and the rest of the 101 corridor there. I'm sure bongofury would agree with me that the greatest example of a city destroying it's scenic identity has got to be Oxnard's absolute orgy of retail all along the freeway from Ventura to Camarillo. The rock band America described how beautiful it used to be in their 70's song 'Ventura Highway'. Now it's just disgusting.

On 2009-10-26 14:55, Ojaitimo wrote:
Yep, I'll start a post in Beyond Tiki. Here is a post card from Jeffrey Maullhart's new book on Oxnard. Lots of great images of all of Bud Smith's projects and some cool surprises like the Crow's Nest next to Oxnard Airport

First time checking this thread out.What an incredible looking interior...figures a set
designer from 2oth Century Fox had the creativity and imagination to put together such a
great looking and inviting interior.

Boy it sure would be nice to see all of the historical images restored that Bongofury posted at the beginning of this thread (hint hint).

Here is a sweet matchbook from the Trade Winds that I attempted to purchase on ebay.

DC

Someday I will try to repost all those images. Takes me forever and I didn't save them on this computer. I bid on that matchbook too. Went for a lot more than I wanted to part with, but had never seen that one before.

I hit a little Trade Winds trifecta, the matchbook, a mini matchbook, and a swizzle pic that I have never seen before.

The matchbooks.

The pic

The junk featured on the matchbook was replicated to perfection on the pic.

Bongofury's gonna like these!

More info to come

DC

Awesome finds DC!!

But you have seen that pick before - BOSKO shared one with us back in 2008. It's an amazing find and as far as I know one of only 2 in existence :o but I really hope not, since I's gots to have one! :)

Bora Boris,

Of course Bosko would have one.

The colors looked like these were made to celebrate a new born, Mai Tai with a pink swizzle for a girl or a blue swizzle for a boy!

DC

Found an article discussing the upcoming opening of the Trade Winds with some old crusty photos.

The owner Martin Bud Smith.

The architect Fred Moniger and the model - he designed movie sets.

The Tiki carver Richard Ellis.

The article.

DC

Found a few more cool Tiki ads from the Trade Winds.

DC

What fab Tiki-archaeology!

Thank you!

I dug up a few more old news stories and photos from the Trade Winds.

An early architectural rendering of the building with a scheduled trip around the globe By Mr. Smith to collect artifacts for the restaurant. This early story lists the restaurant designer as Cliff and Lou Sawyer, but that didn't pan out.

Some more entertainment, including Arthur Lyman.

The Johnny Ukelele all star review.

Dave Pele with Ernie Menehune on deck.

Now here is where it gets a little interesting. This ad lists the new owners as Mike and Dale.

And this ad lists Hop Louie as the owner. First time I have seen the name in the ads.

Coming full circle, a story from 1977 when the restaurant became a Don the Beachcombers.

DC

[ Edited by: Dustycajun 2012-01-28 21:38 ]

I think I've got the Trade Winds timeline figured out from the info posted previously and articles in the Oxnard Press Courier.

1963 - Bud Smith initiates designs on the new Trade Winds after travelling the world and the South Seas. Hires an all-star ensemble of architects, designers and Tiki carvers.

1964 - Trade Winds opens, operated by Bud Smith.

1968 - Hop Louie takes over and remodels the restaurant with more Tiki. Brings in big name acts such as Arthur Lyman and Ernie Menehune.

1975 - Ad surfaces showing Mike and Dale as the proprietors of the Trade Winds.

1977 - Don The Beachcombers surfaces briefly.

1978 - Coconut Joe's Warehouse opens with a remodeled warehouse theme.

1979 - The Ice Cream Store replaces Coconut Joe's as a wholesome, clean family restaurant.

1981 - Hawaiian Cowboy replaces the Ice Cream Shop. It closes in 1982.

1984 - The Trade Winds building is demolished.

Here are a few more clippings to round out the story.

Article on Hop Louie and Minnie Woo taking over.

Of course Hop Louie and a direct connection to Arthur Lyman at the time, having just recorded his second album at Hop Louie's Latitude 20 restaurant.

Ernie Menehune

Coconut Joe's Warehouse.

The Ice Cream Store.

And a 1984 article summarizing the history.

DC

[ Edited by: Dustycajun 2012-01-29 07:44 ]

Nice work DC,

The Coconut Joe's Warehouse guy sounds like an idiot!

https://tikicentral.com/uploads/75777/4f1c386f.jpg
https://tikicentral.com/uploads/8169/4f256711.jpg

[ Edited by: Tiki Diablo 2012-01-29 10:25 ]

When I saw that Tiki at the auction house site, I thought it was an old one, too.

The one they repeatedly used in the Tradewinds ads was swiped from a Tahitian Village Downey menu:

It has that classic Milan Guanko "helmet", and I believe I found it (or one very much like it) in the 90s in the Tahitian Village Motel courtyard.
Time had not been kind to it.

WOW!!! :o

Great research on the Tradewinds and Arthur Lyman connection Dusty!! Mucho Mahalo!!

Anyway of getting better pics of the Arthur Lyman Group? The one at the Ilikai hotel.

This is all extremely cool!!

Even Ernie Menehune was there too!! :)

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

[ Edited by: Jeff Central 2012-01-30 10:20 ]

This thread is required reading for anyone on next week's Ventura bus crawl.

It's your Tiki homework assignment !! It will all make sense next Saturday (3/24). :)

Tell'em, John-O! By the way, did ya see the new Hukilau mug by Danny Gallardo?

Trade Winds Mugs

Trade Winds Grog List

I think Bosko has that last cup. Would have been cool to stay at the Wagon Wheel Motel,
get picked up in the Ricshaw for drinks in the Junk, dinner inside. watch the floor show
and pick up something from the gift shop on the way out.

I finally found a few of the images for the Trade Winds that I had posted a few years ago...

Exceptional photos; thanks.

BongoFury,

Thanks so much for re-posting all of those great old photos.

Here is another color shot from Ojaitimo's site.

And of course this thread would not be complete without your Trade Winds Tiki (couldn't have gone to a better home!)

Which was proudly featured as the 2012 Hukilau mug.

And a few more ads. This one is for Prince Tafili and the Royal Samoan's.

And the Guys and Dolls.

This group was comprised of singers from the Adolpho Camarillo High School Group called the Today Generation. There website has this description of the Trade Winds.

I remember in going to the Trade Winds Restaurant in Oxnard. John Stanewich was performing with other classmates as the Guys & Dolls. They were a house favorite. The restaurant was an A-frame architecture with large palm trees. It had tiki torches, a koi fish pond under a little bridge leading to the entrance which set the mood. It was a Polynesian palace with bamboo, fountains and gigantic tropical fish tanks. There were singers, hula girls, and spell binding floor shows with fire dancers. My favorite part of this experience was drinking out of hollowed-out pineapples. The gazebo was the Samoa Hut and had a water feature around it on the plan as did the curved bar behind it (tempura bar on left, Somoa waterfall on right behind bar). The Zanzibar room in the back had it's own bar and fireplace. There was also an East Indies Room, another room that I can't quite read (Secte Trompsoy Room?), dance floor and stage area, gift shop, a liquor room, office, dressing areas, a huge kitchen and service bar, porter and gardner room., and storage. Looks like it had a covered car port/valet area like the Mai Kai also. The Trade Winds has since been demolished yet the palm trees are still there.

DC

Thanks guys for posting!

Doug Horne's take on the Trade Winds Tiki. Thanks Doug!

That is so great!

Only Mr. Horne!

I drove by the Trade Winds former location yesterday and noticed this bulldozer had started doing some work. Looks like something may be happening soon. I really hope they are planning to preserve the trees. Anyone heard anything?

This is a photo from Annie Ellis on the left with her mother, two sisters and David Ellis next to the trailer that Richard Ellis stayed in next to the site while carving dozens of Tiki for the Trade Winds.

That is a very cool photo!