Kelbo's, Los Angeles, CA (restaurant)

If you can post a frame capture or two from that interior scene, I could tell you.

The Go-Go's record label signing party at Kelbos, circa 1981.

Under Kelbo's tin roofs, stuffed macaws and dried banana peels, the Go-Go’s and Copeland signed that sacred document, the long-term recording contract. And the flashbulbs started popping. 

Said lead guitarist Charlotte: I feel really secure, happy now. It makes more sense to be on a smaller label who’ll pay a lot of attention to you.

DC

Found this great old article on Kelbo's in a 1957 edition of Mechanix Illustrated. It tells the story of how Kelbo's started on a shoestring.

DC

On 2013-10-03 22:51, woofmutt wrote:
Just saw the 1969 film The Gay Deceivers* which has a small scene shot inside a Tiki joint (with actual tikis visible) and another scene shot outside of Kelbo's. Don't know if the interior was Kelbo's or a set.

*Amusing enough farce to watch with some really swell period sets.

Here's the interior shot that happens at 39:30 into the movie

and here's two of the Kelbo's shot that happens 57:30 into the movie. This is the Fairfax location

and here is YouTube link to movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TrNwO5FZ8g

Great screen grabs Otto!

Ok, so has anyone gone by here in the past couple of weeks to see what's going on?

We're wondering what business is going into this space now and whether or not the sign is being saved ... considering all the vintage wreckovations in LA recently we know it's too much to ask for but wouldn't it be great if this became a tiki bar again!

On 2016-03-21 12:51, mike and marie wrote:
Ok, so has anyone gone by here in the past couple of weeks to see what's going on?

We're wondering what business is going into this space now and whether or not the sign is being saved ... considering all the vintage wreckovations in LA recently we know it's too much to ask for but wouldn't it be great if this became a tiki bar again!

That would be awesome!

On 2016-03-21 12:51, mike and marie wrote:
Ok, so has anyone gone by here in the past couple of weeks to see what's going on?

We're wondering what business is going into this space now and whether or not the sign is being saved ... considering all the vintage wreckovations in LA recently we know it's too much to ask for but wouldn't it be great if this became a tiki bar again!

They remolded and Fantasy Island is open again. They replace the sign though. No more tiki up top.

It was saved by pure luck by someone passing by;

Bigbro,

More info on that sign!

Here is a nice old photo of Kelbo's in all of its glory.

Newspaper article with the owner Tom Kelly and an interior photo.

DC

Someone has been selling estate photos from owner Tom Kelley on ebay and I screen-grabbed a few of the more interesting ones.

Here is are a few of owners Tom Kelley and Joe Bouck.

Dolly Parton was a patron.

A few interior photos showing several rooms.

Two exterior shots with the building and the mural.

Various bits of paper ephemera.
I have never seen one of these photo folders before.

Close up of my drink menu.

Now this is an interesting find. There was a Kelbo's Junior built in Marina Del Rey.
Here is a photo of the groundbreaking.

And a news article indicating that it opened in 1965.

And one last bit of Kelbo's trivia, apparently there one located on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks!

DC

After all those great archive pics from DC, it's hard to post this, but...

Only the outline of our tiki guy remains.

At this point it's safe to say that every last chunk of lucite is gone

Bamboo Ben passed on a message to me from Susan Lillis-Brouck Smith, the daughter of the owner of Kelbo's

"Thank you for putting up the color version of the KELBOS flyer. My father, Jacklin Henry Bouck was the artist of the Conversation Window. I watched him assemble part of it in the kitchen of Kelbo's when they were in the midst of rebuilding it after it burnt in 1962. My father was a percussionist and played on the cruise ship that toured the South Pacific from 1926-1930. He collected recipes from his many ports of call. He would cook in the ship's galley after the orchestra stopped playing and would feed his fellow musicians. Back in LA playing at a venue, his drums burnt. That was at the beginning of WW2. He got a job at Todd Shipyard as a welder. That is where he met Tom Kelly. Invited him over for dinner at my parent's apartment. That was the start of Kelbos. Please print this so everyone will know the real story. Thank you, Susan"

From another conversation "My Dad owned Kelbos. He made all the resin art work including the door face made out of keys. He invented all the recipes when he was a musician on the Orient So. Pacific cruise ship (1926-1930) After he died in 1971. Tom Kelley built the lighthouse in the parking lot and moved into it. He refused to let us into Dad's office to get any of his possessions or recipes. Mr. Kelley also added many new things to the menu."

[ Edited by MadDogMike on 2022-12-31 14:57:47 ]