FS: Original Saloon Doors from the Tropics (PS CAL) Made by Leroy Schmaltz

I bought these from one of the old Maintenance / Remodel guys in the mid / 90s.

We used to swim at the tropics everyday during summer when I was a kid.

I purchased them with the intent of introducing myself to the new (owner/s) also supplying my time and the doors and helping to
Faithfully restore what I could but after chatting with him and offering to help for free I was turned off by his ****attitude and never went back.

I want these to go to a sale where the buyer will appreciate them and not turn around and re sell them for extra profit.

These are one of a kind and in great shape! Any decent offer takes.

No cost delivery available in the Coachella Valley.

[ Edited by: DesertXJ760 2013-12-15 15:02 ]

Yeah, the ownership of the Tropics is a very sad story. The attitude of its current major shareholder has driven away several interested parties of Tiki Revival community. All these were good people, highly motivated to revive the place in its authentic Tiki beauty, and all had to give up because the owner had a distorted sense of give and take. A real shame, I have loved that place since the late 80s, and lead my first architectural tour there in 1994:

I am proud to say that as the first measurable impact of my "Book of Tiki" published in September of 2000, the interim owners of the Tropics were swayed to not renovate the complex in Mediterranean style (as in "Caliente" Tropics), but to keep the Tiki theme intact when preservationist Pete Moruzzi introduced them to my book. In 2001, the Tropics became the location for the original Tiki Oasis Festival.

But by then the Reef doors were long gone. Luckily, I had the good sense to document them while still in situ, and in the last 20 years have wondered many times what had happened to them. I loved the combination of American saloon and Tiki style. My photos were the only proof of their existence for all this time:

It is wonderful that they have surfaced again after such a long period, and from such a sympathetic source. I have big plans for them:

They should be exhibited in my museum show about American Tiki culture that I am curating in Paris this summer, and be pictured in the catalog/ TASCHEN book accompanying it. After that, they should find a permanent place of residence at the new temple of Palm Springs Tiki, the Tonga Hut, scheduled to open in the new year, where they can be admired by many local and visiting Tiki lovers:

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2013-12-16 07:02 ]

So you acquired them, Sven?

subscribed. I sure hope he got them!

Not yet, Guys. The poster has not gotten back to me, and I am getting worried that someone outside the TC community saw the post and made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

But that would be contradicting all he said in his TC post AND in the personal message he sent me yesterday, just 5 minutes after he posted the doors on TC:

Posted: 2013-12-15 15:07
Man oh man, after reading your post I was just flat out tickled to know that someone else besides me not only got to see the doors in their entirety at the tropics BUT also appreciates them just as much.. As far as I am concerned they are even better than the music band "the doors" LOL! J/K,

any who..

I am local in the Coachella Valley and I want to pass em on to someone who will appreciate them! I'm not looking for high dollar or anything of the like.. Any decent offer will be accepted

Cheers bud!

Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keeping fingers crossed.....

DC

And while we're at it, someone still needs to get that Don the Beachcomber sign from Palm Springs that is hiding out in Arizona!

DC

I'm sorry for the delay folks!

It's definitely a feat to attempt to respond to fifty plus messages on your extremely archaic first generation android phone with a screen that is almost as big as the one on my harmony all in one remote! LOL :) How ever did we succeed with out Apollo Missions is beyond me but anyhow, I am answering them in order, I have had tall offers and offers that are more insulting than Jackie Gleeson and Sally Struthers performing magic tricks at the local soup plantation.

I am not motivated by a higher dollar sign but I am not a rich man.

I try to keep everything fair within reasonable limits so Jack from Amboy CA can have a chance just as much as Sal from Dana Point..

I've held onto these doors for quite some time and I've spent quite a few years going to even the walls must go hotel inventory sales, I've tried to save stuff from the old Riviera, The Sunshine Inn, Warm Sands Spa, The original Vista Chino Club and more.

I dig the Tiki stuff and I knew those doors were magic from the first time I fell in love at 11 years old watching adult shenanigans 6 seconds at a time when they would swing open to be shut.

I will reply to everyone and I can be reached at area code (760)899-5278 until about 2am, with morning left at your discretion. :)

[ Edited by: DesertXJ760 2013-12-16 20:58 ]

If you are "truly" motivated by doing the correct thing...by all means PLEASE sell to Sven...he is someone who can carry these into the status they deserve...and by your initial statements, can help you achieve your goal of these artifacts being a remembered legendary aspect of TIKI history...my 2 cents...OGR

I concur! real hard.....

Thank you…strangely so, I have yet to hear from the gentleman who initially deemed me worthy of these items. As answer, I sent two p.m.s yesterday, and left one phone message this morning and one this afternoon: No reaction.

I can only imagine that my post telling him that the pieces would be shown in a museum in Paris sounded so fantastic that a.) he believes I am putting him on. or b.) that these doors must be worth something close to the Mona Lisa - neither being the case.

I would guess it must be hard for an outsider to understand how on one side there is this great passion forTiki, but on the other it is truly not commercially driven, and that the number of Tiki aficionados out there is really quite small.

The two ideas I have for the doors seem to ideally suit the sellers goal of having these pieces appreciated, first by a world-wide audience through the museum exhibit (and the book that comes out with it), and then locally, back in the desert, at the Palm Springs Tonga Hut. Plus Amy and Murph would have the financial where-with-all to match the offers by others who could not provide the platform I can for the doors.

Has anybody here gotten their p.m.s answered, or talked to the guy by phone? I am beginning to wonder if this is some kind of hoax...

My spider sense is tingling!

Sorry to go slightly off of topic, but does anyone know the fate of the Reef signs in Sven's first photo?

On 2013-12-16 06:56, bigbrotiki wrote:
Yeah, the ownership of the Tropics is a very sad story. The attitude of its current major shareholder has driven away several interested parties of Tiki Revival community. All these were good people, highly motivated to revive the place in its authentic Tiki beauty, and all had to give up because the owner had a distorted sense of give and take. A real shame, I have loved that place since the late 80s, and lead my first architectural tour there in 1994:

I am proud to say that as the first measurable impact of my "Book of Tiki" published in September of 2000, the interim owners of the Tropics were swayed to not renovate the complex in Mediterranean style (as in "Caliente" Tropics), but to keep the Tiki theme intact when preservationist Pete Moruzzi introduced them to my book. In 2001, the Tropics became the location for the original Tiki Oasis Festival.

But by then the Reef doors were long gone. Luckily, I had the good sense to document them while still in situ, and in the last 20 years have wondered many times what had happened to them. I loved the combination of American saloon and Tiki style. My photos were the only proof of their existence for all this time:

It is wonderful that they have surfaced again after such a long period, and from such a sympathetic source. I have big plans for them:

They should be exhibited in my museum show about American Tiki culture that I am curating in Paris this summer, and be pictured in the catalog/ TASCHEN book accompanying it. After that, they should find a permanent place of residence at the new temple of Palm Springs Tiki, the Tonga Hut, scheduled to open in the new year, where they can be admired by many local and visiting Tiki lovers:

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2013-12-16 07:02 ]

Which one of the two? :D Nope, lost in the sands…

So Kiara did YOU put in an offer? Got any response? Did Jordan?

Has ANYBODY had any reaction to their p.m.s/ phone calls? If he DID get close to 50 responses to this post, some of those senders must be reading this, and can share their experience here, please.

This is the first time I've seen this thread. I haven't put in an offer. Those are really beautiful.
I too remember looking through those doors into the Reef as a kid in curiosity. I walked down that hall many times to Sambo's. I bought one of the big masks from that hall years ago.

I'm a little embarrassed to show this topless photo of myself as a kid in public, But it'll give me a little Tropics street cred. July 1977, one month before the king died.

Aaaaw…cute! You know you haven't changed much!

Yeah, Still have the same haircut :)

Well, back to my last question here, c'mon folks:

On 2013-12-17 20:41, bigbrotiki wrote:
Has ANYBODY had any reaction to their p.m.s/ phone calls to the seller? If he DID get even close to 50 responses to his post, some of those senders must be reading this, and can share their experience here, please.

Another day comes to an end, with no reaction from the seller OR anyone here on the board. What is this " I am learning NOT to share -month"!? Are all the people that wrote p.m.s to the offer just lurkers here, on the prowl to skim possessions for their collection, and otherwise couldn't give a rat's ass about Tiki?

I still have the doors and am NOT holding out for a better offer. It's the holidays and like many other folks not only am I caught up in the madness of it all BUT, I am also trying to perform all my communication tasks with my old backup droid phone which sucks.

So DesertXJ760 will you be taking bigbrotiki (Sven) up on his offer?
it has been a number of days now & you are aware of this thread & have read it by now.

I can assure you this would be the best place for the doors to go
& stay in the community that supports "Tiki History"
Then to go to the only open for business Tiki Bar in the same town
they came from, what more could you hope for?

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2013-12-18 23:15 ]

I agree with ATP. Sven would keep these doors alive within the world of tiki.

I, too am hopefully the owner will sell these doors to Sven so they can be showcased for the world to appreciate.

Please call him back. Forget about everyone else!

Thanks everybody for your vote of confidence. Those who know me can attest that my posts are not meant to say "I AM THE GUY!" like I own Tiki, but merely state the fact that I am lucky to be in the position to support the art form, and by that fact I feel a certain responsibility for it. I am not into possession, I am into sharing it with people who appreciate it. The rewards for that are much greater than any mere ownership.

…and thank you also for helping me to finally get contacted by Mister XJ - we will see if this will lead to something productive….

Good News: An agreement has been reached, the doors are safe, everybody will be happy, all hail Tiki! :) (phew!)

Congratulations Sven. Muncho Mahalo to DesertXJ760.

[ Edited by: TikiVato 2013-12-19 17:32 ]

Way to go Sven!! Nice work in preserving the Tiki past for the Tiki future. And thanks to DesertXJ760 for making the right decision.

So, those bad boys going to Paris??

DC

Great news! Thank you DesertXJ760, these doors couldn't have found a better home!

:) :) :) :) and a :drink:

Awesome Sven...and a big shout out to DesertXJ760. Thanks for being true to your intentions. My crazy Cheese land life life may be in turmoil, but I can rest assured all is right in the TIKI world. Happy Holidays to all...OGR

Here's another rare souvenir from the Caliente Tropics Resort:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-HUGE-Caliente-Tropics-Hotel-Beach-Towels-TIKI-HEADS-/161179180879?hash=item2587071f4f

On 2013-12-19 18:27, Or Got Rum? wrote:
..and a big shout out to DesertXJ760. Thanks for being true to your intentions.

My faith in humanity is a little bit restored today! I didn't want to say, but I soooo was thinking this was going to end up being a shakedown....I am glad my cynicism proved incorrect, and that there are decent people out there who don't just want to make a buck. Props to you, DesertXJ760! Your item will be with a man who many here, including myself, consider to be the godfather/heart and soul of tiki.

Yeah! A happy ending. Can't wait to see photos of the doors when they get to their new home!

On 2013-12-18 17:04, bigbrotiki wrote:
Another day comes to an end, with no reaction from the seller OR anyone here on the board. What is this " I am learning NOT to share -month"!? Are all the people that wrote p.m.s to the offer just lurkers here, on the prowl to skim possessions for their collection, and otherwise couldn't give a rat's ass about Tiki?

Am I the only one that is bummed there is no further info?
No pics, no details of what happened when they were picked up, how was the condition, whats the future plans, who really owns them, etc...