Final Goodbye to Kona Lanes~Costa Mesa, CA

What a great building. Is that your Buick, Sven?

It was... I mean it still is, but it's in the process of becoming a barn find in my own garage.

I nominate a certain tall, bespeckled Costa Mesa resident to head over and check out what they have at the Costa Mesa Historical Society

Not just for the Kona Lanes but also for the Ala Moana Apts., The Kon Tiki Motel, the Bel Congo Motel and that nursery that was at the end of the 55 and Newport Blvd. right before 19th street with the Eli Headly Tiki out front.

No need to look up the Tahiti Inn though. :lol:

"It was... I mean it still is, but it's in the process of becoming a barn find in my own garage"

I got a Harley doing the same thing.....

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2013-02-22 15:12 ]

On 2013-02-22 15:10, Bora Boris wrote:
I nominate a certain tall, bespeckled Costa Mesa resident to head over and check out what they have at the Costa Mesa Historical Society

Not just for the Kona Lanes but also for the Ala Moana Apts., The Kon Tiki Motel, the Bel Congo Motel and that nursery that was at the end of the 55 and Newport Blvd. right before 19th street with the Eli Headly Tiki out front.

(With my best Southern Belle voice) Are you talking about little 'ol me, sir?
That's close by, I think a visit to the CMHS might be in order, it has been awhile since I have contributed
some "Good Stuff".....

ATP, are you bespeckled? I think there's a cream that will clear that up!

Thanks Big K, I will get some :lol:

Just looking out for you, my friend!

Found this today...

Jon did you find that in the LV?

Cali road trip

Nice score!

Just poured through this thread. Such a waste. Something happened recently here where I live to my favorite alley. It's still standing but half the lanes were removed to make way for a laser tag arena, and all the interior atmosphere of what a good bowling alley should have was gutted and replaced with what they consider to be "family friendly" neutral tones.

here is the original sign.

and here is what it became.

(not my pictures)

What makes it worse is that the alley was still very successful when it changed hands, and it's doing the same amount of business after the remodel, but all the character is gone. It's like bowling inside The Gap now.

New article at Wikipedia; I think a few other editors and I have made this as comprehensive as possible given the reliability and notability standards required by an encyclopedia.

Feel free to comment.

Found another one today here in Vegas

I thought I posted a pic of a Kona Lanes glass
that Bosko had gifted me, I will need to take a photo & post it.

They finally built on the empty lot that was Kona Lanes.
Bright white nightmare!!!

Awwww, I don't think I even want to see what kind of waste of space occupies the site now...perhaps it should have been turned into a small cemetery, for what its worth. At least I still have the memories of bowling there, even the less than pleasant ones of things like drinking too much and spending the night in the parking lot, sleeping uncomfortably in my '74 AMC Hornet...

Some more memories from Kona Lanes.

Matchbook

Ashtray

Newspaper ads

and the great sign.

DC

Very nice Dusty, Mahalo.

Da paper King strikes again
:)

Icons of Costa Mesa’s past will line a wall at Floyd’s 99 Barbershop in Costa Mesa as part of a planned mural.

Los Angeles Times: Barbershop’s new mural will showcase iconic Costa Mesa images

The mural at 124 E. 17th St. will include black-and-white images of some of Costa Mesa’s most famous bygone businesses, including the landmark Kona Lanes bowling alley — which operated for 45 years and was renowned for its distinctive tiki-style signage and eye-catching architecture.