Luau Miami Beach

thr hut is now calvetti hair and body spa..the building is still there complete with rock wall and hut entrance....i googled the address...look at the street side view and take a walk west of whre google says the address is...you will see the wall in the distance....then you can stand in front of it.....i will try to post it....

Wow!!!
The Luau Restaurant was my first Polynesian job as a haole musician.
I was in jr. college at the time.
My father was the leader of the Polynesian Review the Yankee clipper in Ft. Lauderdale, so I already knew a lot of the tropical music.
Good times.
The owners name was Syd Mass. That's him in the last news clipping eating at the table. The waitress was a hungarian lady.

Wow!!!
The Luau Restaurant was my first Polynesian job as a haole musician.
I was in jr. college at the time.
My father was the leader of the Polynesian Review the Yankee clipper in Ft. Lauderdale, so I already knew a lot of the tropical music.
Good times.
The owners name was Syd Mass. That's him in the last news clipping eating at the table. The waitress was a hungarian lady.

On 2008-07-07 06:57, pa'akiki wrote:
here are some menu's and an article on the Luau.

On 2010-06-10 Nibblegribitz wrote:
Owner Syd Mass being served by a convincing Hungarian(yes I said Hungarian) girl.

Saw this flier on ebay for an entertainment package offered at the Luau Restaurant in Miami Beach.

The night starts with dinner at the Luau restaurant,

Might even run into Trader Syd the owner while dinning.

Then, its off to some cool Miami Beach art deco hotels for party time.

First stop, the Sans Souci Hotel and the Java Room.

Then its over to the Americana and the Bal Masque room.

Cap off the night with some entertainment at the Carillon

Now that's livin'.

DC

While rummaging through the news archives to see what I could discover about the Aloha Restaurant in Coral Gables, I found a dining guide citation, describing a place I'd very much like to visit... well, where's the good Doctor and his Tardis...

The Miami News December 28, 1955

I then did a search on TC and came up with this most excellent thread, with its enticing graphics. So, back to the news archives where I discovered that Jerry Brooks started the Luau...

The Miami News April 28, 1957

This feature article on Franklyn Hughes, mentioned in earlier posts, confirms his role in designing and decorating the Luau...

The St Petersburg Evening Independent October 18, 1958

Here's an early ad...

The Miami News December 30, 1959

What the staff does in their spare time...

The Miami News April 7, 1957

Here's some of the clientele...

The Miami News December 16, 1956

The Miami News February 23, 1957

More to come, including the arrival of Trader Syd (Sydney Mass)...

-Tom

[ Edited by: TikiTomD 2011-06-03 14:21 ]

In January of 1959, the gossip columnist of The Milwaukee Sentinel reported that “Jerry Brooks (of the Miami Beach Luau) had a heart attack.” The Miami News observed that he was mending at the Miami Heart Institute, and in July of 1959 this same newspaper’s gossip columnist stated that he was seen at a local Italian restaurant. By 1960 the Luau was in a “faltering” condition when Sydney Mass discovered it and took over the business. Before moving on to Sydney Mass, I’d like to point out that Jerry Brooks already had quite a history of starting and acquiring night clubs before the Luau, indicated by these articles from the 1940s...

The Billboard November 27, 1943

Note the above reference to the Beachcomber and Ruby Foo’s, both explored in this TC thread...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=36222&forum=2&26

The Billboard November 27, 1948

Here’s a 1960 Luau ad...

The Miami News March 8, 1960

Following a second heart attack, Jerry Brooks sold his interest in the Luau to Sydney Mass...

The Miami News December 10, 1960

By 1962, Sydney Mass (aka Trader Syd or Trader Sid) is moving and shaking things up at the Luau...

The Miami News August 23, 1962

Got to keep a steady supply of “saronged maidens” at the Luau...

The Miami News June 23, 1963

Need a refreshing mint julep, Trader Sid’s just the guy to make you one...

The Miami News December 12, 1962

Here’s a nice feature article on Sidney Mass, his wife and his chef, complete with some Luau recipes...

The Miami News August 18, 1966

Careful when you argue with the chef, as he’s also a martial arts expert...

The Miami News August 25, 1965

Syd would appreciate the return of his carved octopus...

The Miami News November 22, 1966

More Luau ads from the late 1960s...

The Miami News August 28, 1968

The St Petersburg Evening Independent October 4, 1969

A talented Tahitian beauty who entertained at the Luau...

The St Petersburg Evening Independent June 12, 1968

Note the "Hawaiian Eye" connection above.

Here’s the recipe for the Luau’s Tiki Tabu...

The Miami News December 26, 1968

After 1974, the archival news on the Luau thins out and goes dark...

In May of 2008, The Miami Herald reported that Betty Ann Mass, Trader Syd’s wife of 47 years (married him in 1961), passed away at the age of 76. Apparently, Syd was alive as of that time. Hope he’s still enjoying a mint julep or planter’s punch...

-Tom

Amazing research, Tom! Interesting how most of the articles are about the food - the art was just added frills, it seems. I had hoped to come upon some mention of Lewis VanDercar's statuary, which obviously was part of Trader Syd's expansion. Maybe even back then it's "questionable taste" made the writers concentrate on the taste of the food and drink :)

Thanks, Sven. I could not find anything that discussed Lewis Van Dercar’s contributions to the Luau. The best biopic on the man was the 2007 Miami Memories blog by Dave that you previously posted (http://miamimemories.blogspot.com/2007/07/lewis-vandercar-miamis-andy-warhol.html).

Here are a few articles that shine some additional light on this eccentric artist, perhaps already quoted in part elsewhere on TC...

Florida Today September 28, 1968

Florida Today March 2, 1972

Florida Today September 30, 1973

Sarasota Herald-Tribune February 15, 1974

The Miami News August 7, 1974

As observed by TC’s fatuhiva and some others here, Van Dercar built a widely loved-and-loathed Space Coast icon, Annie the Dragon, which succumbed to the elements in July 2002. Here is a 1994 video of Annie, followed by related articles...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8X3qwL3EoQ

• Florida Today* June 23, 1971
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Florida Today* June 24, 1971
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Florida Today* December 1, 1978
  

While looking around one more time for Luau information, I came across another article about, you guessed it, food...

The Miami News March 21, 1968

-Tom

I like the fact that he sold bottled water.... if he only knew then, the millionaire he would have become had he kept at it.... way ahead of his time (and the money) on that......

heh-heh....

"male witch".

From the article "Boy meets Girl-Summer Weekend in Miami" Modern Man Quarterly Summer 1957

If Jack was a TIKI Guy, just think how much more Ginny would have enjoyed him if he'd ordered the Rumaki instead :lol:

Nice find, A-Frame!

The employment ad posted by Tiki Tom D for the saronged waitresses is really a classic and speaks to a different era.

I found an article from 1965 that featured a story of a young who responded to such an ad from the Luau.

DC

What a difference a few decades make! At our restaurants, not only would we never mention appearance in our help wanted listings, (usually Craig's List), but we are careful in conversation to describe the ideal server as "attracting" rather than "attractive".

Thanks for the article, DC. My wife is a teacher. Can't remember her ever referring to her students as "youngsters". An odd thing, in today's language, for a 23 year old to say.

And really, isn't the primary goal of teaching to instruct young people on how to entertain?!? :D

I am still hoping that one day good quality photos of the remodel with those amazing VanDercar sculptures will surface.

Found a few more news clips that show there was a second Luau restaurant located in the Marco Polo Hotel.

It was called the Luau II.

Have not been able to find any photos or paper showing what it looked like. Tikis?

DC

On 2012-01-21 12:22, bigbrotiki wrote:
I am still hoping that one day good quality photos of the remodel with those amazing VanDercar sculptures will surface.

Me too. Here is an ad from 1964 with Syd Mass and a rendering of the large Van Dercar Tiki and stylized huts that were out front of the restaurant. So the remodel occurred by at least 1964.

DC

While not a picture, a little better image of the menu rendering with the Van Dercar remodel work.

DC

Thank You DC, this rendering has a slightly different angle than the postcard photo:

The depiction of the porte-cochere nude statues and Tikis is not so clear on that menu either...

Didn't anybody find this art photo-worthy !? This place had the most VanDercar statues and landscaping besides his house, I would say.

Darn it, I wanna see DETAILS ! And while you're at it, find me good shot of this back bar mural, too ! :D

Here is another night tour ad from the Luau with some nice graphics.

DC

Dusty the paper god strikes again....

Really nice work, DC, fleshing out the Luau in living color!

I just happened to again run into our old friend, Trader Syd, in the Google news archives. Recall that in an earlier post, I inferred that the Luau may have gone out of business circa 1974 based on the lack of further archival references. This article lends credence to that, as even his Luau II restaurant, located in the Marco Polo Hotel, was no longer known by that name in early 1975; instead it had become the Gold Coin. And, it seems that Trader Syd’s life had taken a negative turn when his restaurant manager split with $15,000...

The Miami News February 28, 1975

This was not to be the inglorious end of the enterprising Sydney J. Mass, for he got into the green vehicle business way ahead of its time...

The Palm Beach Post October 26, 1984

Least you doubt that this Sydney Mass is the same as our Trader Syd, here is an eBay photo that clearly shows our man on the left (you can compare with photos posted earlier in this thread)...

Some more details on the up and coming Lectra-Matic Automobile Corporation of Miami, Florida...

Sarasota Herald-Tribune July 8, 1984

Poor Trader Syd; he was just too far ahead of his time, as the Lectra-Matic Automobile Corporation crashed and burned...

The Miami Herald January 5, 1987

-Tom

Cool findings, Tom. Bummed I am stuck in the Foreign Legion for Hukilau.

Stolen Tiki!

How does one move an 8-foot 500lb Tiki?

DC

If this were still open, it would be MINUTES from my house. :(

I skimmed most of the thread- is the building still around? Any relics to take pictures of?

On 2014-06-11 06:38, EPCOTExplorer wrote:
is the building still around? Any relics to take pictures of?

Sadly, no. It is an empty lot right now.

Oh, PAINFUL. :(

I picked up a new postcard from the Luau restaurant in Miami Beach that I have not seen before.

Shows views of the dancers and the Luau sign out front.

A close up where we get a peek at one of the Van De Carr sculptures.

These pics show a more conventional looking fernwood type Tiki.

Back of the card.

Saronged serving maidens in the new Surfboard Bar.... that sound familiar (think Mai Kai!).

DC

COOL card! Makes me want to see those Van Dercar statues even more!

Another ad listing the Luau II at the Marco Polo Hotel. This one was from 1970 which looks like the year the second Luau opened.

DC

Eva Bisch, who was the main Mystery Girl at the Luau in Miami Beach during the 1960s, has shared a number of her personal mementos with Critiki. Eva is the woman seen serving Trader Syd in that classic Luau postcard, and she was the face for the Luau in many ads during her seven years with the restaurant. Here's the article on Critiki News: Mementos from a 1960s Mystery Girl at the Luau in Miami Beach

I picked up this photo from an American Express ad in Gourmet magazine that looks to be shot of Eva Bisch, the Luau restaurant's main Mystery Girl.

Gotta love the sarong-clad serving girls!

DC

Looks to be from the same photo session than this cover from Humu's link:

Still to be un-earthed: Good quality photos of the amazing Van Dercar entrance canopy and sculpture garden that surrounded the place:

They MUST exist!

Lookin' 'round the web at Playboy club posts when I came across this site with a scan of a Southern Comfort Barmate guide from the Dec. '64 issue of Playboy. 'Bout halfway down is a recipe for a "Comfort Daiquiri" they atribute to the Luau in Miami Beach. Wonder if this was actually on the menu?

http://thevodkaparty.com/drinks/barmate-southern-comfort-with-playboy-style-1964/

howlinowl

On 2014-09-30 16:16, Dustycajun wrote:
I picked up a new postcard from the Luau restaurant in Miami Beach that I have not seen before.

Shows views of the dancers and the Luau sign out front.

A close up where we get a peek at one of the Van De Carr sculptures.

These pics show a more conventional looking fernwood type Tiki.

Back of the card.

Saronged serving maidens in the new Surfboard Bar.... that sound familiar (think Mai Kai!).

DC

Lol that’s my dad Chief Nakoa with my auntie Temoana, Leonani and Lani Keia of the Aloha Islanders. I posted a picture of him in the South Pacific thread.

[ Edited by: Nakoa 2019-09-25 23:04 ]

I picked up on of the photo folders with the renderings of the Lewis Vandercar art forms in front of the Miami Luau.

DC