Tikis in Huntington Park

So I'm driving along Florence Avenue in Huntington Park when I see these two well preserved beauties book-ending the entrance to a liquor store. I driven down this street a number of times and never seen them. Both are carved from what looks to be the common Mexican Fan palm. The store is currently called Modern Mini Mart. The signage looks vintage, that back lit plastic that was common in the 60's. At the top of the sign is a neon palm tree. I didn't have time to stop and chat with the store owner to find out more about the tikis. It would be cool to drive by at night and see if they light up the neon. Any knowledgeable hist-tikians recognize the artist/carver of these guys?

[ Edited by: Bora Boris - Fixed. - 2014-07-09 14:34 ]

HP, eh? You have my sympathies! No doubt those tiki are more recent than my departure from what was once an awesome 'hood.

Nice urban archaeology, Blowtiki:

What is the cross street on Florence?

@msteeln: Hey it's hard to beat HI. What island?

@christiki295: Well thank goodness for geotaging! It was at Marconi St.

@msteeln:
What island?

Oahu, since, '75
My first job after delivering the Daily Signal to the Noel tract and people like kustom paint guru Larry Watson, and Pete Werrlein (Western Auto notoriety), my first real job at 15 ('70/'71) was at the Florence/Atlantic Jack In The Box (when it still had a box), when I took over the graveyard shift it became party central. Pre '80 that whole So. Cal area was WAY happening, never to be seen again, hope you were there!
Bell High, '73 (almost)

Old. Classic. Milan Guanko.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=38480&forum=1

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=5980&forum=1&start=15

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=8141&forum=2&start=75

On 2014-07-10 12:38, msteeln wrote:
@msteeln:
What island?

Oahu, since, '75
My first job after delivering the Daily Signal to the Noel tract and people like kustom paint guru Larry Watson, and Pete Werrlein (Western Auto notoriety), my first real job at 15 ('70/'71) was at the Florence/Atlantic Jack In The Box (when it still had a box), when I took over the graveyard shift it became party central. Pre '80 that whole So. Cal area was WAY happening, never to be seen again, hope you were there!
Bell High, '73 (almost)

Okay that's kool! To my understanding, a lot of the kustom kulture biggies like Roth, Barris and Rob't Williams worked in that area, right? I never even knew of HP until like 1983 when I went to a punk rock show at a club on Pacific. The place was too small for the crowd that showed up and the cops beat the crap out of the punkers. I didn't want to go back there! But these days on my commute home from downtown LA to the LBC, I'll drive the side street rather than be stuck on the freeway. HP's main street Pacific still has much of it's retro charm. Also, lots of nice classic Mission Revival homes around State Street. The area's ripe for gentrification! Yeah, I wish I could hop in a time machine and visit it's past!

I saw these two across the street from each other on San Pedro Street by Century Blvd. No actual tikis though.

Okay that's kool! To my understanding, a lot of the kustom kulture biggies like Roth, Barris and Rob't Williams worked in that area, right?

HP's main street Pacific still has much of it's retro charm, I wish I could hop in a time machine and visit it's past!

Barris was nearby in Lakewood and got most all the TV/movie work, but the whole S/E LA area of South Gate, Maywood/Bell, Bell Gardens, and Downey, was inland hodaddy heaven with Big Daddy Roth's shop on Slauson Blvd. right near my home/school and Williams worked there for a short spell around '67. The place was a real creative hot spot but super low key, just a mellow hood with every day awesomeness on any block around. Now known as Lil Daddy, Dennis (2nd son to BD) was my school pal in the 60s. Yep, it was kool, everybody should have been required to live that type of childhood. http://federicodecalifornia.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/thou-shalt-drag-big-daddy-roth-lives-a-true-california-genius-%E2%80%A2-1963/
I like the classic era salute from Ed to Walt; http://www.flickr.com/photos/kustom1958/3301841460/in/photostream/
12-15-66
Roth
DEDICATED TO WALT DISNEY, DIED TODAY

[ Edited by: msteeln 2014-07-14 14:37 ]