Hawaiian Hut, Hollywood, CA (restaurant)

Name:Hawaiian Hut
Type:restaurant
Street:7210 Beverly Blvd.
City:Hollywood
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:YOrk 9134
Status:defunct

Description:
The Hawaiian Hut in Hollywood California serving up fine Tropical Cocktails!

Inside of matchbook at least has a date which is helpful - January 24, 1940.

So this is one of the early pre-Tiki tropical bars of the original Don the Beachcomber era.

Not sure what the "Tony and Whisling" stand for underneath the phone number. It's not the cross streets and I would presume that it's most likely the names of the proprietors.

Tattoo,

I have seen another match cover from the Hawaiian Hut that was run by Tony and Whisling.

Whisling also had a place called Whisling's Hawaii in Hollywood as seen on this matchbook from my collection.

Have not been able to find out much else about these folks.

DC

Wow! Sharp eye DC. Did a little searching for Whisling Hawaii and apparently Bill Whisling's Club Hawaii was a Jazz hangout. Here's a flier:

Rather poor quality but it's all I could find. And according to the book 'The Story of Hollywood':

"The Polynesian Society had their headquarters at Whistling's (sic) Hawaiian, a club at Sunset and Ivar, behind a drive-in restaurant. Here they hung out and helped each other find work." p. 233

So it seems like it was a little bit of a musicians hang out bar. Still doesn't quite clarify who Bil Whistling is. Or the story between Hawaiian Hut and Hawaiian Club. Although it seems the Hut moved to Hollywood Blvd. and became the Club.

On 2014-07-23 07:48, Tattoo wrote:
Still doesn't quite clarify who Bil Whistling is. Or the story between Hawaiian Hut and Hawaiian Club. Although it seems the Hut moved to Hollywood Blvd. and became the Club.

To add to the mystery, I searched the 1930 and 1940 censuses. No Bill Whisling. There is, however, a Jacob B. Wissling in the 1930 census -- born in 1863 in Denmark, and living in Los Angeles. His occupation is dry goods salesman. Doesn't sound like our man. Maybe Bill Whisling was a "stage name."

Amazingly, it looks like both buildings that housed these clubs at 7210 Beverly Blvd. and 6507 Sunset Blvd. are still standing.

"I am Lono!" -- Hunter S. Thompson

[ Edited by: arriano 2014-07-23 09:49 ]