TikiTees Matchbook T-Shirts

I've got a store on Zazzle.com offering t-shirts based on vintage matchbook designs. Many of the shirts offer additional versions printed on both front and back, all full-color, and designed to incorporate the color of the shirt into the design, so you can totally customize it.

Have a look: http://tinyurl.com/mk7w9gu

Cool stuff!
You should post a couple shirt pics here in this thread.

Nicely done! Love the front and back idea, like the Islander map and the Seven Seas pig. And that Kauai Surf logo has always been one of my faves.

Thanks, bigbrotiki! Glad you like them. :D

4WDTiki, good idea, I'll post some pics tomorrow (sheesh, it's after midnight, I guess I'll post them later today!).

Here are some pics, as requested:

Most shirts have an additional design available on the back:

On all of them you can choose the style of shirt (including sweatshirts, hoodies, long sleeve, ringers, etc) plus whatever color combination you like best:

Many more designs available, with new ones added frequently (as I acquire new matchbooks).

cool designs! Look forward to seeing what comes next!

Added some new designs: Clark's Islander, The Outrigger, Hukilau, and Milano Club.

Lots of new designs added: Vagabond's House, Club Waikiki, "Sugie's" Beverly Hills Tropics (with and without boobies!), Aloha Room and Club Panama.

T-shirts based on vintage tiki matchbooks: TikiTees

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-08-17 16:47 ]

I don't know the legality of using old designs, but I dig it. Also, please check out Spreadshirt. A buddy of mine is head of graphics there, and I've seen the production. They're really high quality. The shirts and the prints, that is. They have other things as well. You can get samples. Also, they pay their stores really well, and carry some big names.

I'm only using designs that are out of copyright. That's why there's no Trader Vic's or Mai Kai. (According to the trademark office, Don the Beachcomber trademarks expired for all but their logo mark in use with alcoholic beverages).

I'll check out Spreadshirt again. One of the nice things about Zazzle is the ability to have open spaces within the design to let the shirt color show through, plus the ability to do double sided shirts. Still, their base cost is high, so this is a labor of love more than anything else. I only make 10% of the cost of the product (to keep prices low), so I won't be retiring in Fiji anytime soon. :wink:

A few new designs have been added. Tiki Bob's (yay!), Hawaiian Room, South Seas and the venerable Hinky Dink's.

Thanks to everyone who has purchased shirts!

T-shirts based on vintage tiki matchbooks: TikiTees

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-08-26 14:45 ]

Just checked out the site. Nice shirts. Now, I have to decide which ones I want!

Thanks! If it makes you feel any better, I have the same problem. :)

Another design has been added for The Cabanna in Reading, PA:

Accidentally by request, The Aloha Club in Martinez, CA:

If anyone has specific requests, let me know and I'll do my best to find the matchbook!

Two new shirts: Monte Proser's Beachcomber, and Three Dagger Rum.

The Tropics at Waikiki

The Tahiti Bar, Miami FL:

Phew! That's enough for one day.

Another shirt for the Tahiti Club, this one from an earlier matchbook:

I scored some great matchbooks today, so some new designs will be coming soon.

A few more: Two Outriggers (Billingsley's and Mark Thomas's), the iconic Hawaiian Cottage in New Jersey, and finally, The Luau.

I have a couple fantastic matchbooks for Tonga Room and Trader Vic's, but I imagine the chances of getting permission to use them are nil.

T-shirts based on vintage tiki matchbooks: TikiTees

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-09-19 10:23 ]

Pub Tiki:

A couple things to note:

1. If anyone has a defunct tiki location they'd like turned into a shirt please let me know and I'll look for it. Alternatively, if you have a matchbook that you'd like to see on a shirt contact me and I can see about making it happen.

2. I received one of these shirts a few weeks ago and wanted to see how they wear. The shirt was quite soft to start and has only gotten softer with washings. The design (Tiki Bob on dark green) has held up very well to multiple washings and I'm very pleased with its durability. You'd never know it's an on-demand product.

Two new designs for the Hurricane Restaurant and the 113 Club:

Both of these shirts are available with front and back designs. Because the 113 Club has nipples (oh my!),Zazzle makes it rated R and you have to change the default setting to see it. :roll:

Someone recently made a request to have a shirt with the CLOSE COVER BEFORE STRIKING, phone number, and other esoteric details removed. I thought they were fun, but I'm curious if others like them or would prefer them be just the clean logos when possible?

I've been wanting to say since the first design that "close cover before striking" should be taken off. It doesn't make sense on a shirt. The addresses and numbers I think are cool and intregal.

Leave the address and phone number and please remove the 'please strike'.

Good feedback. That's two votes for removing the CLOSE COVER wording, but for leaving things like the address and phone number.

I bought one of the shirts so far and I am going to buy more. I am happy with the one I got. They are matchbook tees and so I like the whole design - close cover included.

On 2013-09-02 17:39, TikiTacky wrote:
Accidentally by request, The Aloha Club in Martinez, CA:

If anyone has specific requests, let me know and I'll do my best to find the matchbook!

Hurricane Cove, as discussed in this thread:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=38653&forum=2

We use the old phone numbers on our shirts (if it was part of the design.) Fun watching people try and figure out what an exchange is.

We did one years ago for a place in Rialto and their phone number was simply 42. :)

On 2013-12-12 18:54, Tele295 wrote:

On 2013-09-02 17:39, TikiTacky wrote:

If anyone has specific requests, let me know and I'll do my best to find the matchbook!

Hurricane Cove, as discussed in this thread:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=38653&forum=2

Here you go: http://www.zazzle.com/hurricane_cove-235648293307661765

The pink color was the closest I could get to the original coral. Some of the other shirt options such as American Apparel have some additional pinkish choices, so if you want to stick with the original color scheme give them a try.

T-shirts based on vintage tiki matchbooks: TikiTees

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-12-17 22:55 ]

Added a couple of new designs.

Polynesian Room:

Honolulu Harry's Waikiki:

Based on user feedback, I will likely be revising the shirts over the next couple weeks to remove the CLOSE COVER BEFORE STRIKING wording. I thought it was kind of cool myself, but apparently it isn't popular. The people have spoken! :wink:

T-shirts based on vintage tiki matchbooks: TikiTees

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-12-26 11:57 ]

By the way. For the Hurricane Cove shirt, there's an American Apparel Poly-Cotton Blend T-Shirt in Neon Heather pink which is much closer to the original color. It's currently out of stock, but you can watch for it:

http://www.zazzle.com/hurricane_cove_tshirt-235648293307661765?color=neonheatherpink&style=aa_premium_crew_tshirt_bb401&view=113760920796531065&rf=238261085163345801

Added a beautiful design from the Canlis Broiler, then promptly removed it because it turned out Canlis is still in business (who knew? Glad I checked!). A shame they're not still using this beautiful artwork. Posting an image of the matchbook anyway, because darn it, I think it's awesome:

More matchbook shirts coming soon!

T-shirts based on vintage tiki matchbooks: TikiTees

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2014-01-30 14:19 ]

That matchbook is amazing!

I know! When I saw it on eBay I knew I had to have it. Well, it was either a vacation this year or a collection of discarded cardboard from defunct restaurants. I'm sure my wife will understand.

So you're the one who out bid me! Now that you can't use it sell it to me, you bastard. :wink:

aloha, tikicoma

Whew! I finally updated all of the t-shirts to remove the matchbook related text ("Close Cover Before Striking", etc) per people's suggestion. I also added a couple new designs, with more to come.

Again, if anyone has a design they'd like to see, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Added a new shirt for Club Bali:

http://www.zazzle.com/club_bali-235125206610455164

"You can't eat real Polynesian food. It's the most horrible junk I've ever tasted." —Trader Vic Bergeron

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2014-06-15 16:29 ]

A few new designs:

The Tropics:

Another version of Gene's Hawaiian Village:

Mark Thomas' The Outrigger, pre-Mark Thomas rebranding:

Coral Reef:

I have a single use coupon for $10 off, good through tomorrow. If you're planning on buying a tiki shirt, send me a PM and I'll send you the code. First come, first serve, as there's only one coupon code.

Happy Labor Day!

Gone!