Tiki Archeology - Phoenix, Arizona Polynesian Pop

I happened to be in Phoenix last weekend for a business trip and had the opportunity to do some tiki research while I was in town. I hit the Central Branch of the Phoenix Library on Sunday afternoon. Upstairs on the 4th floor is the Arizona Room where they have copies of old area phone books. Any tiki researcher knows that old phone books are a gold mine of information. I spent a few hours going thru phone books from 1959, 1963, 1965, 1968 and 1971. Here is a list of tiki places that existed in Phoenix at one time. I have no idea what is left of these places. So this is a call out to local Phoenix tiki hunters. Print out the list and hit the streets. Report back with pictures. I am assuming almost everything will be gone or remodeled beyond recognition, ......but there is always a chance you will find that hidden gem. Good Luck!

APARTMENTS

Bali Hai, 1120 W. Washington
Park Central Lanai, 3101 N. 7th Avenue
Coral Reef , 334 W. Medlock Dr.
Tropicana, 321 W. Medlock Drive
Driftwood, 125 W. 2nd Ave, Mesa
Driftwood, 1536 Colter Ave.
Kalua, 223 East 5th Avenue, Tempe
Kin Lani, 6502 N. 12th Street
Shangri-La, 2936 N. 36th Street
Ko Ko Palms, 408 N. Williams, Mesa
Ko Ko Palms II, 407 N. Hill, Mesa
Lo Lo Mai, 4935 E. Thomas Road
Palm Tiki, 4917 E. Holly
Tahitian, 4125 E. Indian School Road
Tahitian East, 5024 E. Thomas Road
Tahitian Nani La, 6565 N. 19th Avenue
Tahitian North, 525 E. Bethany Home Road
Lanai, 3112 N. 6th Avenue
Tradewind, 536 E. Portland
Bali Lanai, 1137 E. Orange, Tempe

GOOGIE ARCHITECTURE

Galaxy Apartments, 151 N. Hibbert, Mesa
Space Manor, 6932 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale
Stardust Arms, 109 E Broadway Road, Tempe
Coffee Dan’s, 3050 N. Central Avenue (demolished)
Denny’s #70, 3217 E. Van Buren (demolished)
Sambo’s, 1020 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe
Bob’s Big Boy, 2901 N. Central
Bob’s Big Boy, 4243 W. Indian School Road

HOTELS & MOTELS

Bali Hai Hotel & Coffee Shop, 1515 Grand Ave
Tradewinds, 1900 E. Apache, Tempe
Tropics Motor Hotel, 1902 Van Buren
Kon Tiki Hotel, 2364 E. Van Buren (demolished)
Tahiti Inn, 2900 E. Van Buren
Samoan Village, 3901 E. Van Buren (demolished)
Aloha Motel, 445 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler

RESTAURANTS

Islands Restaurant, 4839 N. 7th (demolished)
South Seas, 32 E. Monroe
Tahiti, 4119 E. Indian School Road
The Hut, 621 W. Hatcher Road
Tiki, 4416 East Indian School Road
Trader Vic’s, 5th and Marshall, Scottsdale (old location, demolished)
Coral Reef, 8941 N. 12th Street
Aloha Garden, 6607 S. Central Avenue
Catamaran, 7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale
Included Driftwood Lounge, Rickshaw Room and Captain’s Cabin
Luau, 4111 E. Indian School Road
Beachcomber Cocktail Lounge, 4434 N. 19th Avenue
Seven Seas Cocktail Lounge, 4412 S. Central Avenue
Tradewinds Cocktail Lounge, 39 S. Central Avenue
The Bikini Cocktail Lounge, 1505 N. Grand Avenue

I also found a few nice graphics...

The Samoan Village Hotel and Coffee Shop at 39th and Van Buren. Ad in the 1965 phone book(now demolished).

The same Samoan Village six years later. This was their ad in the 1971 phonebook. A prime example of how the owners quicky disassociated themselves with 'that dated tiki look'.

Tiki Pizza???

I love this ad for the Luau in Phoenix. A direct ripoff of Stephens Crane's Luau in Beverly Hills.

Fantastic work as usual Zulu Magoo, That Luau sign is/was fantastic!

Wow,
As a Tucsonian back in the '60s, we used to go often to Phoenix to see rock bands (Iron Butterfly, Hendrix, The Who, Deep Purple etc. etc.). Yes, there were times we could'nt make it back to Tucson the same night for, well, you guessed it, too stoned on whatever to drive the 90 miles back in one piece. We stayed at the Samoan Village twice I think. Great place, some very dim memories, but good ones. This was before I went Tiki, but who knows, it might have played a part, lurching around in my semi-subconsious mind. Along with Kon Tiki here in Tucson...
Mahalo....Thanks for the memories ZuluMagoo
Ps the Dennys was right down the block, ate lots of after midnight meals there too, and pretty good breakfasts (after some hair of many dogs, as it were)

[ Edited by: drgoat456 2009-01-22 06:51 ]

Can't wait to hear what our PHX ohana finds! Dang, the 4100 block of Indian School wasn't that far from where I lived (40th St & Camelback) and used to go to the Bally's gym on 40th st and Thomas (or was it Indian School?)

The Cine Capri theater was up on E Camelback-nice MCM building, but it's gone now. Bummer. Lots of good stuff lost to 'progress'

:drink:
Tacky

[ Edited by: surfalaia 2009-08-05 07:17 ]

I will too check these out and get back, I used to live in L.A and remeber in santa monica a small resturant on the out side mall call Java time. no one seems to remember. will keep you posted thanks scott (tiki bad)

Great research as usual ZuluMagoo.

Time for some images to go with the locations.

I have this postcard from the Tahiti Inn on Van Buren

Close ups of the great signs.

A postcard from the Tropics Motor Motel also on Van Buren.

Here is one I posted a while back from the Luau Restaurant

DC

(PS Your bar is really coming along nicely, love the booth).

I certainly remember Aloha Garden restaurant on S. Central. My mom & I went there numerous times in my youth (from 1959 when we moved to S. Phoenix, to 1970 or so, when it apparently closed). It served the usual Chinese-American fare, Foo Young & the like. I believe the owner, who was Chinese, had spent some time in Hawaii, and the decor was bamboo & pictures of the Islands. Phoenix of course was a hotbed of this sort of Tiki stuff in the '50s & '60s. It's all gone now!

You mention "Googie" architecture. Well, there were a number of actual "Googie's" Restaurants in Phoenix in the '60s. Don't know if any of them had "Googie" architecture. I also fondly remember "Coffee Dan's" coffee shop at the Park Central mall.

A cool night shot montage of the Tropics sign and a menu from my collection...sweet airbrushed cover...boring coffee shoppe fare inside. OGR

cool, im going this weekend and Im gonna copy the list!!!

Here's a matchbook from the Bali Hi in Phoenix ...

[ Edited by: tongaroatom 2015-03-05 15:59 ]