On This Day in Tiki History - 2023 Calendar Available

Well today didn't work out like I planned so I didn't get it buttoned up today. And I can't seem to get my MS Publisher at home to work so looks like I won't wrap it up til Monday at work :(

I was trying to find an opening date for the Bali Hai but wasn't having much luck so I emailed the restaurant. Maybe this is already well known information but here was their response

While the actual day of the Grand Opening is a topic of much debate, October of 1954 is the month that Tom Ham opened the doors of the Bali Hai. Christian's Hut was the previous name, a spin off of the Balboa location that burned down in 1963. There is also some debate about what exactly the connection between the Balboa store and the San Diego store, but there are old menus and coasters that list both locations. The San Diego store was in its second bankruptcy, when Tom Ham, a public accountant from Los Angeles, stepped in to give the restaurant business a try.
Aloha,

Tommy Baumann
Bali Hai Restaurant

3 July 1935: First "Hawaii Calls" radio broadcast

(and related, Webley Edwards was born 11 Nov 1902)

Great additions, thanks Hamo

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2017-01-21 14:54 ]

Ace, check the list and see if there is adequate explanation for each entry

Explorer East Opened Monday October 11, 1965 Syracuse-NY

Benny Chang's Polynesian Grand Opening August 16, 1963.

Aloha Jhoes November 17, 1961 Palm Springs

The Lanai restaurant San Mateo May 20, 1959

DC

The Islands Phoenix July 4th 1958.
Does anybody have one of those salt and pepper shaker sets marked Islands?

(1oth anniversary ad 1968).

DC

Polynesian Restaurant Torrance November 23, 1957

DC

Tiki Jo opened July 23, 1959 Miramar Hotel

DC

Tur Mai Kai opens in Kalamazoo Michigan. June 27th 1969

Thanks Trav. I think that brings up to an even 100 dates :D

January 12th 2000, Tiki Central is founded!

Teaser pic :lol:

I printed my calendar at Staples to see how it turned out and I like it! Working out final details on hosting this file and hope to be able to release it tonight

MadDog,

That looks awesome! We need to get some more dates for next years March page, I will be happy to help with that. Looking forward to printing this for home bar use, Mahalo for your efforts and ideas.

DC

OK, ready for you to download and print!!! See page one of this post for the download link and (maybe too many) directions. I rounded the images up off the internet, hopefully I won't get into any legal copyright trouble since I'm not selling it? :lol:

Looks awesome Mike! Thanks for all of the hard work on this project.

Great job Mike. As always, a huge part of the "giving" on TC. Thanks also to DC, Ace and the others who contributed.

[ Edited by: Or Got Rum? 2017-01-24 08:15 ]

Cool idea.
Great job Mike.

Going to do a book of tiki called "The others who contributed"

Great job Mike, thank you.

Thanks folks :)

Ace, in case you want to know - the ill fated Moai barge sinking was June 7, 2015 :D

On 2017-01-24 12:32, MadDogMike wrote:
Ace, in case you want to know - the ill fated Moai barge sinking was June 7, 2015 :D

Thanks, Mike, I see that's also Paul Gaugin's birthday. Your calendar ROCKS!

Mike,

You have done a great thing with the tiki calendar. Each morning when I wake up I can go to your calendar and see what I am going to celebrate that day with a tiki drink.

Thanks,

ukutiki

A possible entry. Charles Lindbergh (born Feb 4,1902: died Aug 26,1974) is buried near Hana, Maui at the Palapala Ho'omau Church.

Thanks Mike!!! :)

I went through and added some more dates to the front page list that didn't make the calendar. I intentionally only put early 60s and before dates on the 1961 calendar to maintain the effect. But there's no reason not to add later dates to the list so keep them coming. I added some of the death dates from Pauly's list as well as opening dates for Kowloon, Frankie's, Tiki Oasis, Tiki Caliente, Hukilau, Luau by the Lake, etc.

Great Job Mike! Thanks!!

Thanks, Mike; it looks great!

I was able to use a print setting in Acrobat Reader to make two pages (beginning with page 2 of the PDF) print one-sided on regular copy paper, so that each month has the corresponding picture above it on the same page. Then I stapled the top corners and punched a hole to hang it. Since I have to tear off the page after each month, it won't last like one that's printed on card stock and spiral bound, but it's certainly less expensive.

And happy birthday to Arthur Lyman!

Very cool Hamo, glad that worked out :D

On 2017-02-01 18:01, Hamo wrote:
Thanks, Mike; it looks great!

I was able to use a print setting in Acrobat Reader to make two pages (beginning with page 2 of the PDF) print one-sided on regular copy paper, so that each month has the corresponding picture above it on the same page. Then I stapled the top corners and punched a hole to hang it. Since I have to tear off the page after each month, it won't last like one that's printed on card stock and spiral bound, but it's certainly less expensive.

And happy birthday to Arthur Lyman!

Hamo,

Great idea. I could not get it to print on 11 x 17. Did you or is yours on 8.5 X 11?

DC

Dusty, it's just regular 8.5 x 11 printer paper.

MDM,

Went back to the archives. Here are some more dates for next years calendar.

Mainlander Restaurant, St Louis, Opened July 3, 1962
Waikiki Restaurant, Minneapolis, Opened February 21, 1953
Kon Tiki Restaurant, Tucson, Opened January 30, 1962
Samoa Restaurant, Cocoa Beach, Opened June 23, 1960
The Reef Restaurant, Long Beach, Opened August 8, 1958
Ports o Call restaurant, Long Beach, Opened February 8 1961
Tahitian, Studio City, Opened February 20, 1959
Tahitian Village, Downey, Opened July 11, 1961
Royal Tahitian, Ontario, June 24, 1961
Kon Tiki, Portland, Opened September 26, 1959
Trader Vic’s, Detroit, Opened December 10, 1969
Trader Vic’s, St. Paul, Opened, September 27, 1966

August Holland, Tiki Artist, born June 23, 1928

(tomorrow is Stephen Cranes birthday!)

DC

Dustycajun I'm older than all those places. I'm glad I haven't shut down. Wendy

Got 'em - Thanks DC!!!

Awesome Calendar! I work in a print shop, so printing this and coil binding it will be a breeze!

Mahalo!

Nytie

July 28, 1955 - The Hawaiian opens in Long Beach [Source: "New Hawaii [sic] Restaurant to Open Here Thursday", Long Beach Independent, Tuesday, July 26, 1955, Page 24.]

June 29, 1969 - The Hawaiian, Long Beach, closes. [Source: "Farewell to the Hawaiian", Long Beach Independent, Friday, June 27, 1969, Page 20.]

Thanks HCE :)

Hawaii Five-O, aired from September 20, 1968, to April 5, 1980.

John Joseph Patrick Ryan
Aka Jack Lord
Born
December 30, 1920
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died January 21, 1998 (aged 77)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S

Frankoma was founded by John Frank in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1933.
Frank + oklahOMA = Frankoma
(Sorry, I can't locate day and month, anyone???)

Treasure Craft was founded in
Gardena, California, in 1945 by Alfred A. Levin
shortly after his discharge from the United States Navy.
(Again no day or month, sorry)

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2017-02-09 06:47 ]

Thanks Jon. Maybe Wendy knows more about the Frankoma history?

I updated to calendar to include more dates and AceExplorer has uploaded to new version in case you haven't printed yours yet Click here

Edgar William Leeteg Dies at age of 49 February 7 1953

Added, thanks Skip
49!!! :o

This is fantastic. Thanks so much for creating it and for all who contributed!
:drink:

URGENT UPDATE!!!! Mother's Day is May 14th not May 7th as I posted on the calendar. If you show up at Mom's with a bouquet of flowers this Sunday Mom will think you are sweet but you will still need to show up next week with another bouquet!!! :lol:

I will correct the file and have AceExplorer update it :D

Mad Dog,

I researched a few more dates for next year's calendar.

1. Pub Tiki Philadelphia Opens July 10, 1961
2. Kon Tiki Tucson Opens January 30, 1962
3. Polynesian Restaurant Torrance Opens August 25, 1957
4. Samoa Restaurant Cocoa Beach Opens June 23 1960
5. Waikiki Restaurant Minneapolis Opens February 21, 1953
6. Kon Tiki Portland Opens September 26, 1959
7. The Reef Restaurant Long Beach Opens August 8, 1958
8. Trader Vic’s St Louis Opens December 5, 1963
9. Trader Vic’s Detroit Opens December 10, 1969
10. Mainlander Restaurant Clayton Opens July 3, 1962
11. Ports o Call Long Beach Opens February 8, 1961
12. Tahitian Studio City Opens February 20, 1959
13. Tahitian Village Downey Opens July 11, 1961
14. Kon Tiki Cincinnati Opens August 19, 1965
15. South Pacific Hallandale Opens December 24, 1959
16. Monte Prosers’s Beachcomber New York Opens December 26, 1939
17. Hawaiian Room Emerson Hotel Opens October 26, 1962
18. Molokai Bar at the Mai Kai Opens March 4, 1958
19. Pago Pago Tucson Opens May 5, 1949
20. Mauna Loa Hollywood Opens October 5, 1962

DC

WHOOOOHOOOO!!! Thanks DC :D

Up to 180 entries. Admittedly, some of them are not all that significant in Tiki History. I thought is would be fun to sort them by year, kind of a Tiki Timeline. Sadly, most of the entries I have since the 70s are restaurants closing and people passing away :(

1722 5-Apr Capt Jacob Roggeveen arrives in Easter Island
1733 25-Dec Molasses Act alters rum history
1778 18-Jan Capt James Cook arrives in Hawaii
1779 14-Feb Death of Capt James Cook Hawaii
1835 28-Oct Maori Declaration of Independence
1848 7-Jun Paul Gauguin born
1888 2-Jan Drink straw patented
1890 24-Aug Duke Kahanamoku born
1894 7-Nov Don Blanding born
1902 11-Nov Webley Edwards born
1902 10-Dec Victor Bergeron born
1903 8-May Paul Gauguin dies
1903 31-Oct Eli Hedley born
1904 13-Apr Edgar Leeteg born
1906 18-Jun Milan Guanko born
1907 22-Feb Ernest Gantt (Don the Beachcomber) born
1908 5-Feb Moon Lueg born
1908 15-Apr eden ahbez born
1909 9-Nov Ray Buhen born
1911 10-Apr Martin Denny born
1914 6-Oct Thor Heyerdahl born
1914 10-Oct Louis Armet born
1916 7-Feb Stephen Crane born
1917 2-Feb Eldon Davis born
1919 19-Nov Charles McKirahan born
1920 30-Dec Jack Lord born
1921 12-Aug Wallace Turnbow born
1922 14-Mar Lex Baxter born
1922 13-Sep Yma Sumac born
1924 9-Jan Marvin Chin born
1924 16-Jan Pete Wembery born
1925 6-Jun William Westenhaver born
1927 17-Nov Robert Drasnin born
1928 28-Mar George Nakashima born
1928 23-Jun August Holland born
1930 9-May Leland Henry (Kahiki) born
1930 13-Aug Don Ho born
1931 21-Feb Hangover helper Alka Seltzer introduced
1931 18-Dec Andres Bumatay born
1933 1-Feb Arthur Lyman born
1933 19-Aug Debra Paget born
1933 5-Dec Repeal Day
1933 5-Dec Don's Beachcomber Café opens in Hollywood
1934 17-Nov Hinky Dinks opens
1935 14-Mar Sandy Warner born
1935 3-Jul "Hawaii Calls" radio show first broadcast
1935 8-Nov Mutiny on the Bounty movie released
1935 27-Nov The Tropics Beverly Hills opens
1937 26-May Don the Beachcomber Hollywood opens
1937 5-Jul Spam production begins
1939 26-Dec Monte Proser's Beachcomber NY opens
1940 1-May Don the Beacomber Chicago opens
1940 18-Dec Trader Vic Waikiki opens
1941 7-Dec Attack on Pearl Harbor
1942 13-May Skipper Kent's Zombie Village opens
1944 26-Sep Creation of the Trader Vic Mai Tai
1945 15-Aug VJ Day
1945 18-Sep Tonga Room opens
1947 28-Apr Kon Tiki sails from Peru
1947 7-Aug Kon Tiki arrives Tuamotu Islands
1949 5-May Pago Pago Tucson opena
1949 28-Oct Wayne Coombs born
1950 13-Jan Kon Tiki movie released
1950 22-Aug Kowloon opens Saugus MA
1953 7-Feb Edgar Leeteg dies
1953 21-Feb Waikiki restaurant Minneapolis opens
1953 2-Mar Don the Beachcomber Palm Springs opens
1953 25-Jul Beverly Hills Luau opens
1954 31-Dec Skipper Kent's Polynesian Village opens
1955 28-Jul The Hawaiian resturant Long Beach opens
1955 11-Aug Traders Beverly Hills Hilton opens
1955 27-Aug Sven Kristen born
1956 25-Jun Oceanic Arts opens
1956 28-Dec Mai Kai opens
1957 26-Mar The Traders Chicago opens
1957 9-Jun Don Blanding dies
1957 25-Aug Polynesian Restaurant Torrence opens
1957 23-Nov The Polynesian Torrence opens
1958 2-Mar Molokai Bar at Mai Kai opens
1958 19-Mar South Pacific movie released
1958 13-Apr Trader Vic's NY Savoy opens
1958 4-Jul Islands Phoenix opens
1958 8-Aug The Reef restaurant Long Beach opens
1959 20-Feb The Tahitian Studio City opens
1959 20-May Lanai San Mateo opens
1959 23-Jul Tiki Jo restaurant Santa Monica opens
1959 21-Aug Hawaiian statehood
1959 26-Sep Kon Tiki Portland opens
1959 7-Oct First episode of "Hawaiian Eye"
1959 24-Dec South Pacific Hallandale opens
1960 20-Jun Ren Clark's Polynesian Village opens
1960 23-Jun Samoa restaurant Cocoa Beach opens
1960 29-Jul Ports O'Call Dallas opens
1961 8-Feb Ports O'Call Long Beach opens
1961 20-Feb Kahiki opens
1961 28-Apr Tiki Ti opens
1961 24-Jun Royal Tahitian Onterio opens
1961 10-Jul Pub Tiki Philadelphia opens
1961 11-Jul Tahitian Villiage Downey opens
1961 13-Jul Kona Kai Philadelphia opens
1961 17-Nov Aloha Jhoe's Palm Springs opens
1961 21-Nov Tahitian Pasadena opens
1962 1-Jan Samoan Independence Day
1962 30-Jan Kon Tiki Tucson opens
1962 21-Apr Seattle Worlds Fair opens
1962 3-Jul Mainlander restaurant St Louis opens
1962 6-Aug Kon Tiki Ports Chicago opens
1962 5-Oct Mauna Loa Hollywood opens
1962 26-Oct Hawaiian Room Emerson Hotel opens
1962 1-Dec Don the Beachcomber Las Vegas opens
1963 2-Apr Last episode of "Hawaiian Eye" airs
1963 23-Jun Enchanted Tiki Room opens
1963 16-Aug Benny Chang's Polynesian Salt Lake City open
1963 12-Oct Polynesian Cultural Center opens
1963 5-Dec Trader Vic's St Louis opens
1964 4-Mar Trade Winds Oxnard opens
1965 4-Aug Cook Islands become self governing
1965 19-Aug Kon Tiki Cincinnati opens
1965 22-Aug Trader Vic's NY Plaza opens
1965 23-Aug Kon Tiki Ports Cincinnati opens
1965 11-Oct Explorer East Syracuse opens
1966 15-Jul Hop Louie's Latitude 20 Torrence opens
1966 27-Sep Trader Vic's St Paul opens
1967 8-Jan Mauna Loa Detroit opens
1968 22-Jan Duke Kahanamoku dies
1969 27-Jun Tur Maikai Kalamazoo opens
1969 29-Jun The Hawaiian resturant Long Beach closes
1969 10-Dec Trader Vic's Detroit opens
1970 31-Jul Black Tot Day
1975 16-Sep Papua New Guinea Independence Day
1977 5-Oct Webley Edwards dies
1981 12-Sep Eli Hedley dies
1981 11-Oct Louis Armet dies
1984 1-Jun Moon Lueg dies
1984 11-Oct Trader Vic dies
1985 6-Feb Stephen Crane dies
1989 7-Jun Don the Beachcomber dies
1990 15-Jun George Nakashima dies
1994 16-May Milan Guanko dies
1995 4-Mar eden ahbez dies
1995 30-Dec Pete Wembery dies
1998 21-Jan Jack Lord dies
1999 30-Sep Ray Buhen dies
2000 25-Aug Kahiki closes
2001 18-Aug First Tiki Oasis Palm Springs
2002 24-Feb Arthur Lyman dies
2002 18-Apr Thor Heyerdahl dies
2002 19-Jul First Hukilau Atlanta
2005 2-Mar Martin Denny dies
2007 14-Mar Don ho dies
2008 9-May First Tiki Caliente Palm Springs
2008 1-Nov Yma Sumac dies
2008 4-Dec Frankie's Las Vegas opens
2009 18-Sep First Luau at the Lake, Lake George NY
2009 8-Dec Smuggler's Cove San Francisco opens
2011 22-Apr Eldon Davis dies
2012 4-Sep Wayne Coombs dies
2015 13-May Robert Drasnin dies
2016 14-Dec William Westenhaver dies
2017 4-Mar Reef Palm Springs opens

On 2017-07-17 10:07, MadDogMike wrote:
Sadly, most of the entries I have since the 70s are restaurants closing and people passing away :(

That is depressing, but since you have the openings of Smuggler’s Cove and the Reef, why not add the openings for some of the other great new tiki bars? Links substantiate the dates.

22-Apr 2006 Forbidden Island opens
24-Feb 2016 Pagan Idol opens
3-Sep 2016 False Idol opens
13-Apr 2017 TikiCat opens

As for historic places, I’d love to find an exact opening date for Disneyland’s Tahitian Terrance in time for 2018/1962’s tiki calendar. The best anyone seems to know is that it opened in June 1962, but I’d still like to hope that maybe somebody out there with Disney connections, or access to old Orange County newspapers, or something, can find the specifics.

Thank you very much Hamo. Things I was going to look up and never did. I need to add the re-opening of Clifton's too.
I would be glad to add the date for the Tahitian Terrace if someone finds it.
I have actually chosen 1973 for next year's calendar instead of 1962. In an effort to maintain the "vintage calendar" illusion, I don't put entries for dates after the chosen year - a 2002 entry would look funny on 1973 calendar :lol: Choosing 1973 instead of 1962 lets me add more calendar events and still seem vintage. ALL of the events (including the ones that won't make the calendar) are listed on the first page of this thread. I have the new calendar ready to go, just going to hold it until the beginning of November in case more dates show up.