Kona Kai Inn, La Crescenta, CA (restaurant)

Name:Kona Kai Inn
Type:restaurant
Street:3034 Foothill Blvd.
City:La Crescenta
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
I saw this matchbook on ebay a while back from the Kona Kai Inn located in La Crescenta. It was a polynesian themed restaurant owned by Vince Dundee, who apparently owned quite a bit of real estate in the area back in the day.

I found a little story on the Foothill Forums blog about the place:

"The Scotch Mist" was the restaurant Vince Dundee owned for at least a couple of decades. The Hawaiian themed restaurant (also owned by Dundee) was across the street adjacent to Christies Liquor (owned by---uh-huh---you guessed it....Dundee). The Hawaiian restaurant was called "The Kona Kai" and then became a local disco in the 70s---then burned down. Dundee still owns lots of properties in that area along Foothill Blvd.

Classic tale of Tiki de-evolution, it turned into a disco and burned to hell in the 70's! Seems like I have heard that story before.

Would be nice to find out a little more info on this place.

DC

Beautiful font on that matchbook! And a nice abstract tiki to warm the heart of Bigbro too, I betcha.

Indeed. More about that place here:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=16407&forum=1&start=15

I cant be positive, Because I havent done "any" research but I heard a rumor that a trader joes will be moving in to that location. That would be a unique coincidence if it happens..

Found another matchbook from Vincent Dundee's Kona Kai Inn.

He also had the Scotch Mist restaurant.

And a Scotch Mist liquor store in Palm Springs.

DC

Here ya go.....!

From a few years back...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=16407&forum=1&hilite=vince%20dundee

and related (just down the hill)...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=32584&forum=2&hilite=vince%20dundee

I thought I had posted a couple of pics, but can't find them. All that was left at the time was the pole for the sign with some lava rock around the bottom.

Spy Bop Royale!

[ Edited by: spy-tiki 2013-11-01 16:24 ]

From a 1966 Glendale News-Press article..."In a double announcement, Vince Dundee Jr., owner of the Scotch Mist and Kona Kai restaurants in La Crescenta, reported the formation of a new foothill catering company to be known as Scotch Mist Caterers and future construction of new dining, banquet rooms and catering kitchens at the Kona Kai Inn. Dundee further promised a unique telephone booth would be set up in the Kona Kai parking lot where patrons desiring food-to-go would merely dial a direct line number to the Kona Kai kitchens. The dinner would be prepared in minutes and delivered packaged to the patron in the parking lot."...So Vince Dundee JR owned them, not his father the boxer, who died in his 40's. The family is still involved in Real Estate in the area, especially Vince III.

[ Edited by: Or Got Rum? 2017-07-11 14:17 ]