Tiki in S. Florida- Ft. Lauderdale/Miami

Hi folks,

I will be in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area from 1/14- 1/18/04 would like to know where I may be able to find vintage tiki mugs and items. Perhaps in addition to any stores you may know of are there any flea markets worthwhile?

As far as restaurants go, I know to always return to the Mai-Kai as I believe that is the only place open now in S. Florida.

I have a copy of Tiki Road trip and most places appear to be closed.

Any suggestion you have would be most appreciated.

Happy New Year,

Mahalo,

AlanSumacNYC

Try a vintage shop called "Miami Twice", they had some rattan furnature when I was there but no mugs. This was the only store I was able to find that offered anything close to vintage tiki. Look them up in the phone book when you get there and perhaps call before you go because it was a real pain to find the store. The Mai Kai giftshop has some nice new tiki merch.

Thrift stores are picked clean daily around here (Ft Lauderdale) by what the owners tell me are a couple dozen Tiki folk in the area. My best luck has been early mornings at the swap shop in Sunrise (West of Ft Lauderdale), Thursdays are best as selling is free. Better off with tag sales and flea markets here as it seems the thrift store/antique store owners are onto us.

McDougall is right. I did not find any Tiki stuff at any of the shops on my recent trip. Except for a bunch of very cool exotica and Hawaiian records at a store called "All Books and Records". I hit some thrift stores as well and did manage to find an old Mai Kai rum barrel.

Though I heard that Thursday is the day to go, I went to the Sunrise Swap Shop on a Sunday and had to sort through a lot of new crap but did find a nice vintage Maori Tiki and a couple other small things.

AlanSumacNYC, of course, when you are down there you can see if McDougall will sell you one of his carvings. He does nice work. I have a very cool carved pendant he made.

"All Books and Records" are great (there's 2, one near the swap shop, one in Oakland park), I go there for OOP CD's, good people there. Oakland Park (The town of the Mai Kai) one has dozens of so so thrift stores in the area, a more thourough collector could do well there I'm sure. I sent you a pm(personal message) boutiki, hope your collecting is going well, loving your book "Tiki Quest" gotta have about a couple dozen of those mugs, but I like that Munktiki mug of yours the best. Enjoyed a Mai Tai in #8 over the weekend.

McDougall-

You're right. On my last trip down there just a few weeks ago I didn't find much of what I was looking for. I did find some cool stuff at some thrift stores but not much of it was Tiki. The only tiki stuff I found was a Ray Kinney record at a Salvation Army for a quarter and Arthur Lyman 'The Legend of Pele' for $3 at a bookstore in Hollywood. I was mainly looking for LPs and I thought it was gonna be a bonanza, but I guess the Tikiphiles are rampant in South Florida as well. In total I think I hit 7 or 8 thrift and record stores looking for LPs. One store on Oakland Pk. I think it's called 'Larry's' had a ton of inventory, but I could not find not one Les Baxter LP, not to mention Denny, Lyman, or Yma Sumac. When I asked the guy at the counter who looked like he was right outta 'Wayne's World' where I could find any Les Baxter in the store he said "Who is that?" When I told him, he said "hmm I don't know, look in the Vocal section".

Boutiki I know that All Books & Records store that you mentioned. I had been there before years ago. On this past trip though, as I was driving west on Oakland Park seeing the giant "All Book & Record" sign on the back of the building I got really amped about going in there only to find when I pulled in the parking lot that they were....you guessed it....CLOSED! Outta bidness...gone! I think they're making way for a furniture store in that space now.

I also tried that really cool record store in the Searstown plaza. When I asked the nice gentleman behind the counter about 'Exotica'/Lounge music. he was like 'nah...just don't have any at the moment. There's a couple of people that come in here and snap that stuff up all the time'. Likewise for the vintage collectible store in the same plaza. When I asked if they had any Hawaiiana their answer was the same as the guy at the record store.

There was also a really great record store on State Rd. 7 in Plantation. He had some cool LPs, but they weren't really bargains. Like in the $15 to $25 range. I mean where is the thrill in buying a really cool LP unless you get it for a steal, right??

As far as flea markets I was planning on going to the one in Margate and maybe the Swap Shop, but unexpected family stuff came up, and I ran outta time.

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-01-09 09:50 ]

West Palm is overflowing with Tiki stuff (on the days I don't get it first, that is). I've found the old standby--Tiki spoons and forks at the Salvation Army on Military.
I have added to my collection of records at all the stores here.
There is an entire set of tacky faux bamboo (wood carved to look like bamboo and then painted yellow) furniture at the Salv. Army.
I have found at least a dozen tiki mugs in the last year alone.