Don the Beachcomber - The Locations (Updated 01-09-20)

Aloha,

Microfilm scan... Don the Beachcombers, Waikiki interior... probably the third one...

Phillip,

Nice photo, haven't seen the inside of the Hawaii locations much.

Here is another tourist photo of the Don the Beachcomber sign at the Market Place.

And another photo of the Blairs sign at the Don the Beachcomber similar to the earlier one posted by Tradr Bill.

DC

Here is a great ad for the Martin Denny Group playing at the Bora Bora Lounge in the Don the Beachcomber International Market Place location.

DC

A Luau invitation from Don.

Complete with a description of the memories you would take home

Don the Showman!

DC

I just got this nice fan drink menu from Don the Beachcomber.

Close up of the drinks, cool to see the old mugs and the craftsmanship in the cocktails.

The drink names.

The back of the menu has the appetizers

And lists 8 locations. I guess Chicago had closed by this time.

A nice piece.

DC

Wow DC!!!!! Thoses are so cool :D. Great find. I just found about 43 vintage hawaiian postcards from one of my thrift stores and it included 2 fron DTBC. One I already had but the other I did not. Any how. Those fans are killer.

Thanks Forgotten Tiki Man. Glad you found some DTB cards. Speaking of that, here is a new one I picked up showing the Coconut Palm Garden at the Waikiki location. A really nice old card.

You can see "that" Tiki by the pond.

Ha! Great find, DC - So this photo was NOT taken at the Fern Forest National Park on the Big Island, as I wrongly assumed in THIS thread about that specific Tiki design:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=27220&forum=1&vpost=363780

This finally proves that THIS famous photo was taken at Don's, too:

Why go to some remote fern forest when you can shoot it in downtown Waikiki? :D

So WHERE was this palm garden exactly? In FRONT of the restaurant? Phil, can you draw a location floor plan, please? :)

On 2012-09-24 17:15, Dustycajun wrote:
I just got this nice fan drink menu from Don the Beachcomber.

Close up of the drinks, cool to see the old mugs and the craftsmanship in the cocktails.

The drink names.

The back of the menu has the appetizers

And lists 8 locations. I guess Chicago had closed by this time.

A nice piece.

DC

Great find, and pics DC,
We have one of those too,
My Grandma on my Dads side used to collect menus from wherever she went.
Sadly its got fold marks in it.
But we matted it and framed it,
and its in out tiki room, behind the bar.

Jeff(btd)

It says on the menu that a "Beach Boy" was coconut milk and vodka. Does that mean it was simply a "Chi Chi" without pineapple juice? And anyone know what was in a "Proud Bird"?

On 2012-10-02 12:21, Dustycajun wrote:
Thanks Forgotten Tiki Man. Glad you found some DTB cards. Speaking of that, here is a new one I picked up showing the Coconut Palm Garden at the Waikiki location. A really nice old card.

Outstanding DC! The woman with the glass float in the lower left of your postcard also seems to explain the mystery location of this shot from a 1950's ART PHOTO magazine I have!

Jeff,

Great idea for framing the fan, can you post a pic?

A-Frame,

Nice find on that photo, clearly the same glass floats and pond as Don's. Here is aother card with the Tiki and you can see the same float.

DC

Because of the similarity of pose, I have wondered if this was also the location for this famous LP cover:

...but the architecture is completely different, and all Denny/Sandy Warner covers were shot in L.A./California.
This is either a SouCal restaurant or a film set.

We still need to find out who the CARVER was whose lingams graced both Don's and Vic's establishments.
These are true Proto-Tikis from the Pre-Tiki era !

Sven,
Thanks for the posts. This is fantastic. I love knowing this kind of information, and the discovery process. I've always wondered where the cover to Quiet Village was shot. Hopefully someone can figure it out!

Side note: Panoramic and 180/360 photography was extremely popular in the early 20th century. I've seen a lot of old silver prints of 360 views from around the turn of the century. What a shame that it fell out of vogue during the Kodachrome years, and there aren't 360 degree views from inside our favourite tiki establishments.

[ Edited by: Hale Tiki 2012-10-04 03:57 ]

Well just when you think you have seen them all, a NEW Don the Beachcomber location pops up!

I got this newspaper photo from the Denver Post showing the opening of a Don The Beachcomber's at what had been the Orchard Cafe in Elitch's Gardens amusement park in Denver.

Close up of the sign.

It could be Tiki drinks on the tables?

Back of the photo with the story caption. Opening was in June, 1979.

Zulu Magoo is going to have to do some research on this one. It would be nice to see the story that goes with the photo.

DC

Cool pic. DC, you're inspiring me to use my scanner more.
Here's a photo from Don's in Waikiki.

back

Great work as always DC

Cool find re: the Denver location, DC...

Here's a great shot of a cutie posing outside the Waikiki DTB... nice close-up view of the signs and entrance tikis. Too bad the fernwood tiki is reflecting virtually no light, so it's hard to make out the detail: (EDIT: you can see the detail in Kiara's shot above... same tiki)

Full size here:
http://i.imgur.com/vBazA.jpg

-Trad'r Bill

[ Edited by: Trad'r Bill 2012-10-14 11:59 ]

what a great photo. Here's another Dons Waikiki image. was this the same building as the last two photos?

Aloha,

On 2012-10-14 12:44, kiara wrote:
what a great photo. Here's another Dons Waikiki image. was this the same building as the last two photos?

No the previous photos were (about a block away from what would become the International Market Place, where Macy's and previously Liberty house was built) in Donn's three hut domain until 1958ish...

Just won this menu on eBay - looks to be pretty late (1990's?), based on the prices.

And the back lists quite a few locations that I don't think have been documented yet... I see:

Keauhou, Kona Hawaii - Keauhou Beach Hotel
Peoria, Illinois
Excelsior, Minnesota (or is this the same as the St. Paul location?)
Memphis, Tennessee
Kendall, Miami, Florida

Enjoy,
Trad'r Bill

That's quite a find. I wonder, though, if those last three ever opened. And I can't read it on the menu - what hotel in West Lafayette was DtB at?

I'm still waiting for the seller to ship it to me, but it looks like it says the West Lafayette location was at the Sheraton Hotel.

By the way, I'd say early 1980s rather than 1990s. The one at the Cosmopolitan was there from '79-'82, and the Aurora location opened in '81 so I'd say that places this menu squarely in the years 1981-82.

aloha,

On 2012-11-05 07:45, Trad'r Bill wrote:

And the back lists quite a few locations that I don't think have been documented yet... I see:

Keauhou, Kona Hawaii - Keauhou Beach Hotel

Hmmm... Don't think that one ever opened... But I will go to the library...

When you get it, please let me know if you see the "AMFAC Corporation" anywhere on it.

On 2012-10-14 12:44, kiara wrote:
Here's another Dons Waikiki image.

Kiara,

That is a great photo. I have never seen that Don the Beachcomber building before. I am a little confused as to which one it is.

There was the original facility designed by Wimberly with the three grass huts,

Then the second place seen in the postcard that became Dukes. Is this the same building as Kiara's photo?

Then the third place was the Colonels Plantation,

This is not the same location as shown in Kiara's photo

Then the last spot in the Beachcomber Hotel.

So is this a 5th location within the International Market Place area?

Maybe Phillip Roberts could elaborate some more info on this.

DC

and who is Samson? :o

Aloha,

On 2012-11-09 12:23, Dustycajun wrote:

Then the last spot in the Beachcomber Hotel.

Maybe Phillip Roberts could elaborate some more info on this.

DC

I don't think this bottom location was a separate shop. The two images seem to be of the same place at the Beachcomber Hotel. Look at the doors... Look at the same design above the door... Look carefully at the placement of other images... They seem to match up well.

By this time, the AMFAC Corporation was running both the Oahu and Maui (1972) locations... One can extrapolate that Samson was the interior designer hired by them.

Kiara's picture is the Third restaurant at the Kalakaua/Ewa End of the Market Place. Also the location of the Colonel's Plantation (upstairs with the Dagger Bar) note the Brownlee gable... Standing there now is the Quicksilver shop..,

Waikiki Tiki; Art, History, and Photographs.
Available now from Bess Press Hawaii.

[ Edited by: phillip roberts 2012-11-09 18:29 ]

On 2012-11-09 12:23, Dustycajun wrote:

On 2012-10-14 12:44, kiara wrote:
Here's another Dons Waikiki image.

Kiara,

That is a great photo. I have never seen that Don the Beachcomber building before. I am a little confused as to which one it is.

There was the original facility designed by Wimberly with the three grass huts,

Then the second place seen in the postcard that became Dukes. Is this the same building as Kiara's photo?

Then the third place was the Colonels Plantation,

This is not the same location as shown in Kiara's photo

Then the last spot in the Beachcomber Hotel.

So is this a 5th location within the International Market Place area?

Maybe Phillip Roberts could elaborate some more info on this.

DC

Thanks DC and thanks for the info Phillip. I didn't know there was a location where the quicksilver shop is now.
The last time I was on Oahu, I took photo's of the I.N.M.P. location. Or what's left. This photo is a little busy but you can still see a couple of artifacts from the above photo.

Look closer to see the tiki.

And does anyone remember this? I think the whole wall is gone. That's my wife in the foreground.

I know that there's a photo of this wall in Waikiki Tiki.

Aloha,

On 2012-11-09 19:26, kiara wrote:
I know that there's a photo of this wall in Waikiki Tiki.

Great shots. Mahalo!! I always enjoy seeing different angles and times.

My shots of the wall always have vendors in it. the shot in Waikiki Tiki was taken from the parrot walk bridge toward the shell of the Trader Vic's treehouse. below it was Captain Zacks, the former Tiki broiler.

It was made of some kind of light weight material. It showed up in pieces for a while on Craigslist in Hawaii offered from a certain unscrupulous character who shall remain nameless.

And the Moai. For a while they were surrounded by a coffee cup dislpay.

In their last known location, 660 Ahua Street!

Drop a pin on that map feature if you want to see them.

Wow, so those Tikis are gone now too. Is the International Marketplace going to be there much longer? I hate to get off of the Donn's topic of this thread, but here's a cool angle of the Brownlee entrance tiki/sign I took about 10 yrs. ago.

Have you heard anything about a smaller place just north of The I.N.M.P. called something like, South Sea village?

aloha,

DING DING DING!!!

AND!!! LADIES an GENLTLEMEN!!

there it s folks. Game over! Best tourist shot EVER. It's really quite something. Amazing angle and great color.
Do you have a date of that vacation?

These Brownlee Sculptures represent Hawaii's Image to the world in the MID CENTURY and the advent of the Tiki Age in Hawaii.

Incredible. Mahalo Nui Loa.

"Ulu mau village" is where those other pictures should go. use search. There were two. cant wait

On 2012-11-09 21:40, kiara wrote:
Wow, so those Tikis are gone now too. Is the International Marketplace going to be there much longer? I hate to get off of the Donn's topic of this thread, but here's a cool angle of the Brownlee entrance tiki/sign I took about 10 yrs. ago.

Have you heard anything about a smaller place just north of The I.N.M.P. called something like, South Sea village?

Trader Bill,

Nice find on the menu. Looking forward to a better scan. Interesting to see the last 4 locations which I had never heard of before. I am pretty sure the last three never existed, but the location in Peoria is interesting in that it lists an actual hotel. It also does not list Seattle, makes you wonder if that one was real. Maybe some Tiki field agents in that area could take a trip to the library for some research.

It wouldn't be the first time that menus listed places that never opened – like the famous Ports of Half Moon Bay Island example from Shelter Island in San Diego.

I also had posted this ad from 1981 when the Don the Beachcomber corp. was looking to open restaurants in Florida.

Cool to see the two locations in the Denver area. According to Zulu Magoo, the Cosmopolitan Hotel location closed in 1984 and the Aroura location operated from 1981 to 1986.

Picked up this little beauty today, a Don the Beachcomber "credit card"

Very cool, never seen one of these before.

Thinking of Art today.

DC

"...A Noggin full of rum and 15 days to pay!"

NIce! This is earlier in the thread.

My cousins hanging out at the tree house.

This would be my Aunt Bungy's Family.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=17694&forum=1

Bamboo Ben
Custom Tropical Decor
I build Fun for you!
http://www.facebook.com/bambooben

[ Edited by: revbambooben 2012-12-16 09:48 ]

Bamboo Ben,

Great family photo at the treehouse, thanks for sharing that.

I just picked up this super old postcard of the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood.

What a difference a few decades and mature landscape make!

DC

LIKE!!!

Damn I really hope someone finally finds some photos of the Santa Clara location.

On 2013-01-08 00:05, SuperEight wrote:
Damn I really hope someone finally finds some photos of the Santa Clara location.

The San Jose and Santa Clara libraries are not to far from Palo Alto my friend! Would love to see that as well.

Just got another old postcard from the original Waikiki location, this one shows the Crossroads Bazaar building.

DC

Just scored this great old photo of a couple of hip dudes in front of the Don the Beachcomber's entrance at the International Marketplace.

Nice photo showing the sign, Tiki poles and that fernwood Tiki that is so hard to photograph.

DC

Aloha DC,

Wonderful pic, but I'd say predates the Marketplace development. It's as part of the "3 Grass Shack" Beachcomber restaurant. 1946-57 (Located [about where Macy's is/Liberty House was built] on Kalakaua Avenue)

Phillip,

Well of course it is, thanks for the correction. Interesting to see the sign change from the early days. I guess Donn needed to go a little more "corporate" with the logo.

Found this photo on-line showing the exterior of the Don the Beachcomber located on Harbor Island in San Diego. First photo I have seen other than the postcard. Those were some serious Tiki torches.

Finally an ad from the second Don The Beachcomber located in Denver at the Ramada Hotel

DC

Does anyone have photos of the Corona del Mar, Ca. location?
I think it closed in the very early 1960s.

On 2013-01-14 17:49, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Does anyone have photos of the Corona del Mar, Ca. location?
I think it closed in the very early 1960s.

ATP,

The Corona Del Mar location opened in 1969 and lasted through the 1970's. Here is a close up of the matchbook rendering.

A great looking place with that soaring A-Frame port-cochere that included a Tiki torch. Reminds me of the Half Moon Inn. It would be great to see a photo.

DC

I know it was there through 1977-78 and I think it lasted into the early eighties 81-82?

Here's a placemat image I nabbed from ebay a while ago.

The credit under the image says "Condesco Incorporated designers"

It's now a retirement community but the circular driveway still exists. :lol:

It's funny I lived there all through that time & that is the one Tiki place
my family did not go to, I can't even remember it being there into the 1970s
& we used to eat at the "Five Crowns" restaurant that was right next to it
yet we had many dinners at the Maui Don's in the 70s.