Grass Shack. Pre-kahiki?

I found this book of matches about a year ago. Sitting in my bar today I started to take a look and got curious. The match book is from the 50's or early 60's due to the phone number. The address is 3583 E. Broad St. Columbus. Thats the Kahiki or where the Kahiki was (RIP). I searched the posts and did'nt find anything for the Grass Shack. Anyone got any info. Thanks

Very cool. It is not pre-Kahiki in terms of the same place, but, indeed, the Kahiki owners owned this place first and it burned down. Tiki Skip has a lot more details. We heard the story a bit at the first Hot Rod Hula Hop and I am sure he can recount it better than I. Very rare thing to own. If you want to sell it, I know Linda would love to own that artifact. Awesome!

Swank Blather- Talkin' atcha

[ Edited by: Swanky 2006-12-17 19:25 ]

Thanks Swanky. I thought I had something unique. I did a web search on the name and got nothing. When I searched the web for the address I came up with only sites about the Kahiki. I lokked at the address again and got out one of my Kahiki postcards and BINGO! I don't live in the Columbus area or I would go digging around at the library for more info. The match book has no writing on the inside. Found in the wild here in Kalamazoo. .25 cents. Thanks Again.

WOW! That is the place Bill Sapp and Lee Henry Had before the Kahiki!
He told me that when they got it it was a rough place, patron wise.
They got it for a testing ground for the Kahiki. They invented
And tested the drinks/food at that bar.

The place did burn down, on Bills Birthday!
He told me he went home (party was still going on)
And got a call from sondro Conti, Bar Manager/drink inventer
Who said "Boss we got a fire here"
Bill said "well put it out"
Sondro called back and said "hey boss this things getting pretty big"
Bill "are we going to be open tomorrow?"
Sondro then called back and said."Boss we no open tomorrow!"

They were going to start on the Kahiki the next day anyway.
Bill told me that they had matches with the raised boobs. I thought he was
mistaken but there they are!

Great find! How much did the great collector bear offer for it?
Don't let anyone charm you out of those. they are RARE!

WOW!!Thanks for the great info Tikiskip. The match book does have raised boobs. Makes em easy to find in your pocket I guess. Do you know of any photos of the place or were I can read up on the history? No offers to buy them yet. I'm hang'n on to this one. I do have a few Kahiki items to make a good grouping in my collection. Thanks again.

I have NEVER seen anything from the Grass Shack.
When I talked with Mr. Sapp he said he had no
photos/stuff from the Grass Shack Or the Kahiki.
I did not think to ask Lee henry.

Mr Sapp did say that when they started the Kahiki
The fire marshal came in and said "you can't use
the thatch" Because it was a fire hazard.
They told him that they used fire proofing material
on the thatch.
They then took him to the burned remains of
the Grass Shack and showed him that everything but
the thatch was burnt to a crisp!
So he let them use it.

If we could find out Mr Sapps birthday we could go
to some old newspaper to see if there is a photo of
the fire at The Grass Shack.
This would be 1958 or 1959 In the Dispatch, or
The Citizens Journal.

Thanks again Skip. WOW!! I have a few offers to sell the match book but I'm hang'n on to it. I tried to look at the Dispatch news archives online. They charge to look at articels and only go back to 1985 online. I live in Michigan so I was doing the long distance detective thing. Having a little history to go with an item is what I like. You can show someone around your bar and it's just a bar. When you have history to go with a piece in your collection the bar comes to life. All the stories of times and places long gone. People come over to my bar and say "I had no idea" or "I remember going there". Thats why I love TC and digg'n up the tiki past. Thanks again for your time.

Whenever I am at a party, Or out and about.
I like to talk to the well seasond citizens.
They have tails and ways long forgotten.
If someone dose not sit down and listen all could
be lost forever.

Hey Umeone, could you pm me your dads birthday?
Maybe we could find a story.

Hey Tikiskip. Got an e-mail from Linda Sapp a very, very nice lady. She told me her dad's birthday was June 14th. Hope this will help in turning up an article in the Dispatch about the fire at the Grass Shack. Thanks

Yes that will help.
Hey Hulacat, did you get that?
I will leave the research to the pros.