New Tiki store in San Diego

I just read about a just opened new place called "Mainlanders" @ 6195 University Ave (@ College Ave) http://www.tropicaltikis.com

On 2007-03-15 18:02, Aguillard wrote:
I just read about a just opened new place called "Mainlanders" @ 6195 University Ave (@ College Ave) http://www.tropicaltikis.com

Been there. Bahooka Hula and I popped in for a tiki maybe a month ago. Am anxious to hear what others think! These guys were formerly Culbertson Imports, and I think they still reference that name on their Web site -- so perhaps they just wanted something catchier and tikier on their sign (rather than the go-out-of-business-and-reopen-under-a-new-name type of gag the worst of the Persian carpet places are known for).

We had an all-around good experience there, so I mentioned them by email to Humuhumu for possible inclusion on the Critiki Map, but haven't heard back. Anyone else have experience/history with these guys? I know their carvings come from Indonesia (but are modern Poly Pop [if that isn't an oxymoron] in style). The Indonesia origin possibly would not please Sven, et al, for being what he calls "Poly Asian". I'm not sure these actually would qualify as Poly-Asian, though, since -- to my eye -- whoever designed them seems to have had a good eye for modern American tiki. That is: carvings from Indonesia; designs from (I guess) San Diego.

Bahookahuna

Ugh! I still like Culbertson Imports -- good selection, great traditional and modern styles, friendly service -- but need to mention that, after only one month and two rains, the tiki's clear poly varnish is already seriously weathering off.

Am emailing Culbertson right now to learn more...but live far from San Diego so will have to revarnish the tiki myself this next weekend.

Bahookahuna

Look not into the eyes of the idol...

[ Edited by: Bahookahuna 2007-04-27 13:41 ]

Culberston's response (received less than 3 hours after my email!!):

*It usually holds for at least a year but this is wood and you can never really control its density and surface "texture".
I'm sure that if you apply a coat or 2 soon, it will hold at least until Xmas.

We give the same treatment to all our Tikis and honestly it's the first time that I hear that the poly weathered off in a month... I totally believe you but it's really unusual.

You should be able to fix it really easily and if you want, you can drop by and we'll apply 2 coats on it but you'll need to stick around for a few hours until it dries...

Let me know if you want to do that.

Mathieu*

Don't know about you (fellow TikiCentralites), but I'm pretty satisfied with this response. Nice, helpful folks.

So a couple of months and plenty of "waterings" (side spray from watering my tropicals) later, the clear gloss polyurethane that Mathieu at Culbertson's (a.k.a. Mainlanders) recommended is still holding. Clear gloss poly looks so good that I've coated our Oceanic Arts moai with it, as well.

I believe -- as Mathieu had told me -- that the Indonesian tropical wood from which the first tiki was carved is so porous that it simply completely soaked up the two coats that Mainlanders had applied, and needed a couple more. You can see part of the finished product in the picture I use with my signature (below) -- "the eyes of Erna-Erna."

You can also check out something similar here (Mainlanders in San Diego version): http://www.tropicaltikis.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_26&products_id=591, and here (PalmTree Charlie in Florida version): http://www.tikis4u.com/hand-carved-tiki-statue-hawaiian-totem-pole-sale-35.htm

It's a more modern design, especially with the paint and gloss, but I really like it. I had a few reservations about it when I believed that the design had originated in Bali -- a non-traditionally-tiki, commercial source of a lot of what's on the market nowadays. However, OnaTiki has indicated that the design may have actually originated in Tahiti. OnaTiki's did. Here's what their's looks like (captured from the marvelous YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z4QcuvZpJ0 ):

Does anyone else have any info on this design?

By the way, Mainlanders is having its grand opening on July 21, 2007 -- music, food, drinks, and discounts on all their products.

Bahookahuna

Look not into the eyes of the idol...

[ Edited by: Bahookahuna 2007-06-26 11:14 ]

[ Edited by: Bahookahuna 2007-06-27 09:30 ]