Trade Winds, Waco, TX (motel) - Locating Tiki

D Dustycajun Tiki Socialite Santa Barbara, CA Joined: Nov 16, 2007 Posts: 5295	D Dustycajun Posted posted on Sat, Mar 5, 2011 12:09 PM Name:Trade Winds Type:motel Street:4801 West Waco Drive City:Waco State:TX Zip: country:USA Phone: Status:defunct Description: Texas was the home to many of the Trade Winds motels, most of which featured the palm tree blowing in the wind logo similar to the flagship location in Tulsa, OK. The Trade Winds motel in Waco published a postcard that gave a sideways peek at a Tiki on the motel sign. Here is the postcard from my collection. The building had a classic A-frame style with nice glass and rock wall features. A close up of the sign. Looks like a cool Tiki up there flanked by Tiki torches. I am sure that many an urban archaeologist has cursed the photographer for the lousy shot of that potentially impressive motel sign. Well, I found images of a matchbook from the motel with renderings of the sign - a Tiki modern Tiki in an outrigger with blazing Tiki torches - tr es cool! Now your probably thinking that this place had to have a Polynesian lounge to go with the look of the sign... not so much. The on-site restaurant was the Der Duetche Hof, go figure! DC
B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Sat, Mar 5, 2011 11:56 PM Yes, a great sign, a bad photo of it, and a funny combination of themes - all the while the sparse, modern look of the place shows nothing of either Polynesian or German elements! Just proves how at the time, the concept of themed eateries/places was popular. And we have yet to see images of the interiors..
UJ Unkle John Tiki Socialite Middle-of-the-Ocean, TX Joined: Oct 22, 2003 Posts: 1217	UJ Unkle John Posted posted on Mon, Mar 7, 2011 8:14 AM I think the reason for the German restaurant is because that section of Texas and south was where alot of German settlers landed and called home. Little towns like Ennis, West, Shiner & New Braunfels are rich in their German heritage and celebrate them with annual festivals. I don't think Waco was a German settlement, but I speculate the owner of the Trade Winds was of German decent, or they were trying to cater to the German decedents who vacationed in Waco (many museums) or who came to see their children in school (Baylor University). Just my speculations though. [ Edited by: Unkle John 2011-03-07 08:16 ]

D

Dustycajun Posted posted on Sat, Mar 5, 2011 12:09 PM

Name:Trade Winds
Type:motel
Street:4801 West Waco Drive
City:Waco
State:TX
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:

Texas was the home to many of the Trade Winds motels, most of which featured the palm tree blowing in the wind logo similar to the flagship location in Tulsa, OK. The Trade Winds motel in Waco published a postcard that gave a sideways peek at a Tiki on the motel sign.

Here is the postcard from my collection.

The building had a classic A-frame style with nice glass and rock wall features.

A close up of the sign. Looks like a cool Tiki up there flanked by Tiki torches.

I am sure that many an urban archaeologist has cursed the photographer for the lousy shot of that potentially impressive motel sign. Well, I found images of a matchbook from the motel with renderings of the sign - a Tiki modern Tiki in an outrigger with blazing Tiki torches - tr es cool!

Now your probably thinking that this place had to have a Polynesian lounge to go with the look of the sign... not so much. The on-site restaurant was the Der Duetche Hof, go figure!

DC

B

bigbrotiki Posted posted on Sat, Mar 5, 2011 11:56 PM

Yes, a great sign, a bad photo of it, and a funny combination of themes - all the while the sparse, modern look of the place shows nothing of either Polynesian or German elements! Just proves how at the time, the concept of themed eateries/places was popular. And we have yet to see images of the interiors..

UJ

Unkle John Posted posted on Mon, Mar 7, 2011 8:14 AM

I think the reason for the German restaurant is because that section of Texas and south was where alot of German settlers landed and called home. Little towns like Ennis, West, Shiner & New Braunfels are rich in their German heritage and celebrate them with annual festivals. I don't think Waco was a German settlement, but I speculate the owner of the Trade Winds was of German decent, or they were trying to cater to the German decedents who vacationed in Waco (many museums) or who came to see their children in school (Baylor University). Just my speculations though.

[ Edited by: Unkle John 2011-03-07 08:16 ]