Tourist Photos Mystery Poly-Pop Location 1-Now #2

We all remember the 1959 Mystery Tiki Bar Photo thread from a few years ago, 11 pages of funny sleuthing-well I have a few photos that need professional Tiki detective help. The 1st series could be obvious, but my searching (I'm sure I could have missed something) came up with nothing concrete...



Okay, I thought the Mai Kai because of the "Mai" over his right shoulder, but in looking through lots of your great Mai Kai photos all I saw that was similar was the yellow pattern over the thatch roof. I was only at the Mai Kai once in a 1990 rum fueled adventure...so no great memory. I would say these pics are from 1967ish (?)...no dates on the pics...to be continued...Thanks, OGR

[ Edited by: Or Got Rum? 2012-08-28 08:49 ]

[ Edited by: Or Got Rum? 2012-08-30 10:47 ]

I'm gonna guess the Tur Mai Kai in Kalamazoo MI?

It is the Mai-Kai. That is the old front doors, with "Mai-Kai" on the left and the cannibal trio on the right.

Here is the doors in 1959:

Not sure about the middlw picture. The first is too hard to guess where it might be in the Mai-Kai.

In your picture you can see th eporte cochere has been added. That's the "design" aspect up top. Looks like a big tiki at the entry was added too.

Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!

[ Edited by: Swanky 2012-08-28 09:29 ]

I think I am seeing a large dypsis lutecens palm in the first shot, a fairly common and old school plant, if it's inside it's doable anywhere, but outside in the U.S. only Florida, California or Hawaii. And I notice homeboy is sweating thru his shirt and he doesn't look nervous, so I guess Florida.

I concur with Swanky: The Florida Mai Kai is most likely, they did use the bamboo font, this menu is based on their front door:

...and they used the Cook Islands Fishermen god as a logo Tiki (besides the Cannibals):

Three elements match the background of one of the color photos:
The rattan/bamboo wall, the gray Cook Islands god, and the rock wall

He may not look nervous, but he's dating three different girls without even changing his shirt, so he should be.

I formally withdraw my guess.

Thank you all...Bosko/Swanky/Sven you nailed it. What really threw me was the leaf in front of the Fisherman God Tiki...it made it look like a horn...looking at the negative space. Soon on to Number 2. OGR

I thought the first photo was of early victims of the "Blair Witch"

Thanks for the help...here is Number 2. A sweet interior shot looks to be from the late 50's/early 60's (?) w/ a dancer. A lot of decor going on....DTB/Trader Vic's? Again no date on the photo. Thanks in advance. OGR

I don't think it's a Don or Vics, those look to be a banana plants in back and they have some burn to the tips so maybe this says they're planted outside, or they are in California getting too much of our mineral laden water? The woman's dress in back looks like mid late 50's, I almost want to say Kelbos, but the floats look real, it could be Hawaii but the people in back are in dark suits + clothes. Looking at the floats again they seem a little too low for a commercial installation, maybe it's Don's legendary back yard?

Damn Bosko, what a wealth of knowledge....yes, the clothes thru me as of the time frame. Thank you so much. OGR

I would go with Hawaii also because Capiz shell lamps were much more common in the Islands, and percentage-wise not used that often in mainland Poly pop establishments...

And then there is also this photo, for which I have no year or caption, but judging by Don's age, we know where he is:

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2012-08-31 21:19 ]

Aloha,

OOH, that totally her,. I'll ask Kalo.. I have to ask her some other things too,

Bigbro,

Excellent work! I was stumped by that one.

DC

Ask the question and the Tiki experts answer....Great work....Thank you. OGR

Bosko,
What's this legendary back yard you speak of in hushed tones?
I have not heard of it, and crave knowledge!