Tiki Girl, Long Beach, CA (bar?)

Name:Tiki Girl

Type:bar?

Street:5935 Cherry

City:Long Beach

State:CA

Zip:?

Country:USA

Phone:?

Status:defunct

Description: Found this wooden nickel on eBae, so I’m assuming it was a bar. Google is wildly unhelpful - I found one reference in a Long Beach City Directory from 1969, and another in the Long Beach Independent Press Telegram from February 1977, so it must have been around nearly a decade. Any other intel?

[ Edited by HotelCharlie on 2023-03-14 14:04:53 ]

[ Edited by HotelCharlie on 2023-03-14 14:05:25 ]

[ Edited by HotelCharlie on 2023-03-14 14:06:03 ]

Replying to my own post with a little more intel.

The Long Beach Polk Directory for 1969 lists the business along with the names “James Sparks” and “Richd [Richard?] Menard” (see image below with highlighting). Do those names mean anything to some of the old Tiki heads who were around back then? FWIW, the space at 5935 Cherry is currently occupied by the Crest Bar.

Wow, that is incredible especially the condition that it is in. So, Richard Menard was my Great Uncle, seeing other memorabilia from there is so awesome, I literally only have an ash tray. I don't know the full story, but I will reach out to my dad and see if he has anymore info. And... if you feel like parting with that piece please let me know.

Regards, Eric

Very cool! It was so hard finding any information that - until I found the directory listing - I wondered whether the place might not have actually existed. Even after seeing the directory listing, the wooden nickel looks SO new that I’m still not 100% sure it isn’t more recent vintage.

Regardless, happy you confirmed it was an actual place, and even happier to see that super cool ashtray!

I love the idea of memorabilia making it into the hands of family, but I’m an amateur collector of Long Beach Tiki stuff myself so I think I will hang onto it for a while - will certainly reach out if I change my mind.

Thanks again for the reply!