Hawaiian Isle

I scanned in an illustration from a brochure for the Hawaiian Isle in Miami Beach. This brochure is from 1960 and has many illustrations, including several Tikis, done in the same style.

Its a nice complement to the photograph on page 203 of the BOT.

http://64.244.110.144:8888/tiki/hawaiian_isle_exterior.jpg

[ Edited by: SoBeTiki on 2002-08-05 15:47 ]

Thanks for posting that! I'm always on the lookout for info on that place, but rarely find it. It's as though they've TRIED to obliterate all trace of it. Ever seen the "banana bungalow" hotel in Miami Beach? Classic Googie!

Ken

Ken,

I pass by the Banana Bungalow all the time. Visitors to Miami Beach should not miss it. You can even take an authentic Gondola ride down the bordering canal.

I once thought that area of Miami Beach would undergo a rebirth with the Bass Art Museum project and it still may do so, but then the venerable Wolfies Restaurant closed down. This area needs a good Tiki Bar!

Here's a review of Wolfies that ran in the Miami New Times awhile back:

Wolfie's Restaurant
Address: 2038 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach

In the restaurant's bygone heyday both the famous and infamous, from Jackie Gleason to Meyer Lansky, were regularly seated in the rounded vinyl booths of the Celebrity Corner. Although Wolfie Cohen hasn't owned it for quite some time, the 53-year-old institution still offers both old-timers and tourists a place to savor an authentic slice of Miami Beach's past, or maybe just a satisfying hunk of cheesecake. Even the waiters' uniforms -- black vests, white dress shirts, and bow ties -- appear to be circa the more formal Fifties. Miami Beach artist Stewart Stewart added a burst of color to the already character-filled place in 1991 with his Pickle People Promenade and a smorgasbord of 3-D paintings of Wolfie's standards, including Day-Glo borscht with a dollop of sour cream, matzo ball soup, and a perky BLT, all of which take on a surreal glow at 3:00 a.m. in the seemingly timeless 24-hour eatery.

Mahalo for posting that image. The art looks alot like the images on a brochure I have for the Hawaiian Inn in Daytona. Do you know if the Hawaiian Isle is still there, but in another form, or torn down? Judging from matchbooks I've seen, their tiki bar was transformed into a disco at some point. Perhaps that gave way to a fern bar... Also, look for the Hawaiian Isle Inn's large format postcards. They're priceless.
Lastly, and I know this is overdue, but give me a heads up if you ever make it to Orlando or Daytona. I'll contact you the next time I'm headed to South Florida. I've got some cool Florida-tiki stuff you might be interested in seeing.

Kailuageoff,

Thanks for the invite. I'll definitely contact you next time I'm up that way.

As for the current state of the Hawaiian Isle, I haven't done adequate enough urban archaeology to comment. Maybe Kentiki knows more? I have passed by the address and I believe its still a motel (that area of the beach is still loaded with 60's era beachside motels). If I get a chance to stop in, I'll report further.

SoBeTiki

Great to realize there is still so much more to explore in Florida. I love the picture of the Fountainbleau you posted. I didn't realize they had a Polynesian room. Good find!

I hope to go to hawaii this year I have been talking to my parents about going for 2 years now I hhave read up on the history of hawaii and want to see some of the same sites that were so important to Hawaiian history

"Tiki Lounge"!

Can't find any images of that interior, just lots of outside shots.

It's mentioned in this 2015 article on "the week of living tiki" ...

https://resto.newcity.com/2015/02/19/the-week-of-living-tiki-eight-faux-polynesian-establishments-in-seven-days/