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Waitoma Grotto - Holly, MI |
Feelin' Zombified
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 15, 2003
Posts: 1328
From: The Exotic Shores of Lake St. Clair
|  Posted: 2004-11-25 9:33 pm Permalink
TF,
Do you remember how close that place is to Mt. Holly? I ski there at least once a year and might drop by for a bit. Might be a hoot.
-Z
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Thank God The Tiki Bar Is Open
Thank God The Tiki Torch Still Shines...
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2004-11-26 11:37 am Permalink
Just caught up with this thread.
Great work Jane.
Made me nostalgic for my own 1990's obsessive research missions.
Sabu - your pics vanished... Jane's show up OK...?
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tikifish
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2720
From: Toronto,Canada
| Posted: 2004-11-27 7:02 pm Permalink
I dont really know the area, all I know was it was inbetween Detroit and Frankenmuth!
It is Holly, Michigan, I suppose you can look it up on Mapquest.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2004-11-27 9:13 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2004-11-25 19:35, FreakBear wrote:
I may be able to dig out a photo from its German-themed motel days. Mid 90's if I'm thinking of the right place.
-FB
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That, of course, would make it an even more splendid example of Tiki devolution:
From Polynesian Paradise to German style Motel to rehab center... like a ghost town after the goldrush.
Any luck with finding pics, FB?
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FreakBear
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 15, 2004
Posts: 361
From: Springfield, Ohio
| Posted: 2004-12-02 9:41 pm Permalink
Locating the pic was amung my first thoughts this morning but somehow got lost on the way to the coffee maker. I know exactly what album it's in and possibly where it is. I'll try to get it scanned in and posted soon!
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...We don't do well drinks, but we do drink well!!!
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2004-12-03 6:09 pm Permalink
I've just fixed the links to my old postcard photos on page 1. Check em out if you haven't seen them before. I'm a little embarassed because my new camera can do so much better, so I may replace them at some time with better photos.
Also, now that I've learned a little more about the famous carvers since I first posted, I'm going to make a guess that the Roof-Moai on the first postcard are Barney West creations. They've got that signature Top-Knot. Here's a picture of his Moai at the Washington DC Trader Vic's for reference:
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[ This Message was edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2004-12-03 18:23 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2004-12-03 7:02 pm Permalink
I looked again, but I am not sure...the color and style is alike, but the size? And that all are the same size is odd, Barney carved individual pieces, these look all alike...and how would they have made it there? If there would be ONE MORE Barney West style Tiki in the interiors, it would confirm it.
But talking about white giants, that's my 1960 Buick LeSabre parked to left of the A-frame entrance! I must have been there and forgotten about it!
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2004-12-03 7:34 pm Permalink
Bigbro - They could very well be cheaply-done reproductions by another carver. Here's a photo that Bongofury posted of the Tiki Kai in New Mexico. It has a similar Moai:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=4289&forum=1
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[ This Message was edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2004-12-03 19:37 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2004-12-03 9:50 pm Permalink
Aaaah...of corrrse, the Tiki Kai (in Sponge Bob Crusty Crab intro voice)! What a fine establishment! Innocently introduced in Tiki News #12 through the bio of musician Freddy Baker, we find out later that this joint jumped to a DIFFERENT tune:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=6600&forum=1&21
The Moai with babe on the opening page is definitely a Barney West, so is the New Guinea Bird Man Tiki...and look at the roadside sign statue in your other link (the Trader Vic logo Abelam figure) and compare it to the one on page 246 in the BOT...
..but all of this shall be revealed (including Swanky's revealing finds) in my Vitco book!
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2004-12-04 6:55 pm Permalink
What a great thread! Congratulations Tikifish on a grand archeological expedition. I always wanted to check to see if that place existed ever since I obtained a brochure and menu from there years ago. I recently sent Sabu a scan of the front of the brochure as well as the inside showing various pictures. Hopefully he can post this here for me as I am computer illiterate as they get. If you want these pictures Bigbro just let me know and I will send them over to you as well. God, I love this group!
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2004-12-05 02:06 am Permalink
Jeff,
Here you go:
All I can say is WOW! I'm green with envy over that brochure. The artist rendering is wonderful. So that's A CANOE over the entrance way, and not some oriental design. That has to be one of the largest model outriggers I've seen. I wonder if it had those Marquesan tikis paddling it like the smaller versions we've seen.
Thanks for sending me those scans, Jeff. This is becoming one of the most comprehensive posts about an old Tiki location that I've ever seen. I'll try to post pics of the dinner plate soon.
Bigbro - check out the drawing of the moai on the left-hand margin of the brochure. It looks even more like a Barney West to me now. What do you think?
Sabu
[ This Message was edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2004-12-05 02:09 ]
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2004-12-05 07:14 am Permalink
Thanks alot for posting the pics Sabu. They look great!!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2004-12-06 12:13 pm Permalink
WOW! That's it, this place desrves to go down in history in MY book (literally). Yes Jeff, please send! I love the entrance rendering, but most of all, I love the text! Classic Polynesian Pop poetry!
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puamana
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 02, 2002
Posts: 291
From: Seattle, WA
| Posted: 2004-12-06 6:27 pm Permalink
Awesome brochure ! There's so many great images on this post... photos, postcards, menus, etc. I know I have a placemat from the Hawaiian Gardens, will post a photo soon.
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FreakBear
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 15, 2004
Posts: 361
From: Springfield, Ohio
| Posted: 2004-12-06 6:49 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2004-11-25 19:35, FreakBear wrote:
I may be able to dig out a photo from its German-themed motel days. Mid 90's if I'm thinking of the right place.
-FB
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I located the photo and it is not this location. There isn't even an "A" frame. Possibly first-generation "Bavarian Kitch". Sorry folks!
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God, forgive me neither for what I know nor do but for not knowing what I did the night before!
-FB
[ This Message was edited by: FreakBear on 2004-12-06 18:50 ]
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