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Don the Beachcomber - The Locations (Updated 11-22-10) |
RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7197
From: Huntikington Beach
|  Posted: 2008-10-26 3:12 pm Permalink
this is cool!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10560
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-10-26 9:51 pm Permalink
That is interesting indeed, looks like maybe they were taking over after The Trade Winds failed? I dimly remember going to a Don The Beachcomber in Malibu in the 80s, when I knew nothing about Tiki. In retrospect I always wondered if that was at the site of the old Tonga Lei...
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3916
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-10-26 10:04 pm Permalink
Bigbro,
Right on both accounts.
From Critiki - Malibu:
Before becoming a Don the Beachcomber (probably sometime in the '70s), this location was Tonga Lei. It closed sometime during the '80s, and this location is now the non-tiki Malibu Beach Inn.
From Critiki - Oxnard:
This Don the Beachcomber opened at the former Trade Winds; it likely operated for a few years in the late '70s. In later years, this location briefly became Coconut Joe's Warehouse and Hawaiian Cowboy, and the building was demolished in 1984.
DC
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TIKIBOSKO
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 297 | Posted: 2008-10-27 11:56 am Permalink
Thanks Zulu, I picked up a nice Harbor Island brochure/booklet circa 1973 and they make no mention of a Don the Beachcombers and it lists every little shop on the Island. The purpose of it was to show you how swinging the area was thus it is confusing there isn’t a Don's listed?
Arriano do you have some new documentation for the Vacation Village Don the Beachcomber? I think there was a thread about this somewhere here?
Bosko
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1122
From: Birdland - San Diego
| Posted: 2008-10-27 1:31 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-10-27 11:56, TIKIBOSKO wrote:
Arriano do you have some new documentation for the Vacation Village Don the Beachcomber? I think there was a thread about this somewhere here?
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No new info, but here's the earlier thread:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=23742&forum=1
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Psycho Tiki D
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Oct 13, 2006
Posts: 1783
From: The river Styx, can you pay the toll?
| Posted: 2008-10-27 1:41 pm Permalink
This menu was from the Palm Springs location...
The food and drink menu insert is dated 09-64.
PTD
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3916
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-10-27 5:35 pm Permalink
Arriano,
Thanks so much for your post. I have added the second San Diego Don the Beachcombers on Vacation Island to my list, bringing the total number of locations to 23. I also added a matchbook that was on the previous thread. Do you happen to still have the library picture of the Harbor Island restaurant?
PTD,
Thanks also for the menu post. What is that Zombie card on top of the menu? Is that a postcard or a drink recipe card?
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2401
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2008-10-27 6:21 pm Permalink
Besides the Hong Kong Lady Donn also had the Singapore Lady ~
It Counts!
or it should...
kinda. 
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10560
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-10-27 7:36 pm Permalink
Well, Donn had a couple of projects that he dabbled in later in his life that were not "Don The Beachcombers". I think that's another thread.
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Psycho Tiki D
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Oct 13, 2006
Posts: 1783
From: The river Styx, can you pay the toll?
| Posted: 2008-10-28 07:42 am Permalink
Dustycajun,
The Zombie drink card is stapled to the menu. I think it probably sat on a table. The inside of the card has a Don The Beachcomber story of Rum.
PTD
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3916
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-10-28 11:46 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-10-27 18:21, Bora Boris wrote:
Besides the Hong Kong Lady Donn also had the Singapore Lady ~
It Counts!
or it should...
kinda.
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Bora Boris.
If that counts that this should as well! Donn's boat The Marama from Tahiti. That Donn knew how to live!
Actually, I think Bigbro is right and this should be the subject of another post.
DC
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2401
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2008-10-28 12:03 pm Permalink
Well Dusty Cajun considering it's your thread I think we should do as you wish.
Sorry for the interruption but at least it gave everyone a nice opportunity to show some of Donn's boats.
Were there ever any stories in Architectural Digest or any magazine like that on any of his homes?
We could show the homes and boats in the next thread. 
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TIKIBOSKO
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 297 | Posted: 2008-10-28 12:13 pm Permalink
I briefly covered this in my San Diego Tiki talk at the 07 Oasis, there was never a Don the Beachcomber at Vacation Village. I’ve spoken to several old timers who used to go there in the 60’s and they say there was (always) the Barefoot bar and a steak house/small bar but no Don’s. If you look at Sven’s list on page one of this thread there is no mention of a San Diego location until the 1970 (Harbor Island) so if there had been one here in the 60’s why not list it? Also if there was another restaurant at Vacation Village which building could have housed it?
The only piece of evidence (of a Don’s at that location) that I have seen is the ONE matchbook that mentions it, but I have another ten match covers from there that don’t.
Unless there is some new compelling evidence which I would be happy to acknowledge, this was just a mistake that got perpetuated up until now.
Bosko
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10560
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-10-28 12:58 pm Permalink
The mysterious Vacation Village might have just been a project that got never realized.
Sweet Jesus DC, WHERE did you get those Marama photos, do you own them? Me wanna use for boook! Strange how the name "Marama" is blocked out to spell "Karma", Don's must have been not so good then considering both of his Hong Kong riverboat restaurants sank.
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3916
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-10-28 7:37 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-10-28 12:58, bigbrotiki wrote:
Sweet Jesus DC, WHERE did you get those Marama photos, do you own them?
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Bigbro,
Those are great shots, eh! I found them at the same place I found these great photos of the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood with Donn mixing drinks. Unfortunately, they are not mine. Did you say Book?
DC
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