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Found Witco Bar |
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10558
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
|  Posted: 2010-05-04 12:20 pm Permalink
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On 2010-05-04 02:48, Bali O Hai O wrote:
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On 2010-05-04 08:52, WestADad wrote:
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Ha, it's PINK, the classic bad choice of the 80s ...and on! Amazing that the basic bones, including the hut-shaped porte cochere are still there. I wonder what the sign looked like.
I just can't turn off my Tiki photographic memory button in my brain, so here is another likeness:
...and from my Sound of Tiki CD:
NOT an exact "copy of" though, but definitely "inspired by"!
[ This Message was edited by: bigbrotiki 2010-05-04 12:20 ]
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Bali O Hai O
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 04, 2010
Posts: 38 | Posted: 2010-05-04 12:28 pm Permalink
Those are some bad photos, I hope somebody locally will come up with better ones...a lot of people went through those doors so there's gotta be some private photos out there.
I have lurked around on here for years looking for anything about the Bali Hai and that Witco bar made me sign up and join, I'm glad I did!
I am going to visit the Canton Rep newspaper downtown and see if they have any photos.
This is fun!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10558
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-05-04 1:08 pm Permalink
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On 2010-05-04 12:28, Bali O Hai O wrote:
This is fun!
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Yyyyyyep! 
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aquarj
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 02, 2002
Posts: 1040
From: SF bay area, CA
| Posted: 2010-05-04 5:47 pm Permalink
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On 2010-05-04 02:48, Bali O Hai O wrote:
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That photo is using some creative license, not a historically original photo, right?
-Randy
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3916
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-05-04 7:53 pm Permalink
Just back from vacation and glad to have caught this post, Tiki Central research at its best! Great history on your bar, Sven. Hope to here more from Bali O Hai O.
I went looking through my collection and found a matchbook from the Bali Hai with a nice rendering.
DC
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10558
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-05-04 8:17 pm Permalink
Aaaah, DC to the rescue! Now I have an inkling about the sign. Matchbooks are often the best info source for forgotten Tiki Temples, because so many were collected in jars and giant brandy glasses.
MY bar merely comes from the same store than Elvises, but Jackie Gleason actually SAT on Mike'n'Rich's bar...and who knows what other lounge lotharios that were passing thru!
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Bali O Hai O
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 04, 2010
Posts: 38 | Posted: 2010-05-04 10:02 pm Permalink
That matchbook brings back memories for sure! ... The photo is far from historically correct, I found it years ago on WebTV with a small article on Tiki culture in Ohio. I don't remember it ever having the thatch roof, maybe in 1959 it did but not later.
I do have a lead on some really good photos and advertising... so stay tuned
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3916
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-05-04 10:48 pm Permalink
So, two of the 15 Witco Tahiti bars documented here, nice. Lets find some more!
Here is a close up scan of the building and sign.
And this is a slightly different matchbook with Emil's name on it.
Your right, Bali O Hai O, this is fun. If your out researching, try the local library for old phone books and copy the ads from the restaurant pages.
DC
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TIKI DAVID
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 07, 2004
Posts: 1904
From: North Coast
| Posted: 2010-05-05 12:18 pm Permalink
tread very carefully people.
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OnlyATikiLad
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 06, 2009
Posts: 85
From: Bottom of the barrel
| Posted: 2010-05-05 1:48 pm Permalink
This smells like provenance being created from thin air.
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2010-05-05 2:24 pm Permalink
smells like sour grapes to me.
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Tikinomad
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 20, 2005
Posts: 364
From: Outerspace
| Posted: 2010-05-05 6:10 pm Permalink
Great find MikenRich!!!
Here's a few current pic's of my Witco Tahiti bar in my Tiki room to add to the fun....
I've only documented 5 out of the 15 Tahiki bars that have surfaced so far...
Mine, Sven's, MikenRich's, one on ebay not too long ago and one on craigslist a few years ago.
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aquarj
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Apr 02, 2002
Posts: 1040
From: SF bay area, CA
| Posted: 2010-05-05 7:04 pm Permalink
Sorry to be a broken record, but this image is really odd. Actually the Handy Wash looks odd too.
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On 2010-05-04 22:02, Bali O Hai O wrote:
The photo is far from historically correct, I found it years ago on WebTV with a small article on Tiki culture in Ohio. I don't remember it ever having the thatch roof, maybe in 1959 it did but not later. |
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Well, it wasn't the thatch roof that first jumped out to me as invoking some creative license. So I'm a little confused about what's real, and wonder why a WebTV (or Canton Rep?) article would augment reality. The matchbook is cool, and maybe more pics will elucidate. Bali O Hai O - maybe you can shed a little more light since you worked there. F'rinstance...
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On 2010-05-04 03:08, Bali O Hai O wrote:
I always wondered where the huge Easter Island statues went, they were sold at auction when the place closed, sold for 50 bucks each and were made of lava rock like in your grill |
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When you worked there, where were the easter island statues that you're referring to?
-Randy
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10558
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-05-05 7:25 pm Permalink
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On 2010-05-05 18:10, Tikinomad wrote:
I've only documented 5 out of the 15 Tahiki bars that have surfaced so far...
Mine, Sven's, MikenRich's, one on ebay not too long ago and one on craigslist a few years ago.
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...plus one that was found in situ at a Florida resort --which shall remain nameless, for it shall be left untouched in its place.
Indeed, I see nothing but cause to rejoice that another one has turned up, AND that we get to find out about another unexplored Tiki temple.
When I read Pablus' post...
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On 2003-12-18 20:28, pablus wrote:
I searched the archives looking for Canton, Ohio (my home town) and found this thread. My uncle was the main bartender at what I believe was called The Bali Hai in Canton.
It was definitely a huge Tiki Bar and lots of gangsters and show-biz types hung out there.
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...I immediately thought of another Ohio Lounge:
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=22122&forum=2&start=15
These places just drive home the fact of how much Tiki/Polynesian pop was the recreational environment of choice of the Lounge generation. It seems that touring Lounge acts (if not performed at) preferably frequented the Polynesian eateries and bars of any town they went through. Especially, it seems, in Ohio!:
In light of that it also seems especially strange that in its heyday, Polynesian pop was paid so little attention to, and never described much or especially noted by the media.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10558
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-05-05 7:30 pm Permalink
Randy, those Moais are CLEARLY pasted into that photo, not only the contrast, but the perspective is wrong. So are the burning torches. And then it would not surprise if the thatch, the car and the sign are, too. Someone just couldn't find a good shot of the place and wanted to help it along a little.
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