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Mai Tai Restaurant in Indianapolis |
Kono
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 08, 2003
Posts: 1266
From: Orlando
|  Posted: 2005-03-12 6:26 pm Permalink
I've finally bought a halfway decent digital camera so now I can post pics of some of my collection and have the items actually be visible.
I found these about 6-9 months ago in an antique store. Two rocks glasses, one marked "Mai Tai Restaurant, Indianapolis, Indiana" and the other simply "Mai Tai." I was wondering if anyone else has anything from or any knowledge of this establishment.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10566
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2005-03-13 11:16 am Permalink
Very cool glasses. I had seen a matchbook of this place before. The interesting thing is that the Tiki is based on a Witco Tiki, but the hut rendering, and the style of the typeface, is swiped from The Tahitian (BOT p.152).
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Sabina
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 08, 2002
Posts: 367
From: The Lounge of the Seven Pleasures!
| Posted: 2005-03-16 9:55 pm Permalink
If anyone can come up with an address for this we can check out what remains very soon.
I'm not having much luck.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10566
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2005-03-17 08:07 am Permalink
Matchbook says 3815 North Shadeland. Also had or was the Kahuna Lounge.
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2005-03-17 09:24 am Permalink
I will be in Indy on April 21-24.
I will do a drive-by.
My guess is that the palce lasted at least into the 1980s.
Theat angular yellow lettering in the one picture looks like it came right off of an Oingo Boingo record! Like so totally 80s. Fer shure.
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freddiefreelance
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 15, 2003
Posts: 2983
From: San Diego, Ca.
| Posted: 2005-03-17 11:44 am Permalink
The location is at the corner of N. Shadeland & E. 38th St., just south of E. Pendleton Pike. This is on the East side of Indy a little north of I70.
James, you'd come down on I65, go around town on I465 & exit at Pendleton Pike, you head West to Shadeland & make a Left, the location is one block South on Shadeland.
A Google search says this is now Steve Anderson's AOK Karate School.
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Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S
[ This Message was edited by: freddiefreelance on 2005-03-17 11:52 ]
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Kono
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 08, 2003
Posts: 1266
From: Orlando
| Posted: 2005-03-17 4:12 pm Permalink
I look forward to what you find James, just don't mess with the karate people.
Sven, can you get a scan of the matchbook by any chance?
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Sabina
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Apr 08, 2002
Posts: 367
From: The Lounge of the Seven Pleasures!
| Posted: 2005-03-18 6:15 pm Permalink
Address, directions, karate school (i.e. be prepared for some disappointment) Tiki Central once again proves it can do just about anything!
You folks are truely amazing!
Mahalo!
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3935
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-06-03 4:53 pm Permalink
I had seen a menu from the Mai Tai on ebay several years ago that was a blatant knock-of of the classic menu from the Tahitian restaurants located in Pasadena and Studio City. I had always wondered where the Mai Tai was located then I saw a pic of the matchbook and that lead me to this post.
Here is the knock off menu
And the real thing.
The matchbook.
 
PTD also posted these coasters some time back.
They borrowed everything from the Tahitian - the font, the hut and the Bumtay Tiki.
TTT
DC
[ This Message was edited by: Dustycajun 2010-10-28 13:54 ]
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1961surf
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: May 03, 2007
Posts: 1895
From: Newport Beach, Ca .
| Posted: 2010-06-03 5:44 pm Permalink
Kono ...awesome looking glasses .I like the silhouette of the A frame building depicted .
The tiki on the glass kinda looks like Witco.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10566
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-06-03 6:48 pm Permalink
Indeed! See Tiki Modern page 204
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3935
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2011-12-27 09:16 am Permalink
I was looking through my matchbooks and noticed this one from the Kahuna restaurant that was also the Mai Tai.
Here is a comparison of the back of the Mai Tai and Kahuna matchbooks.
I am thinking that the restaurant started out as the Kahuna and changed to the Mai Tai with the Kahuna Lounge to sound a little more mainstream.
Here is the matchbook.
Anybody ever hear of a Polynesian "Tiri" God before?
This one even has a grass hut with palm trees hair-do!
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3935
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2011-12-27 2:12 pm Permalink
So, this is the place that was also known as "Knobby's" Mai Tai. I had posted these mugs a while back on Tiki Finds and was wondering where they came from.
I came across this ad online with Knobby's Mai Tai and Kahuna Lounge listed in the title.
The owner was William A. "Knobby" Knoll who also ran a chain of Knobby's restaurants. He passed away in 2010.
DC
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