 |
The Lucite Wall in Kelbo's, Los Angeles |
twowheelin'tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 28, 2002
Posts: 712
From: santa monica
|  Posted: 2007-01-16 10:26 pm
I would be so damn happy if someone came up with some photos from inside kelbos from the 60's and up. I have found nothing in years of searching. If the guy with the panels ever needs some $$, have him call me!. TWT
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 7827
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2007-01-18 5:49 pm
I would be even happier if the lab would have not screwed up my ONE roll of slide film I took at Kelbo's, underexposing it badly. Here are some somewhat usable shots:
The so called "Conversation window" in silhouette:
Part of the Beachcomber lamp ceiling with the light box cocktail menu in the background:
And the mural on the side of the building:
...plus as an added bonus, an old business card:
[ This Message was edited by: bigbrotiki 2007-01-18 19:50 ]
|
bifcozz
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 17, 2004
Posts: 63 | Posted: 2007-01-19 6:40 pm
[ This Message was edited by: bifcozz 2007-02-09 21:35 ]
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 7827
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2007-01-19 10:22 pm
YESSS!, I knew someone had to have this, I only have a B&W xerox of it. Biff, you are quickly becoming an achieved urb. arch. docent here. Thank you, it sometimes seems like a lonely job, when M&M collectibles and parties are the "hot topic".
|
Polynesiac
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Jan 29, 2004
Posts: 1902
From: San Pedro, CA
| Posted: 2007-01-20 02:12 am
thank you bigbro and bif for the pictures - those are priceless!
|
Robertiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 11, 2006
Posts: 159 | Posted: 2007-01-21 01:18 am
where does one have a lucite wall or table like kelbos made?
thatch has a need.
|
ookoo lady
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 24, 2004
Posts: 757 | Posted: 2007-01-21 06:57 am
The last time I was at the Purple Orchid, Rebecca said they were going to do a bar top like that.
|
anabellie
Member
Joined: Apr 25, 2007
Posts: 2 | Posted: 2007-04-25 9:19 pm
can you guys tell me about Kelbos. It was my grandfathers restaurant and he died before i was born. Do you have a picture of it?
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 7827
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2007-04-26 9:48 pm
Hi Annabellie, it is always great to hear from relatives of original Tiki Bar owners. Are you Tom Kelly's granddaughter? I wish I had more images than these but at least I have an exterior:
This building, with the lighthouse, was built after the original burned down in 1960. Apparently Tom and June Kelly lived in the penthouse apartment (complete with lap pool) above the restaurant. There also was a location on Fairfax avenue, of which I have never seen pictures.
I used to go to Kelbos in the late 80s/early 90s, when Joey Cheezhee had his lounge revival events there. He actually might know a lot more about it, he became friends with Tom Kelly and must have heard lots of stories. It was an amazing place inside, a Beachcomber style, found art museum.
I usually don't like to post material of this inferior quality, but for your benefit, here is a B&W copy of a brochure.
Maybe someone here has an original, I would love to get a good color copy version of it:
It has some really nice info about the resin window...
...and the map of the various artifacts is really great, too:
What information can you contribute, I am always grateful for any tit-bits?
Here is a close up of the cocktail menu lightboxes they had at every table, these must have been put in in the 70s:
I also have three more photos from Kelbo's in my "Book of Tiki":
The Tiki by the juke box, and the mug on page 178, and the sign on page 170
I somehow remember hearing that one of the two owners, either Kelly or Bouk, was involved with Horrace Heidt's band, that's why they had the "swing dance under the coco bowl" events up until the 80s, where lots of old folk gathered to exercise their dance legs:
Here's a jacket pin I just dug up, this design was also on their T-shirts.
And for the life of me I can't remember what bifcozz had posted above once,
and what I got so excited about...and I sure wonder why it's not up there anymore!?
Wooo...what happened? I just checked, and ALL of Biff's posts are erased! Did someone piss him off? Was he 86ed? Too bad, he had added some valuable material here.
[ This Message was edited by: bigbrotiki 2007-04-27 06:12 ]
|
Paipo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 22, 2006
Posts: 1828
From: Aotearoa / NZ
| Posted: 2007-10-06 05:00 am
Quote:
|
On 2007-04-26 21:48, bigbrotiki wrote:
There also was a location on Fairfax avenue, of which I have never seen pictures.
|
|
Could this be it?
Forgot to add, pics came from here- more details in the "Cars - and one for Hewey " thread.
_________________
 
[ This Message was edited by: Paipo 2007-10-06 05:12 ]
|
Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 1542
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2007-10-06 08:05 am
That is the corner of 1st Street and Fairfax with the CBS building across the street in the background so I'd say Yes that's It!
Nice work Paipo.
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 7827
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2007-10-06 08:40 am
Jeff Berry has a picture of the Fairfax Kelbo's in his new Sippin' Safari on page 58, now. By 1968, they had added a big Tiki by the sign.
|
Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 1542
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2007-10-06 5:55 pm
Quote:
|
On 2007-10-06 05:00, Paipo wrote:
Quote:
|
On 2007-04-26 21:48, bigbrotiki wrote:
There also was a location on Fairfax avenue, of which I have never seen pictures.
|
|
Could this be it?
|
|
Here is that same corner today 10/6/07.
It’s funny how I don’t have time to exercise, eat right, clean my apartment or do laundry but I can drive 5 miles to take a picture no one is dying to see. 
[ This Message was edited by: Bora Boris 2007-10-06 17:56 ]
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 7827
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2007-10-07 06:28 am
Boris, I hear you...because I DID my laundry (AND my son's!) yesterday, AND finally unpacked my suitcase (usually takes me a WEEK), I am "allowing" myself to post these pictures in response to your survey now:
Now the Tiki really has a reason to frown!
...the words that begun this thread echoing in our minds full of irony:
Quote:
|
On 2005-11-09 13:54, KelboKid wrote:
Remember Kelbo's, the coolest place on Earth?
|
|
|
mzoltarp
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 163
From: Bakersfield, California
| Posted: 2007-10-07 07:15 am
I guess now it's the "smarmiest" place in the world. This type of urban archaeology always amuses me.
_________________
Hey folks, check out my Telstar Lounge blog: http://TelstarLounge.blogspot.com It's mid-century, occasional tiki, and often quite humorous.
|
