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Tropical Hut, Chicago, IL (restaurant) |
uncle trav
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 27, 2005
Posts: 1542
From: Kalamazoo
|  Posted: 2009-05-09 5:40 pm Permalink
Name:Tropical Hut
Type:restaurant
Street:1320-24 1/2 E. 57th St.
City:Chicago
State:IL
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct
Description:
I don't have allot to go on for this one so here is what I know. Originally located at the above address but later moved to a larger location at 97th and Stony Island. The new location was much larger and the old location was demolished to make room for a new school. I have read that the Tropical Hut was the model for the Hawaiian House in Phillip Roth's Book Good-By Columbus. The location of the old Tropical Hut is now home of Leona's Restaurant. The address is 9156 S. Stony Island. I'm hoping some folks can add to the story. I am not even sure if the decor included any Tiki. I have had the matchbook for the Tropical Hut for years and am just now getting to it. I'll post a pic of the matchbook in a few. Thanks
 
[ This Message was edited by: uncle trav 2009-05-09 17:46 ]
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Tipsy McStagger
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 21, 2004
Posts: 3394
From: HELL
| Posted: 2009-05-09 8:32 pm Permalink
cirals house of tiki was on 51st in the hyde park neighborhood (yes, where obama lives).....so i'm thinking the tropical hut was located in the same area........as 57th is just south of there...
also, the mueseum of science and industry is right down there too..maybe on the same street which might account for the prefix MUseum on the cover...they used to list phone numbers like that ....
the museums address is 5700 lakeshore drive...the first block west of the museum is stony island..it runs north and south so they didn't move very far when they moved to the second location...
57th street is only a few blocks long from lake shore drive and west before it curves south into a street and the street name changes.........
[ This Message was edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2009-05-09 20:39 ]
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Tipsy McStagger
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 21, 2004
Posts: 3394
From: HELL
| Posted: 2009-05-10 11:49 am Permalink
..and oddly enough, today out at the flea market i found (among others) that very same tropical hut book of matches you posted above......weird.
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2010-12-07 7:28 pm Permalink
Here are some photos of the Tropical Hut in Chicago, but I doubt the same one as the matchbook. This Tropical Hut was located at one of the Jane Addams Housing Projects and was a safe place for teens to hang out and dance until curfew (at 10pm). They played music and served light refreshments.
 Here's a photo from 1944:
"the Tropical Hut at the Jane Addams Project in Chicago, November 12, 1944. In the background is Catherine O'Connor the barmaid. The rest (left to right) are Nick Marello, Rita Vasto, Dominic Petruzzelli, Tina Palumbo, Rita Schumacher, and Fred Bartuch."
by 1948, the cardboard(?) orchids are gone, but it still looks to be a Swingin' Spot for teens:
I bet it was patterned (at least in name) on the real Tropical Hut Restaurant depicted on the matchbook. You can catch glimpses of the bamboo letters on the bar and they nearly match the font on the matchbook.
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