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Tahitian Inn, Tampa, FL (motel) |
Mo-Eye
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 17, 2006
Posts: 623
From: Costa Mesa, CA
|  Posted: 2009-06-06 08:36 am Permalink
Name:Tahitian Inn
Type:motel
Street:601 South Dale Mabry Highway
City:Tampa
State:FL
Zip:33609
country:USA
Phone:
Status:operational
Description:
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Mo-Eye
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 17, 2006
Posts: 623
From: Costa Mesa, CA
| Posted: 2009-06-06 08:44 am Permalink
The Tahitian Inn was built in 1954 by the twins Joe and Frank Pupello, and it has always stayed as a family run motel. Still operational today, but it has been heavily remodeled. There current website had a number of vintage images on it, and I found a few extra, including a matchbook from one of Dusty's old posts. I found a 1968 article about a string of robberies that happened at the motel, and I just thought the detective's name was quite fitting - Tyree.
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senioraqua
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 11, 2004
Posts: 403
From: Tampa, FL
| Posted: 2009-06-06 11:04 am Permalink
People always seem to get this place confused with Hawaiian Village because of the similar theme and they are somewhat close in proximity on Dale Mabry. Tahitian Inn is suppose to have an excellent Sunday brunch.
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tikiyaki
Grand Member (7 years) 
Joined: May 18, 2004
Posts: 2697
From: The Exotic Port of REDONDO BEACH, CA
| Posted: 2009-06-06 11:08 am Permalink
Wowie...this place looks great.
Awesome signage,and nice MCM design.
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4086
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2009-06-07 11:07 am Permalink
One the the top ten motel signs for color and light. I have this postcard with that great night time shot.
Here is a close up of the matchbook art and the back description.
Here's the Corporate America version of the sign today.
DC
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tikiyaki
Grand Member (7 years)
Joined: May 18, 2004
Posts: 2697
From: The Exotic Port of REDONDO BEACH, CA
| Posted: 2009-06-08 1:35 pm Permalink
Sad to see what this place has turned into.....
Stucco, Taco bell Tuscanny, "upscale" Spa/Hotel
http://www.tahitianinn.com/index.html
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Tipsy McStagger
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 21, 2004
Posts: 3493
From: HELL
| Posted: 2009-06-10 04:39 am Permalink
that is ugly all day......however i like the fact that the little old sign for the office had spears that illuminate too, just like tha main sign out front... what a nice design detail leftover from it's heyday....
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talo ka
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 26, 2007
Posts: 451
From: tampa, fla
| Posted: 2009-06-19 4:20 pm Permalink
man... my parents used to take me there. the new place has a great little restuant, but is is nothing like it was in the past.
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uncle trav
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 27, 2005
Posts: 1707
From: Kalamazoo
| Posted: 2009-07-05 06:11 am Permalink
Here's a nice little slimline matchbook.
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senioraqua
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 11, 2004
Posts: 403
From: Tampa, FL
| Posted: 2011-10-31 1:47 pm Permalink
Not exactly fresh copy off the presses and does anyone really care, but Tahitian Inn gets some national exposure courtesy of Lohan's dad
who who succeeded in falling off the wagon and then the balcony. With Lilo's dad in jail again, I guess that says the tree doesn't fall too far from the apple?
http://m2.tbo.com/content/2011/oct/27/281010/lindsay-lohans-father-michael-arrested-kate-major-/news-breaking/
[ This Message was edited by: senioraqua 2011-10-31 13:48 ]
[ This Message was edited by: senioraqua 2011-10-31 13:59 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4086
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-05-15 12:11 pm Permalink
A postcard showing the rahter lush pool area.
DC
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pjc5150
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 01, 2009
Posts: 2119
From: Tampa, FL
| Posted: 2012-07-29 09:38 am Permalink
I was just cruising around & found this part of the forum, and I thought I'd share my little contribution to the local tiki scene...
these are the tikis I did at the Tahitian Inn here in Tampa, where I live.
Still owned and operated by the original family that has owned it since 1952.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 11004
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-07-29 11:29 am Permalink
Wow, with the logo font in the sign shape - nice work, Mahalo for returning the spirit of Tiki to a classic site!
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pjc5150
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 01, 2009
Posts: 2119
From: Tampa, FL
| Posted: 2012-11-08 5:08 pm Permalink
I have some kinda good news...
It's been a year since I did the big tikis at the Tahitian Inn...
2 weeks ago I went back to speak to the owners of the Tahitian (who, by the way are the original family who started it in 1952)...and they were very happy with the customer response to the tikis over the last year, and I am putting a proposal together (at their request) to do a lot more of them over there for the next year, making it into a little bit of a tiki spot...
I'm very thankful that that owners are happy with what I did there before and are considering taking it to the next level...this is a place that's 5 minutes from my house...and their commission of the weeping tahitian & big tahitian were pieces that a lot of people consider to be some of my best stuff, so I feel quite a bit of loyalty to these folks. They were treated me & paid me well, and the job helped me build a bit of a local rep.
Anyway, talking about replacing all of the generic tiki-bar catalog stuff they've purchased in the past for authentic stuff more reminiscent of what one might actually see in Tahiti...
Hopefully this will happen and I'll have some nice stuff to show you here soon, and I can do what little I can to honor & preserve our local history, as well as further something authentic...
[ This Message was edited by: pjc5150 2012-11-08 17:11 ]
[ This Message was edited by: pjc5150 2012-11-08 17:14 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 11004
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-11-10 01:39 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2012-11-08 17:08, pjc5150 wrote:
....Anyway, talking about replacing all of the generic tiki-bar catalog stuff they've purchased in the past for authentic stuff more reminiscent of what one might actually see in Tahiti...
Hopefully this will happen and I'll have some nice stuff to show you here soon, and I can do what little I can to honor & preserve our local history, as well as further something authentic...
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Way to go! Fighting for quality in the Tiki Revival, one Tiki at a time! I am looking forward to your pictures.
Does the family have any old photos or artwork from the hotel's heyday?
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