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Leilani Hut, Belmont Shore (Long Beach), CA (restaurant) |
Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
|  Posted: 2009-06-12 11:16 am Permalink
Name:Leilani Hut
Type:restaurant
Street:5236 E. 2nd Street
City:Belmont Shore (Long Beach)
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct
Description:
I have two matchbooks from the Leilani Hut which was located in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach.
The older little matchbook looks like it was from before Don May bought the place and added his name as shown on the second matchbook.
The Don May matchbook also advertises the Gay 90 restaurant where one could buy pitcher beer and participate in Community Singing. Sounds like fun!
Of course Mimi has a menu from this place on her website.
Yo Ho Ho indeed!
DC
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uncle trav
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 27, 2005
Posts: 1542
From: Kalamazoo
| Posted: 2009-06-12 3:53 pm Permalink
The Leilani Hut girl is my new favorite matchbook. Here are a couple of napkins from the collection of Julie Wilson.
Here's a street view of the address.
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"Anyone who has ever seen them is thereafter haunted as if by a feverish dream" Karl Woermann
[ This Message was edited by: uncle trav 2009-06-12 16:06 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2009-06-12 8:48 pm Permalink
Trav,
Thanks for posting those great napkins. Here is the other part of the Gay 90's matchbook. I'm thinking that Don May had some fun in the restaurant buiz.
DC
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Skinny Dog
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 13, 2006
Posts: 302
From: Long Beach Ca. /Chicago
| Posted: 2009-06-13 10:36 am Permalink
That looks way more fun than Legends!
Jen
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2009-08-01 11:46 pm Permalink
Another nice menu from the Leilani surfaced on ebay not to long ago. Some great graphics on the cover.
Yo Ho Ho.
DC
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2009-08-02 12:43 am Permalink
That's outstanding. Looks like it was done by the same artist who painted the mural in the Zamboanga in Los Angeles:
Probably a local artist then. Wonder if that painting on the menu was actually a mural in the Leilani as well. The Leilani and Zamboanga were two of the many pre-tiki South Sea supper clubs in the Los Angeles area. I've always been a little curious about the change in name from "Leilani" to "Leilani Hut". Based on that last menu, it looks like it opened circa 1942 as the "Leilani" under the ownership of Al Britt. Then maybe later the ownership changed hands to Don May and the name was changed to the Leilani Hut.
_________________
[ This Message was edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2009-08-02 01:12 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2009-08-10 10:08 pm Permalink
Sabu,
Nice pick up on the Zamboanga mural art and the Leilani cover. Definitely looks like the same artist.
Here is a glass from the later Leilani Hut as seen recently on ebay.
With milk
Sans milk
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2009-09-08 6:04 pm Permalink
I got a new matchbook from the Leilani Hut with some nice images and text.
Here is the illustration on the cover.
The other side of the cover the with the ad text - mottos to live by.
The inside of the book.
DC
[ This Message was edited by: dustycajun 2009-09-08 22:59 ]
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abstractiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 585
From: Lodi, CA
| Posted: 2009-09-22 9:55 pm Permalink
Here is a matchbook from the Leilani Hut. The cover is the same as in an earlier posted photo except it is orange in color. The back cover is different than the other photos. Note that it advertises "noon buffet"
I almost feel bad posting this pic after seeing all the great photos on this thread!!
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-01-15 10:46 pm Permalink
Abstractiki,
Thanks for posting that matchbook.
Saw this interesting matchbook on ebay - It looks like Don May also owned The Hawaiian Restaurant in Long Beach at one point. Man, this Tiki history thing just keeps getting more and more connected.
Here is the link to the Hawaiian thread.
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=30760&forum=2&hilite=hawaiian long beach
DC
[ This Message was edited by: Dustycajun 2010-01-28 16:54 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-01-28 5:01 pm Permalink
Ah ha, saw this on ebay. Don May borrowed the posed nude logo off a matchbook from the South Pacific restaurant in Hallendale, Florida.
Tiki Transmission Tradition, Coast to Coast.
DC
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Jason Wickedly
Grand Member (4 years) 
Joined: Jan 01, 2008
Posts: 701
From: LBCTIKI
| Posted: 2010-01-29 10:42 am Permalink
How ironic that the Leilani Hut was replaced by Legends, which is not only a sports bar but THE ORIGINAL sports bar..the type of establishment that has replaced so many Tiki temples in this country. De-evolution indeed.
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A Frame
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 16, 2009
Posts: 214
From: Mr. C's on the Coast Highway
| Posted: 2010-07-19 6:04 pm Permalink
An interesting add to this thread would be the strange happenings at the Leilani Hut as reported in this 1961 magazine which caught my eye.
The article might better explain the 'Gay 90's' reference in DC's matchbook or vice versa. The writer was the top restaurant critic at the local LB newspaper for many years.
Love this gentleman's staged facial expression!
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2010-09-17 5:35 pm Permalink
A frame - Love that article! Sorry I missed it earlier.
Here's a photo of the outside of the Leilani Hut from 1967. I really like the giant letters on the roof (even though they're a bit washed out in the photo). That's a real old-school South Seas Club facade.
"Posted prominently on the front of the Leilani is a sign saying "Muncie City Limits," proof that owner Don May - who hails from there - is still an eager booster of the Indiana city. The restaurant's decor is very unindiana - tropical in the mood of Hawaii and Tahiti. Lovely Koloa, an island girl, provides songs and ukelele music on Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm.
The bar has authentic South Seas drinks. The 14-ounce Bloody Marys are from the recipe of Bloody Mary's of Tahiti. The flavor is different.
The Leilani is the oldest Cantonese restaurant in the Long Beach area. Chef Ray Lee, with the restaurant since its opening 30 years ago, suggests the Celestial Dinner (two for $11) with a long list of appetizers and a main course which includes diced breast of chicken, barbecued pork and fried rice. Teriyaki steak is delicious for $5.50. A la carte items start at $1.65. Complete menu of American dinners too, from $3.50.
Restaurant and bar are open from 2pm until the wee hours.
Don also owns the Gay 90s night club, 2508 Palm Dr., Signal Hill, which has a Blackouts '07 fun revue every Friday and Saturday night."
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[ This Message was edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2010-09-17 17:37 ]
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A Frame
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 16, 2009
Posts: 214
From: Mr. C's on the Coast Highway
| Posted: 2010-09-17 8:05 pm Permalink
Great digging Sabu! Since 1937. Sounds like a 2nd St. institution in it's day. This is why I can't get off of the TC ride! 
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