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Kon Tiki Motel, El Centro, CA (motel) |
Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3929
From: Santa Barbara, CA
|  Posted: 2012-09-28 8:25 pm Permalink
Name:Kon Tiki Motel
Type:motel
Street:1226 Adams St (Hwy 80 & 99)
City:El Centro
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct
Description:
Well, it's lonely out here these days on Locating Tiki, but I will continue. I have a few postcards from the Kon Tiki Motel that was located on motel row in El Centro - stomping grounds of Mad Dog Mike!
View of the hotel.
A very nice sign.
A few Tiki masks on the overhead.
Another card showing hotel row.
Found this close up of the sign at the end of its days online.
DC
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6411
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2012-09-28 9:15 pm Permalink
DC, what do you NOT find! 
In the 50s and 60s, Adams Ave used to be the hotel district. Most of the hotels are still there but considerably shady now, it's now the home to mostly "crack houses" (double entendre intended) About 2 blocks away is a Polynesian restaurant, still has the 80s turquoise and red painted tiki out front. Last time I ate there was probably 30 years ago and it was pretty seedy then, I doubt that it has improved any.
Let me see if I can take some current pics of the Kon Tiki to post.
_________________
Clay, the oldest and most divine art media;
"And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man" Genesis 2:7
Pirate Ship Tree House
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1123
From: Birdland - San Diego
| Posted: 2012-09-30 2:37 pm Permalink
Looking on Google street view, I see the building is still there and it's now a Budget Inn. About the only thing remaing that's a reminder of its past is the rock wall on the front of the building.
_________________
"I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8259
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2012-09-30 4:14 pm Permalink
DC,
I appreciate your contributions, please don't stop posting these finds.
Jeff(btd)
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6411
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2012-09-30 8:12 pm Permalink
Yes, the building is still there, but here is the only evidence that it was once the Kon Tiki Motel: a hand lettered sign in the alley
Looks like it's now the "American Inn", probably neither American nor an inn 
This motel was part of the tiki fabric of my youth. I never had reason to go inside but remember riding by in the back of the car often. Down the road a bit was the old style Kentucky Fried Chicken (before it became KFC) with the red tin roof, the old style Taco Bell with the fire pit out front, Sambo's, the Polynesian Villiage Mobile Home Estates, and this gem
The recently remodeled Tropicana Restaurant. Too bad they didn't strip off the 1980's paint job from this tiki when they remodeled the building
It was a dive when I last ate there 30 or 35 years ago. But it's been there at least 40 years, they must be doing something right?
_________________
Clay, the oldest and most divine art media;
"And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man" Genesis 2:7
Pirate Ship Tree House
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2012-09-30 8:58 pm Permalink
That sign behind the chain link fence and the Milan Guanko Tiki with the clown paint job are classic images of Tiki devolution. I forgot about that Mobile home park in your hood.... that probably had a cool sign once too.
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abstractiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 582
From: Lodi, CA
| Posted: 2012-09-30 9:40 pm Permalink
Someone should liberate that sad tiki, sand blast all that crappy paint off it and hold in a safe house for it's own protection.
The old neon sign was nice. The devolution is tragic as usual.
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3929
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-10-11 5:05 pm Permalink
MadDog,
Thanks for the scouting report. Maybe that Tiki can be saved?
Found another photo of the sign on-line.
DC
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