Kapu-Kai it is said, translates to “Forbidden Sea”. And ironically, the Tiki landmark was eventually destroyed by a raging torrent of water in the dessert. But that’s jumping too far into the story – so let’s go back to the beginning.

 Postcard from the Kapu-Kai (image from Critiki)

The Kapu-Kai was created in 1962 by Warren Sato. It was originally promoted as the “Polynesian Paradise” in Cucamonga California and was located on Foothill Blvd., which is part of the old Rout 66. Many will remember the Kapu-Kai for it’s impressive Tiki bowling alley, but there was much more to this Polynesian Paradise. It also included The Tahitian Fire Room (a restaurant that featured American and Polynesian cuisine), The Outrigger cocktail lounge, and a Coffee Shop.

Kapu-Kai Bowling Alley

If you look at what Cucamonga was like at the time, it was pretty much a rural small town and the Kapu-Kai was really a big deal. It was impressive on the outside with beautiful waterfalls and 2 big A-Frames. The inside was outfitted in style by Oceanic Arts and included Tiki’s carved by Milan Guanko tapa cloth, tiki lamps and more.

In addition to the bowling alley, the Tahitian Fire Room had dining and dancing nightly and was the place to play in Cucamonga. Lots of local and national acts played the Fire Room, including The Sons of the Pioneers who’s ranks at one point included Korla Pandit (under the moniker Cactus Pandit). I always like to imagine Frank Zappa played there, as he was a Cucamonga local around this time.

The winter of 1968-69 saw the worst rains and flooding since 1938 and unfortunately the Kapu-Kai was in the path of the deluge. Water hit the building and destroyed much of the interior and roof. This closed the Kapu-Kai and the amazing business that the Sato family had created. No flood of that magnitude has occurred since. It subsequently remained abandoned for years.

In the Tiki community, interest in the legendary Kapu-Kai remained high and in 1992 a group of "Urban Archeologists" including Sven Kirsten and Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, John English and Bosko Hrnjak, went into the remains of the once-great Tiki landmark to save anything possible before it was lost forever. You should check out this great documentary by Colin Sato about the Kapu-Kai and it’s rediscovery. It is great how he unearthed his family roots with the help of the Tiki community.

Rediscovering the Kapu-Kai (image from Tikiroom.com)

To honor this spectacular Tiki landmark we’ve created a beautiful limited edition pin featuring a Tiki from the menu of the Kapu-Kai. This loving tribute pin is available while supplies last so get your while you can. Like the Kapu-Kai, once its gone, its gone.

PinTiki Pin of the Kapu-Kai

As usual, if you like learning about places like the Kapu-Kai I suggest a deep dive into Tiki Central and Critiki.

Mahalo,

Todd

Other images found on Pinterest.

A pre-Tiki ad for Wan-Q

But as the craze started by Don the Beachcomber years earlier began to spread across the country like wildfire, owner Benny Eng was caught up in the Polynesian net and turned Wan-Q into a little piece of Tiki heaven.

Wan-Q in its Tiki glory

Like most Polynesian restaurants of the time, Wan-Q carried rumaki (a Don the Beachcomber invention) and the Mai Tai cocktail (a nod to Trader Vic's). A look at the menu shows they didn’t hold back when it came to cocktails. This place was a legit Tiki bar.

Look at those prices!

A 1973 restaurant revue by Larry Lipson noted, “After or during a round or two from the extensive list of "tropi-cocktails", from whence you can easily become pie-eyed from a pi-yi, swizzled from a rum swizzle or catatonic from a zombie, there is a wonderful dipping-and-eating-of-appetizers ceremony.” Sounds like fun!

Wan-Q's Menu

“Tiki bars were having great success with serving [their own] version of Cantonese cooking in the 1950s,” says Martin Cate, author of the book Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki; “Basically the Cantonese restaurants all started to say, Hey, they’re already serving our food, why don’t we serve their drinks?”

The food and drink are only part of what made Wan-Q special enough to garner a mention in Sven Kirsten’s Book of Tiki. The décor both inside and out were adventurous to say the least. Benny Eng outfitted his restaurant with rattan, bamboo, Tikis and waterfalls. And of course there was the exotic tinseled glory that was Wan-Q’s exterior which included a thatched A-frame roof, tapa cloth details, Chinese jade tiles and float lamps.

Sugar Shack used Wan-Q's Tiki sign

Unfortunately, Wan-Q faded into the Tiki sunset years ago. It was replaced for a time by the Sugar Shack, which kept the exterior (including the sign) mostly intact. Today the location houses another Chinese restaurant called Fu’s Palace. Unlike Wan-Q, Fu’s Palace has no tropical decor or bubbling streams (but I believe one waterfall survives). However, it does have a cool Google street view that lets you enter the building to see the layout of the old Wan-Q.

Wan-Q PinTiki pin

Our Wan-Q PinTiki pin is a tribute to the Tiki-tastic sign that stood over Wan-Q. This sign had an amazing geometric Tiki face and torches along with the name Wan-Q. I hope you take some time and learn more about this tropical jewel on places like Tiki Central.

Mahalo,

 Todd

1960 Life magazine photo featuring the Husband Killer mug

The Islander's menu listed drinks categorized by strength (mild, medium, and strong), and the Husband Killer was deadly enough to be in the strong category! If anyone knows what was in this drink, please let us know in the comment section; the intrepid research team at PinTiki would love to know the ingredients!

Cocktail Menu from The Islander Restaurant, Los Angeles

Through an extremely detailed discussion thread on Tiki Central, Tiki architectural and cultural historian, Sven Kirsten, noted that the design of the stone minimalist Husband Killer mug was most likely based on a Tiki carved by Demetrio Chavez.

Husband Killer (Island Chief) Tiki Mug, Collection of Atomic Chick,               Ooga-Mooga.com

This has been confirmed by Oceanic Arts, a company that has imported and exported tropical and Polynesian items for individuals, restaurants/bars, and film/television sets since 1956. A curious Los Angeles Tiki mug collector (who had an open-mouth Tiki mug with the pointed head, but knew nothing of its vintage or designer) noticed an identical looking mug in what is known as the "Holy Grail" case at Oceanic Arts in Whittier. As Oceanic Arts owners Bob Van Oosting and LeRoy Schmaltz are considered experts on Tiki mug design and origin, they provided the now-excited collector with information on his mug.

In the late 1950s, Stella Bodey designed the standing Tiki mug in question for Spurlin Ceramics, a supplier for the Islander restaurant in L.A.. Spurlin Ceramics, based in Lynwood, CA was a small operation, but a seminal part of the Tiki era of the late 1950s-mid 60s. They were one of the first ceramics companies to supply mugs and bowls to the Polynesian bar/restaurant industry at this time. Many of Spurlin’s mugs were made in conjunction with Oceanic Arts and offered to their commercial customers. 

Spurlin Tiki Mug, Designed for Oceanic Arts, courtesy of Cpt. Midnite's Auctions, Worthpoint

In addition to the mug, Spurlin Ceramics also designed the Husband Killer (Island Chief) Scorpion Bowl  for the Islander Restaurant. According to Ooga-mooga.com, "this bowl is held by three Tikis with pointed heads...The glaze is a muddy brown with yellow highlights that was used on several Spurlin pieces and is very unique.

Husband Killer (Island Chief) Scorpion Bowl, Collection of Tattoo, Ooga-Mooga.com

Husband Killer Salt and Pepper Shakers from the Islander Restaurant have also been spotted!

Salt and Pepper Shakers, The Islander Restaurant, Los Angeles, CA, collection of Erich Troudt

According to Ooga-mooga.com, As of December 2017, one of the Husband Killer Scorpion Bowls sold for $835 (!) on eBay, and a Husband Killer Tiki mug sold on ebay in August 2018 for $180.00.

As the saying goes, both of these items are like finding a needle in a haystack; they're out there, but you have to look hard. Who knows how many years and how much loot you may have to invest in the chase to get one of these rare Spurlin mugs? Artist Lori Herbst who works in textiles, vinyl upholstery,and stencils used the finale of the 1941 film noir classic "The Maltese Falcon" as inspiration for her artwork of Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade finding the elusive Husband Killer mug! 

Multi-Media Artist Lori Herbst's renders Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) savoring The Islander Restaurant's Husband Killer Tiki Mug

Less elusive, and infinitely more affordable is Pintiki's Husband Killer Mug pin. Show-off your love of this important part of Tiki mug history by sporting this nifty 1.5 inch pin. (38 mm) that's limited to an edition of 400. Let us know in the comment box below, if you are lucky enough to own a Husband Killer (Island Chief) Tiki mug or scorpion bowl from the Islander. We'd love to hear how you got it!

Enjoy! Mahalo,
Amy

Exterior Sign Photo from Bun Boy Eats LA Blog

Established in 1967, Bahooka was a family run business. Founded by two brothers and a sister, brother Jack worked for ten years at Kelbo’s. Bahooka was originally located in West Covina from 1967-1980, and was a Tiki haven in a sea of Googie architecture. A second location opened in Rosemead in 1976 which allowed Bahooka to expand its dining area, and add a new room.

Bahooka menu front cover photo from eBay listing

“A Darker, Seedier Version of the Enchanted Tiki Room”
A 2014 article in the L.A. Times said Bahooka “…looked like the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland---but a darker, seedier version that the Pirates of the Caribbean might have hung out in…”.  Bahooka was often visited just to feast one's eyes on the Tiki splendor. Not only were there boats in the parking lot, but nearly every square inch of wall and ceiling space was occupied to display Tikis, nautically themed bric-a-brac (don’t forget the globes and puffer fish lamps), and fish tanks. To say there were a lot of custom-made aquariums would be an understatement. How many were there? Try over 100 with many of them exceeding 100 gallons in capacity. Hundreds of fish flitted about amid more than 1,000 sea creatures: red devils, silver dollars, sharks, goldfish, and koi (Not to mention a legendary Pacu fish named Rufus). Many patrons felt as if they were eating under water! The aquarium bar featured a large turtle---a huge gourami floated behind the bartender! Hope Bahooka received a discount on plastic kelp as well as fish tank maintenance!

Photo of Rufus the Fish courtesy of a Yelp review

Street View of Bahooka, courtesy of a Yelp review

Customers described it as a maze of dimly lit passage-ways leading to booths, alcoves, and a banquet room. Accompanied by the sounds of Hawaiian music playing or Annette Funicello singing “Pineapple Princess”, patrons gazed upwards at the underside of fishing boats and tried to count the red parrots and plastic macaws attached to the ceiling, but gave up. Customers were often outnumbered by the fake birds! Many patrons remember having childhood birthday parties there, first dates, and 21st birthday blowouts there.

Food and Drink
Customers enjoyed food typical of Polynesian restaurants such as “Bahooka's Special Exotic Polynesian Ribs”, lobster tails, teriyaki chicken breast, barbecued ham, and, on the 1970s menu, Kosher Salami (polynesian style) with “Kraft” American cheese! I guess barbecue and soy sauces were more tropical and mysterious than chicken gravy! In later years, they had a two pound plate of ribs as an appetizer (!)

Bahooka's Exotic Ribs courtesy of Yelp review

(1972 Bahooka Menu, via the Los Angeles Public Library collection)

That’s all fine and good, but Tiki-philes are there for the drinks! What about the cocktails? Bahooka didn’t disappoint---they had over 60 different Tiki drinks such as the “Jolly Rogers Bowl”, Island Itch, Ko-Ko-Kow, and of course it wouldn’t be a real Tiki bar if it didn’t have blazing drinks---such as the “Bahooka Bowl”, Scarlet Sails, Gung Ho, and the Honey Bowl. Even children could receive a fiery non-alcoholic “mocktail”; the Flaming Captain Cooke Goat was lit on fire with a lemon-extract soaked crouton. In fact, fire was a regular part of the food and drink experience, a Bahooka patron recounted her memories in a Critiki post---“…the staff used fire… in everything from Jet Pilots to cole slaw.” Even revered L.A. Food critic Jonathan Gold lauded Bahooka's drinks in his book, Counter Intelligence: Where to Eat in the Real Los Angeles (2000); “Fish puffs go with a Monsoon or a Flaming Honey Bowl better than you might think...” (p.18).

Flaming Honey Bowl photo courtesy of Yelp review

Last Days and Living On at Clifton’s Pacific Seas
In the last few weeks before it served its last Scorpion Bowl, thousands of Tiki aficionados waited up to four hours for their final Bahooka meal…they even ran out of food at one point!

Photo of the permanently closed Bahooka courtesy of a Yelp review

March 9, 2013 was the sad date that Bahooka said “Mahalo” to its faithful tribe, and closed its doors permanently. However, Bahooka’s Tikis and other fixtures now reside in Clifton’s Pacific Seas, downtown Los Angeles. Clifton’s owner Andrew Meieran purchased pieces dating to 1963 such as Tikis, gas pumps, canoes, and a diving helmet.

Clifton’s Pacific Seas Interior courtesy of a Yelp review

We invite you to commemorate Bahooka with our new limited-edition hard enamel pin. The Bahooka sign was a beacon to adventurous flaming cocktails and Polynesian cuisine. Celebrate the exotic ribs, strong cocktails, and the mysterious atmosphere of Bahooka with this 1.5 inch pin (38 mm), limited to an edition of 400.

If you'd like to share any memories or photos of this uniquely Southern California Tiki bar/restaurant, feel free to do so in the comment box below!

Don's Style Carvings - Musée du Quai Branly

Actual Carving on the Back Bar at Don's - photo BigBroTiki

While there seems to be some debate over the actual origin of the carvings that launched the guys into tiki folklore… Were they from Bora Bora or Marquesan carvers that came to Tahiti to make souvenirs for the tourists there? If you are interested in learning more, I suggest you dive down the rabbit hole at Tiki Central and see what you think. I am only scratching the surface here.

Don the Beachcomber Menu. Photo - Ebay

As for how they entered modern tiki culture, I think this might be another one we can credit Don the Beachcomber with. Donn had a set of these tikis that were know as his “pets tikis”. According to Tiki Central,“The original Don cannibals were his only pet Tikis, he had them in his back bar in Hollywood”. They seemed to spread from one of Don The Beachcomber’s menus to Steve Crane’s Luau, where he used them on matchbooks, menus etc. This also introduced a modified look to the trio’s eyes.

Luau Beverly Hills Matchbook 

Tiki expert Sven Kirsten noted in Ukulele Magazine: “While Don had owned a trio of the so-called Tahitian Cannibal Tikis, he never made much use of them in his promotions. When the Thorntons opened the Mai Kai in December 1956, these tikis graced their ads, menus, and matchbooks to beckon the pleasure seekers. A new era of Polynesian pop had begun: The Tiki Era.” From here they spread through the tiki world to be featured on Mugs, shirts and menus from tiki bars all over. Many people think of the carvings as a “holy grail” of sorts – definitely something cool for your collection.

Mai Kai Menu and Shirt circa 1959 - Photos BigBroTiki

So who are these 3 hungry fellows? I like to call them The Hunter, The Eater and Full Belly. (I believe Bosko called the Hunter, Catcher and Digester.) I have heard many other names and even suggestions that they go in other orders. But the explanation that makes the most sense to me follows the basic food hunting/eating process. However there are more theories that you might find more to your liking.

Amazing Print by Doug Horne Features the Trio

The PinTiki pin of the 3 Cannibals was based on my first exposure to the trio, a matchbook from Steve Crane’s Luau in Beverly Hills. They were so primitive and cool. In my version, I put them into my proffered order and fixed the eyes to be more like the original carved style – while trying to keep the rough feel of the Luau artwork that originally inspired me.

PinTiki Cannibal Trio Pin and Luau Matches 

You can get your own Cannibal Trio limited edition collector pin by clicking here. Get them while you can, they are a limited edition run. And if you have any more info you’d like to share about the cannibals please comment below.

Kahiki Supper Club 1965 photo: Swanky

According to the Tiki Architecture Blog, “The Kahiki, at 3583 E. Broad St., was the brainchild of Bill Sapp and Lee Henry, also the creators of the Top Steak House near Bexley. Their temple of Tiki opened in 1961 after their Tiki bar, the Grass Shack, burned down.” Besides the spectacular building itself, which was modeled after a New Guinea meeting house, there were two 16 foot tall flame-topped Moai’s guarding the front door and a 23 foot tall Moai fireplace. This fireplace was the inspiration for our latest PinTiki collector pin and was the center of much of the action at the Kahiki. The fireplace also purportedly had a window in it that allowed the owners to look out on the action in the restaurant.

Kahiki interior and fireplace 1962 - photo TikiSkip 

But that’s not all as Ohio History Connection notes “… waterfalls, tanks of fish, live birds, large drums, and an iconic monkey fountain known as George; at the center of the building was a giant stone Moai fireplace. For most visitors though, the main draw was the variety of exotic drinks. The restaurant featured three bars and served drinks in over 30 different cups, goblets, and bowls. Visitors and celebrities came to the Kahiki from across the country”.

Kahiki Menu - Pinterest

The penultimate Kahiki drink had to have been the “Mystery Drink” which according to Columbus Underground “was made to serve 4 people and contained 8 ounces of rum and brandy. Served in a bowl with a smoking volcano in the middle, it was served by the “Mystery Girl” who ceremoniously danced it to your table after being summoned by a giant gong. Then after bowing to the fireplace idol, would bring the smoking bowl to the diner and present it to their party along with a lei of orchids which were flown in 2-3 times a week from Hilo, Hawaii.”

The Mystery Drink - postcard Pinterest

As you can see this place was more than spectacular, but sadly, as they say, all good things must come to pass (why someone had to say this I don’t know). Even though the building was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, it was closed in 2000 and eventually Walgreen's (or was it CVS?) purchased the building and later bulldozed it. The Kahiki Company now is focused on selling a line of frozen foods.

Party at Kahiki - Pinterest 

As noted on the Kahiki Foods website, “closing the Kahiki was a year-long adventure that broke every sales record on the books. Every day for a solid year, customers lined around the building waiting to experience one last meal at the restaurant that had become a Columbus institution.”

Kahiki Fireplace pin from PinTiki

Before the building was demolished, more than 500 Kahiki fans and celebrities from as far away as London, Melbourne and San Francisco flew to Columbus for a farewell party hosted by Otto von Stroheim of Tiki News. Then came the effort to salvage as much as possible before the building was gone.

One miracle was that the huge fireplace was actually removed by a crane and saved. Watch this crazy footage of the fireplace being lifted out through a hole in the roof. In 2007 TikiFarm made a mug to raise funds to restore the fireplace, but in 2010 it was sold along with one Moai from the entrance. To see what happened from there, I suggest you check out this fun video : Whatever happen to the Kahiki Fireplace – A Tiki Mystery. 

Tiki Farm Mug from 2007

This article just scratches the surface of the  Kahiki Supper Club. If you want to dig deep into lore of Kahiki and its mysterious fireplace you can check out this book by David Meyers Kahiki Supper Club: A Polynesian Paradise in Columbus. It will turn you into a fan like me. And if you’re already a fan, be sure to get your own Kahiki Fireplace tiki pin.

Order your Kahiki Fireplace pin today - click here

It’s hard for me to figure out where to begin this one. Don the Beachcomber (aka Don's) in Huntington Beach (Sunset Beach) was my local tiki bar for many years. Before it was Don’s, it was Sam’s Seafood. I started going there back in the late 70’s, so this place has had a special place in my heart for a long time. Like many tiki fans in Southern California, I was really shattered when it closed on April 15 of this year (2018). To honor this tiki institution, I created this limited edition pin of the Don’s swordfish sign. For many of us, it was like a magical tiki beacon that guided you to this amazing place.

Inside the Dagger Bar

The center of that magic was of course the “Dagger Bar”, but there was also the “Coconut Bar” as well as the “Hidden Village” in the back. The drinks were strong and included many of the potions made famous by the original Donn Beach himself, including the Zombie, Mai Tai, Scorpion and 151 Swizzle.

Inside the Restaurant with Tikis and Waterfalls

You can find reviews and a great photo gallery on Critiki who said of Don's “The owners (were) hoping to honor the name by bringing back traditional Don the Beachcomber cocktails. The decor remains intact, and has been augmented with more work by Bamboo Ben. Notably, the entrance has been redecorated in tribute to the entrance to the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood.”

Tiki Makeke Marketplace

One of the best sources of info about Don’s is The Hula Girl’s Blog. Spike has done an awesome job pulling together historical and other interesting photos and more about the place. Noting that the place contains “Two large waterfalls, six different rooms, a tropical gift shop, a Hidden Village, more bamboo, pufferfish lamps, decor, and Milan Guanko carved tikis than you can even believe!  The only other tiki palace of this size is the Mai Kai in Ft Lauderdale, FL. Sam's/Don's is truly impressive.” And over the years it impressed a lot of interesting people. “Famous visitors such as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Duke Kahanamoku, and John Wayne frequented the new tiki palace!”

The Ding Dong Devils at the Gathering of the Ohana

Don’s was also known for their great music. With so many great tiki bands frequenting the place it was hard to not be there on a good night. Some of my favorites were the Ding Dong Devils, The Swank Bastards, The Hula Girls, The Rayford Brothers, Tikiyaki Orchestra and so many more. It’s also notable that Spike from the Hula Girls was also the last person to perform there. In an impromptu performance as the bartenders made the last call, he rushed in with his guitar and amp and played a final version of Miserlou. It was awesome.

Spike Closes it Out

Those who made it to Don’s before they closed understand why so many people in the tiki community were devastated at the loss of this tiki landmark. Those who never made it to this tiki paradise can only imagine what it was like. We all hope they find a new location soon and that it’s half as cool as this was.

2021 Update: The famous Don's Swordfish sign was recently removed. We heard from a good source that the sign is going to be restored and used at a new Tiki bar in the future. Glad to hear that but so sad to see it gone.

Don's Swordfish Pin

I’d like to also take this opportunity to thank all of you who made the first Don’s Sword fish pin sell out so quickly. I’m glad you guys love them so much. We’ve got more Don’s tributes including stickers and shirts so check them out too. 

Thanks! Mahalo,
Todd

Living in the LA area – the birthplace of the tiki bar, I’m blessed with several really fun classic tiki bars to go to. While the first bars like the original Don the Beachcomber, Trader Vic’s and The Luau have all disappeared, the Tiki Ti is still going strong since 1961. If you’ve never been to the Tiki Ti, it is definitely one to put on your bucket list. It seems like it holds about 50 people, it’s only open Wednesday thru Saturday and there’s almost always a line to get in. Stand in that line – it’s worth it. It was also the inspiration for a great collectible tiki pin.

Tiki Ti - Yes there's a line. 

Ray Buhen, who worked at the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood as far back as 1937, started the Tiki Ti. According to A short history of the Tiki-Ti by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry ,“With the help of his wife Jerri, Ray turned his father-in-law's tiny violin shop into a tropical paradise of tapa cloth, rattan, fishing floats and puffer-fish lamps. And on April 28, 1961, the Tiki-Ti was born. One by one, the famous places Ray worked disappeared over the years; but the Tiki-Ti not only prospered, it grew famous in its own right. Now Ray has passed on, but his son Mike and grandson Mike continue to practice Ray's art, serving his top-secret potions to an ever-increasing customer base.” Any of those potions are winner’s but of course you have to try the Ray’s Mistake. And if you are there on a Wednesday night you can join in the toast to Ray. 

Ray Buhen - The Master

One of the things I love most about the Tiki Ti is the actual building. It’s small enough that you could drive by and miss it. I totally get that it was once a violin shop. In fact, I was talking to Mike Buhen Sr. recently and he told me they were originally planning on turning the violin shop into a bartending school.  But once they got the liquor license, they figured they might as well make it a bar instead. Lucky for us, it worked out that way.

Once you walk inside the Tiki Ti you are quickly transported to tropical paradise. They have all elements necessary to put them at the top of the list of classic tiki bars. Critiki rates it a 9.3 and of it’s drinks says “These recipes are closely guarded family secrets. There are plenty of classic cocktails on the menu, but many of the drinks are the creation of Ray or his son or grandson. One of Ray's creations, Blood & Sand, is named for the Tyrone Power bullfighting film by the same name, and as it is being mixed the bar's patrons call out "Toro, Toro!" 

Blood and Sand complete with Bull

Something you may notice when looking at the Tiki Ti pin is that the building looks a little different than it does today. Tiki Ti has changed its color scheme over the years and I chose to do one of the “vintage” looks because it reminded me of the amazing Ray’s Mistake tiki mug from Tiki Farm that Thor designed. It’s one of my favorite tiki mugs of all time. Some of the details included on the pin that are still there today are: the float light and tiki head.

 Tiki Ti Pin from PinTiki and mug from Tiki Farm

 Vintage Tiki Ti Look - photo from Pinterest

The owner, Mike Senior, was nice enough to let me sell a limited run of 100 of these fun tiki pins, (now SOLD OUT) so get one while they are available; once they are gone – they are gone. And please do yourself a favor and visit the Tiki Ti whenever you are in Los Angeles –and bring cash because it’s cash only!

UPDATE: Tiki Ti loved our pin so much they had me design a couple of new pins that are only available from at the Tiki Ti (or their online store). Check it out they are super cool. (Sorry folks, looks like these are currently sold out too)

Inside the Tiki Ti - where all the magic happens. Mike Jr. doin' his thing.

Tiki Ti is located at: 4427 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles California 90027. Here's a little treat for you if you made it this far. Google Street View actually lets you explore the inside of Tiki Ti - check it out, just go inside. 

Thanks so much to all the tiki fans who have been so nice and supportive as I'm slowly getting this party started. You are awesome!

Mahalo, Todd

Our first two pins: Don's HB Swordfish and the Tiki Ti.