Ohio Tiki: Polynesian Idols, Coconut Trees and Tropical Cocktails

By Jeff Chenault and Doug Motz

Hula girls, palm trees and Tiki gods beckoned Ohioans of the 1950s and '60s as tropical hot spots sprang up in suburban neighborhoods and concrete jungles alike.

The Kon Tiki restaurants of Cleveland and Cincinnati slung rum cocktails to patrons eager for escape to a South Seas paradise. Visitors to the famed Kahiki Supper Club of Columbus, the Tropics in Dayton and Toledo's Aku-Aku could spot celebrities swaying to the exotic sounds of steel guitars and native percussion. Venturing a step beyond restaurants and bars, others decked out theaters, bowling alleys and even a McDonald's in sultry island décor. Join author and Tiki veteran Jeff Chenault on an excursion into a bygone era when the South Pacific came to Ohio.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Dec 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781439668726

Jeff Chenault

Jeff Chenault is an author, producer and music historian. His first book, published by The History Press, was Kahiki Supper Club: A Polynesian Paradise in Columbus, Ohio, co-written with David Meyers, Elise Meyers-Walker and Doug Motz. Jeff has also written for multiple publications, including Cool and Strange Music Magazine, Bachelor Pad Magazine, Tiki Magazine and Exotica Moderne. He is currently producing a series of rare Exotica music for Dionysus Records.

Book preview

��f3^book_preview_excerpt.html�Y�r�6�l�>$U3�eG�h�Җ.�$[�T9��7�!Q�d����~�~��I�dOw���%W\���&A�/�O���Nj��E=k�����������^�9�8�O��{���֝*�iU!u�zu\���nO��F6m������ ި�P 直}i����x�Y�UĿu��-[��� ������Y߶&�3���ԛ�vM�>�q����=X���)U׷���+LP]p���%�N�H<�] q��N�rF㘴�2�D�l�pM���F�iB��<��'�N��s��d����?��n�W�t�[-b�5Ƴ�kx�Q)�lg"�9�V�� N�NW�-Ip�Ў�� o�д�or��wf���:��%=�Q�5��sg�w=����[��Ә=�+I��P���Fׅl4��gw8�w���6��:1���+B�L�:X|�Ջ�ϟOԺ6~'����N��FW��
��)3�M��*x5ö�
2[" x��ּ�ӱ"Ա�&Ș��{�pE����Sl�3�9�f=��X>��#XK��U�5��E�=l���~�|*�*G^�Ǵ
�Qlܴ�&�V�%����ե%_��� �yG���92 �ᜣgx@q�E���D���p��j�'���"��T�XXX�6�)V�K=勼��̯(�J������.�mL��"��M$z$�6��"�m�wono��i�f���J�a��R �!����z����GN�Zo��ք�\�
8\a��] T�ge(2;�,�e��46R��.̴rxF5ڂPi��%�)>���C�%{X�Qe�c�HCaL�Q�5j�ek�>��9�ʔ}�� �����G����Ψ{�B��$3�M�
%}�����b�`*�Y�=�Adl�
8��iZ��`�� �6�|@��p�m��9K���/&�5�O�N�z�j����`UO�DQ�vڷOw��Zi�K���<�Ͻ
^<��\���& ����^��1�����W�����X�Z�V��C��qV�6�`"dL�Z��<�cBY̬[iN ��xr����G)l>�y��_�N�g�ZB�|�����-����S�o�}��&o�b���� ���WT��Y��̓�5�ص0-U��5� �L@�q��S�x,5Y��ӷ�g���䴳�jH���p�@#�6p�F��X.��Kf,��#J~�bP'�Mo��IG��u��\Gv[X�.��s6`�zX��㯮A��qQH{�v ݣ�{��YxK�����F�Hd㉩���:�%��h��W��p��D�*@ G2_�V���K=�袞� w�S�v
{s
j���`���K�i) ؟x�W�ALq�ʌ�B��^��Y���v�HXq�A'� &],��!2�o�H�\P�!P��GZ=�j��/�gS��L�9������3t!p��O++�lA���Q�������F]�|8�^}����$����������q��t�%��=�u �A���';UN8R|�>����$ǔ������~>��H��#�u�Ȇ k���Eʝ��\A��vn�T31qb�q�?���0B:�ɗz�{ �-!j [@�\{�՞zM��#빗����;B�ʘ�D��~:B"���Fg~x�����Hu lA��#]
yT�$^��pl��s��I�R`�6%tk�`�c���H]h���V�� <. AND��h?b4UBޝ���[�c宜]���4�Y�����'�Z��-%c�x�H�ġ%�Dr�+4sk̈́�G����x�K�Ō�5�F/�Å�p\QSe�iuU������[;�[�*�ZbV'�����a˪�g� /=a`l�<9Y|�C�&��犚��Ьc���i�JA�C#駺#�OԆ��,��\ �2���(��=4��c���YK�π��Z�k�v��(v�m~�*j6�m�=z3(�C?��8}�a�}mWdV!���-��������v��(�$l�?7"ड़�ģ��v��y�d��Y��F�����N��H��R��f$Z��@=�ڡ���@��Nh#D����;�ٓ>���E@�Y
�j{� ���A���3%t�|C<ӟ[��o3d���/_��'���]���S'��ջ�˫wWj�����uv�������~�a�k����Ǘ<]��t���oP�h�jVS��,o�JxJi�A��!Z��LJ3�V����V:<�e�����:.��&9�Pt�@A�8C����R��ӫ��� `���S7N;C��k��jmy=��)Ԉg�'��4+���<���G�-ws��v�� ��!��m64�ѨH�� �2��w�a|�Pa8O�T�U�m�����}�+%޶ı00���<�t� _���ސ�*LQu���� t��~Zd�fk�="en�fE�y?L�Ley�F4.�����g�]��|���*��D�w:S�'�*�u�̾A�U�ooeB����#3'�<�|���bKw���*�q\������;�a�vnA�E�^���&U�e>���������vP9Q���h �H�u�&eA`D�bfL�П=f�/�E�ghM�AQ_���;u�F�]ͮ_����+�P���w�g�W�<�(�kit\����Ac"����^��| ��J� eG0f6����i��$���Jd����`X�l9x)����Q$�'��`�j x:h�
��c���B����[n @M�֫����5�-Q�G�FW�/�;�sР
hl҄dH���"�(��gg W���Ln�I�%�bh�\K
$S,>�syP�AG�?� \��j&�>.06]�t˥�U ^]�(4;K����S[:����?�e�*)m����uVw�r����9���pg��(u�Җ�Dq��J�F�6f���)hp�j�5�4A:�����SW9�~TFp�N�h���#sN�h�q�9��%���v��A�� š��"��
�J�����o+��^�K7�N�6�Ґtc�ݽB2|7�3�Jc~5E����6�a�)�� �lĞ�~'@>eM�e��Fb���fVI���b�B%M\�tdw�aK��f�j�V�mۙ�(0��\�r����m��#���
c����c�'Tiۉ�s9�p8�)R,���d����ޫ�n`'O�06�2���-#:Ui�oVu���Eu��\]kon��ܗ��'� ���K��s �9��-�4f� xT���H<���L���
e���L�_Ss���kk�