"Kahiki Supper Club is a legend in the tiki world - a massive polynesian palace in the frozen land of Columbus, Ohio. Kahiki founders Bill Sapp and Lee Henry started work on the Kahiki after their bar, the Grass Shack, burned down on this site in 1959."
They built the Kahiki for more than $1 million (about $7.3 million today), however having fallen through the hands of several owners the Kahiki closed it's doors for the last time in 2000...
"The Kahiki's building was a classic example of midcentury polynesian pop architecture, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Despite this, Walgreen's purchased the building and bulldozed it. Some of the interior decor had been stored in a warehouse, and there was talk of the restaurant reopening in a new location. The potential for that seems to have ended: some of the decor was installed in the frozen food factory; the Kahiki's last owner, Michael Tsao, has died; and many of the remaining artifacts appear to have been sold at auctions."Perhaps the most striking features of the Kahiki other than its A Frame were the Moai heads guarding the entrance. Standing over sixteen foot tall each had a red "topknot" which sat atop the head and spewed fire from a gas burner...
While on the inside was a twenty two foot Tiki fireplace complete with glowing red eyes, as featured in this Shag painting ...
... and the essential book Tiki Modern!
Interestingly both of these Kahiki icons are up for grabs and could be yours at the right price!
Kahiki Moai Head - eBay Auction.
Kahiki Fireplace - eBay Auction.
Both show some signs of damage when they were removed but both deserve to fall into the hands of someone who will love and cherish them and return them to their former Tiki greatness... how much for postage to The Secret Island!?!
"No restaurant with a fire-breathing stone head has ever captured the hearts of Columbus quite like the Kahiki.The Polynesian eatery took Tiki kitsch to the max with an aviary, indoor thatch huts, umbrella-topped drinks, waterfalls and the deep thrum of drums." Elizabeth Gibson.
"At the point when the last great Tiki bar closes, someone will open a new one and everyone will say these are great. It's a shame we always seem to realize too late how much things mean to us." Frank Decaro.The loss of cathedrals of Tiki like Kahiki make the fight for bars like the Tonga Room even more important. The fight continues...
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