Two of sweet – Uncovered Stories About the Kahiki Including a Museum and Blueprints for a Kahiki Franchise
Back in April, my editor at Columbus Underground Anne Evans asked me if I knew anything about the Minihiki. I asked if she was referring to the idea that the Tsao family (who last owned the Kahiki Supper Club before it was torn down) was going to re-build it on the Scioto near old Vets Memorial, now the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.
She said no, she heard about a “baby Kahiki” project and directed me to Alex Stanek who had recently posted an architectural rendering of something that was labelled the Minihiki and he and I started an interesting conversation around collecting Kahiki items and the architectural firm that was listed on the plans –Williams Shepherd. Alex and I agreed that I would contact the firm to see if it was related to the Kahiki.
I called and spoke with them and sure enough, they confirmed that it was a prototype for a possible franchise! When I started to check additional sources, it turns out that my Kahiki Co-Author Jeff went to the Minihiki off Billingsley Rd. in the mid 1980s but his recollection was that it didn’t last long.
So to me, finding out another connection concerning the Kahiki was definitely “Sweet!” And there was even more to come.
On Monday July 22, on a whim, I drove to the architectural firm and introduced myself to the receptionist and asked to chat with the architect I had spoken with on the phone about the Minihiki. (He had relayed to me on the phone that they had the original plans to the Kahiki and were moving and looking for a good home for them.) He was in and recalled the conversation and proceeded to present me with not one, but two sets of Kahiki blueprints!
One set was dated 1960 and referred to the location as Polynesian Restaurant – apparently Kahiki had not yet been settled upon as the name. The blueprints are in excellent condition and have 24 pages of studies, drawings, electrical plans, punch lists, fabrications and instructions to the contractor about how to build a Tiki Supper Club in the Midwest!
I was so excited and snapped a few pictures and posted to my Instagram and wouldn’t you know it, my Reynoldsburg High School German Teacher contacted me to inform me that her husband’s Uncle owned the firm that built the place! Apparently, when the project was sent out for bids, no one else bid on it because the site was so unusual. Talk about a Kleine Welt! (Hope that is correct, Frau T.)
But the other set was full of surprises. It was dated 1975 and the front page is titled ‘Kahiki Museum Addition’! Apparently, the restaurant was going to expand and the expansion would include a space for a Polynesian museum as well as a Tree House that people could dine in! Sure enough, the plans show that a large Banyan tree ala the Swiss Family Robinson would be constructed and could seat up to 150 patrons. In the middle would be an additional bar that could seat up to 24 folks!
This is a tantalizing new wrinkle in the Kahiki legacy. I’m not certain why the owners wished to expand, or why the expansion never came to fruition, but knowing that we almost had treehouse dining at the Kahiki is an incredibly exciting revelation. And re-discovering and uncovering something new about Columbus’ arguably most famous lost restaurant to me is definitely sweet!