Oceanic Arts
9 Aug 2017
My one and only visit to OA happened to coincide with Swanky's Mai-Kai book signing. I also met Sven for the first time in one of the tiki huts, where he explained the evolution of the eyes on cannibal tiki carvings. I talked to Bob but never saw LeRoy. Stupidly, I didn't buy any tikis or shields or anything worthwhile because I only had one piece of luggage for the trip.
Tiki Bar
Oceanic Arts
Whittier, California, United States (Closed)
Oceanic Arts was a major contributor to tiki culture since its opening on June 25th, 1956, when it was opened by LeRoy Schmaltz and Bob Van Oosting.
Bob and LeRoy have provided carvings, decorations, signage, light fixtures, and all the outfitting needed for a tiki location to nearly all of the major spots, including Disney. Oceanic Arts served as a Home Depot of sorts for the tikiphile.
The store was closed for good on November 24th, 2021.
Bob and LeRoy went out on a triumphant note by announcing the publication of a book chronicling their much beloved business on the same day. This book, authored by Jordan Reichek and published by Peekaboo Gallery, was issued in a regular or slipcover edition. This was accompanied by 2 rounds of auctions and accompanying auction books. Together, these books give a very thorough overview of the work produced by Oceanic Arts.