Kon-Tiki Polynesian Lounge & Restaurant - at the Avalon Motel
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
The Kon-Tiki at the Avalon Motel opened in December of 1967. Five miles from downtown Pittsburgh.
The Avalon Motel preceded the opening of the restaurant and was a gradually evolving family-run business...
Frank R. and Elizabeth S. Brown moved to Avalon in 1955 and bought 512 Ohio River Blvd. On the site where they would build their Avalon Motel was a huge farmhouse with a wrap-around porch.
After winning a rezoning court case against some of the neighbors, the first section of the motel was built - the only section which would remain 1-story. This first section included six finished rooms only to start and in the back were an additional six unfinished rooms. It would take another year until this second set of six rooms were ready for rental.
The second phase of construction required some help from Frank & Elizabeth's parents. They refinanced their homes and lent the money which was eventually paid back in less than four years. The room total after the second phase came to 21, with a small, two-bedroom apartment. These additional rooms were located in the building just to the right of the original twelve. Back then, motels never had a room 13 (superstition), so there were actually only 20 available rooms.
After this, the huge farmhouse was brought down and that space converted to more parking. The owners and their children lived in the two-bedroom apartment with their front room opening out into what was essentially the front office.
In 1960, Rooms 22 through 36 were added on the Bellevue side of the motel, making the building an "L" shape. Three of the new rooms were rented as one-bedroom efficiencies.
The final phase of construction, which was the Emsworth side of the motel, started in 1962. With the addition of units 37 through 48, the motel reached its final size.
By the mid 60s the motel was successful enough and the family was feeling constrained by the two-bedroom apartment, so they rented the second floor apartment in the house located on the Bellevue side of the building. A year or so later, they bought that house.
The old 2-bedroom was converted into a coffee shop.
A referendum was passed in the 1966 elections. A couple of years later, all taverns were granted permission to have full service bars.
So, with this law in place, a bar and restaurant was now possible. It was also considered the next logical step since most area motels had a bar/restaurant on premises.
Built in 1967, the new Kon-Tiki restaurant specialized in Polynesian food and drink. With little experience in the food industry, the new owners depended on a hired chef and a head bartender to show them the ropes. One of their restaurant managers was Kein Wee "Que" Moy who would later go on to open the nearby Chin's Polynesian Garden.
On the first floor of the Kon-Tiki was the lounge, a dining room that could seat about 36 people, and an outdoor patio. The second floor was the main dining area. Also on the second floor was a private room suitable for small parties. The Kon Tiki could serve a many as 200. They employed around 50 people.
Around 1972, a group of investors approached the original family with a lucrative offer and they sold the business.
Eventually, the Kon-Tiki was closed (sometime in the 80s?) and the motel began a gradual decline until it became known as a seedy motel with disreputable clients. At least one or two other restaurant concepts replaced the old Kon-Tiki in succession before its reputation completely crashed and burned...
The entire complex was condemned and closed in 2016 due to a fire.
It was torn down in 2019.
Details
- Type
- Bar & Restaurant
- Phone
- 412 766 2335
- Address
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Closed?
- Yes (Permanently)
- Links
