oceanic arts

Billing themselves as “The World’s Largest Supplier of Tropical and Polynesian Décor”, Oceanic Arts has been selling (and renting) Tiki-related décor to individuals, companies, and Hollywood since 1956. For Tiki enthusiasts, this place is Mecca. If you've ever dreamed of building your very own island-themed "Man Cave", this place is for you.We caught wind of this place when we attended Disneyland's 40th anniversary celebration of the Tiki Room. Curious about the carved Tiki statues in the Disneyland Hotel's convention center, we asked some of the event organizers where they'd come from. "Does Disney keep all this at a warehouse somewhere?" "Naah, we just rent them from Oceanic Arts. It's just up the road in Whittier. If you want Tiki, it's the only place to go." Turns out, Oceanic Arts has been supplying canoes, thatch roofs, and the like for movies, special events, conventions, private parties, etc. for years, and if you've ever watched a movie with a Tiki bar, a "stranded on a deserted island" scene, or a "Hawaiian dream sequence", I'm pretty sure you've seen Oceanic Art's handiwork.We were curious, so my wife and daughters stopped by. The building is a bit hard to find, and it looks like an old warehouse (which it is!), but if you love Tiki, it's totally worth the trip. Step inside and you are surrounded by every piece of Tiki-related thing you can imagine. Dugout canoes hang from the ceilings, puffer-fish lamps gawk at you, ceremonial masks, spears, and shields cover the pillars, vintage surf posters grace the walls, Tiki carvings of every kind are everywhere you look, and it's all for sale (or rent) at shockingly reasonable prices. We spent an hour browsing the carvings, talking to the sales associates, leafing through picture books showing all the Hollywood productions they've provided props for, and just taking it all in.