Whether you’re old enough to remember the old Queen’s Surf, or too young but curious about the former landmark, here’s a bit of history.
I posted some of this earlier, but this week I found the missing first page of a 1947 letter from my father to the president of the International Geneva Association in praise of the newly renovated Queen’s Surf. The letter was accompanied by a set of excellent photographs.
Click on this photo, and you’ll first get to read the letter, and then view the series of photos.
According to my dad’s account:
Queen’s Surf was built during the years 1914 and 1915, by Mr. & Mrs. W.K. Seering of the International Harvester Co., Illinois. In the year 1936 it was purchased from Mr. & Mrs. Seering by Mr. C.R. Holmes for his Honolulu residence. Mr. Holmes also owned the beautiful Coconut Island, which is located in the Kaneohe are on the windward side of the island of Oahu, in the Hawaiian Island Group. In 1945 the residence was purchased by a group known as the Capitol Properties, Limited. It was remodeled and made into an outstanding commercial location as pictured in the attached photographs. It is regarded as the most luxuriest commercial location in the islands. During the war period the residence was used as a rest home for young flyers. C.R. Holmes donated the premises for this use during the war period. Many of the flyers enjoyed the luxuries that were extended there. In the year 1944, during the war conference held in Hawaii by Admiral Nimitz, General Douglas McArthur and staffs; all of their time was spent in the residence now known as the Queen’s Surf.
I remember one or two long nights at the Queen’s Surf in late 1969 or early 1970 with Meda and my late uncle, Jimmy Yonge. At that time, he was chief purser on one of Matson’s white liners that cruised through Honolulu to the South Pacific. When stopping through Honolulu, we would get together for a few drinks. Well, perhaps more than a few, but this was, after all, before MADD. Suffice it to say that Queen’s Surf was one of the centers of night life in Waikiki during the period.
But it came to a sad end when it was condemned and torn down by the city in about 1971 to open up that part of the beach to the public, or so they said.
I ran across this comment left on Yelp with another version of its demise. I can’t vouch for the accuracy, but it sure sounds like the way business was done.
The long and the short of it…
One of the most prominent and successful restaurateurs here was Spence Weaver. With his brother Cliff, they created 50 plus restaurants and bars thru Hawaii and Tahiti.
Among all the rest, they owned Queen’s Surf, the Papeete lounge and the Barefoot bar. kama’aina remembers it as the showroom in which the irrepressible Sterling Mossman held court.One evening, Fasi met up with Spence at some restaurant and told him basically, ok, yer gonna donate to my campaign. Spence, being just as strong willed, and being his own person, never enjoying having someone else tell HIM what do do with HIS money, replied, uh… I don’t think so!
No, really. ya gotta!
No, Frank, I will not.
This began a personal mutual dislike, personal vendettas, etc…
Frank Fasi, much to the chagrin and general heartbreak and extreme disappointment of the general populace, (and regular visitors around the world) thru condemnation, and eminent domain, had the whole establishment there, torn down, (for the greater good; needed a beach park there. Regardless of the fact the surrounding areas were beach parks… made no difference.
Fasi attempted to make Spence an offer he couldn’t refuse. Spence did refuse. Result, a fabulous landmark status bar restaurant and showroom of the old Polynesian motif… is gone forever. Spanks alot, Frank.
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The song goes on.. but this is enough…
I was stationed at Hickam from ’64 to 66 and Queens Surf was a favorite hangout. Saw Kui Lee and his wife there in a fantastic show before he died. Watched the Tahitian Revue from the wall by the stage many times. Cheap entertainment for a GI who was usually broke. Went back in the ’70’s and could not believe it was gone. I remember the bartender at the beach bar telling me how much Richard Boone, “Palladin” of the old CBS show, “Have Gun Will Travel” would drink at the bar and then walk away as if he were unaffected.
Thank you for refreshing my memory. I too saw Kui Lee and went to the Batefoot Bar in 1967-1968 when I was a student at UH. Fond memories. The next time I went back in 1971 it was already gone. I’ve returned many times since then and do not like the changes over the years. This year, 2018, The New International Market Place was an even more disappointing “improvement”. The old Waikiki is forever gone.
I remember the Queens Surf where we had our graduation banquet for McKinley High School class of 1947. It was a beautiful place where they rolled the canvas back and we were dancing under the stars. I will never forget it and was sad when they tore it down.
I was 6 years old and 17 years from Queen serve at that time.
Was stationed at pearl ,64 and 65,uss falgout and and newell.lots of good times.Waikiki was fun in those days.uncrowded.
I absolutely loved the place. Sterling Mossman, The barefoot bar. I was was there 66-68. I have a brother whom I never in 70+ Years ever got along with — except when I met him on R&R and steered him there — he did not leave until his plane took him back to Viet Nam. The only time we were truly brothers.
Oh gosh – I played mixed doubles in volley ball with a dancer in Elaine Frisbee’s group at Queen’s Surf… she had super vertical jump. Queen’s Surf was gracious in those days and accepted my bogus ID Montana driver’s license. No big deal as I ordered no alcohol. Spent hours upstairs with the Mossman show and closed down Queen’s surf at something like 3 AM “a few times” before breakfast of corned beef with eggs with Elaine Frisbees’s crew. Stuart Ho – much older than I am but none the less a CMC grad – I had no idea y’all were tied in in.
Herrick: (Bob?) Great to say hello to a CMC grad. I was curious about the Queen’s Surf history as laid out above. No one would remember “Capitol Properties” but they might remember my Dad, Chinn Ho, who was the guy behind Capital [sic] Properties. He bought the property from Christian Holmes’ estate and started the Queen’s Surf. That would have been around 1947, because I think I was in the sixth grade. Besides saying hello, do you (does anyone) remember the name of that haole vocalist who sang for Sterling Mossman’s Barefoot Bar gang? Aloha, Stuart
P.S. The history is correct. Dad sold it to Spence and Cliff Weaver (SpenceCliff)
I met my husband the summer of 1968. He was a marine recently returned from Vietnam Nam and I was a school teacher on vacation from Atlanta. We fell in love and 3 weeks later he asked me to marry him at the Queen’s Surf. It worked we will celebrate our 50th anniversary on Jan 4th next year.
We will return to Hawaii and wish the Queen’s Surf was still there.
I hope you have a wonderfully romantic return to Honolulu for your anniversary. If we can buy you a drink at the Elks Club, just down the beach from the old Queen’s Surf, just let me know (email ian@ilind.net).
Puka Puka Otea – ground level “outside” at Queens Surf. Used to watch the show from time to time…played volley ball with one of the dancers (Tuloto is how I remember the name). She had a super vertical jump and great top spin.
OMG… I stumbled upon the QS because of the incredible music coming out of the windows. Stirling Mossman and the amazing Puka Puka Otea show. For a haole boy from California this was incredible. I met Don Over at that time, and was overwhelmed by his size and enormous love of life. I graduated from UH Manoa and had to return to the mainland, because that was the only way to make a living with my degree. However too many years later after doing shows all over the U.S. I got very tired of it all and came home to Hawaii. After about a week of searching for work…I gave Don a call just to say hi. Before the conversation was 5 minutes old, Don invited me to come and stay at his Summer Street home until I found work. What an amazing experience, with a houseful of adopted children, and his own kids from his first marriage…and his new wife Josie, it was fantastic. Everyone so gracious and full of aloha. Don introduced me to Herbert Kane, the world class artist, who at the time was consulting for C. Brewers development arm. Herbert hired me to work briefly with some insane glorious ideas for a development in Kau on the Big Isle. I met one of his closest friends, Bob Van Dork (sp?) and was amazed at the creativity they both could exhibit. I was so young and yet these gentlemen were not that much older than me in years, but were eons ahead in their human growth and spirit. Not too many years later Don introduced me to Jack and Cha Thompson of Tihati fame. Thanks to their incredible kindness I had the pleasure of writing and directing two shows for them including the Kona Water Follies and the Lahaina Whaling Spree. Mahalo to the entire Tihati clan and the amazing Don and Josie Over all possible from a chance encounter at QS.
One of my first music jobs was at queen’s surf – playing keyboards for steve logan in the showroom – we and don ho, were THE places to go in ’68…
re: the comment concerning the end. Fasi made an argument that unfortunately could not be refuted. A private commercial establishment could not legally be operated on what was public land. But, it took a private feud with a vendetta to enforce it. So, so sad.
I still have picture of myself in 1969 wearing an outfit with a floral sash worn as a belt. Later that evening it was gone. Apparently I shook it off on the dance floor at the barefoot bar! That picture reminds me of a much missed place.
I was a musician with your father and brother with the Puka Puka Otea in the mid-60’s and was a roommate of Jean’s. I always wondered what happened to them and I would love to connect with you. I hope you’ll contact me.
I was a transfer student at Roosevelt High for my Senior year beginning fall of 1961 and graduated the following June of 1962.
I remember the Queen Surf as great place to chow down on Sunday Buffet.
When I attended my 40th I was very disappointed when there was no Queen Surf to take my wife for dinner. ( What a bummer )???
I also remember going to the Queen Surf a couple of times with a classmate of mine by th name of “ Peter Moon “.
I very saddened to her that Peter has passed on to another life in recent years.???
The Queen’s Surf was the first restaurant we went to in July of 1960. I was 13 years old and we had just arrived from California and would eventually move to a brand new house in Ewa Beach. I graduated from Waipahu High School in 1964.
I will never forget the fantastic banana muffins. When ever we had visitors from the mainland we always ttook them to the Queen’s Surf and, of course, Pearl City Tavern.
Great Memories.