the lost chapter: Hop Louie and the Stockton Islander (image heavy) - General Tiki

R rico Member Joined: Aug 28, 2009 Posts: 3	R rico Posted posted on Fri, Aug 28, 2009 2:53 PM Thanks for all of the great information about this place and the photos! I just bought a Wan-fu mug on Ebay for $10 for my wife. We love this stuff! I grew up in Stockton and lived about 6 blocks from Gong Lee Minnie's. My family seldom went there - it was a little pricey - but I do remember that when you walked through the doors, there were goldfish ponds on either side filled with Koi and elaborately decorated with palm trees and foliage. My dad was a sign painter in Stockton for 50 years* and so I also know that the guy who painted all of their signs was named Glen Martin and had a 1-man shop Stockton for just as long as my dad was there. This guy might be dead now, but he would have pics of the old signage (which was a huge billboard on the the west-facing wall). I live in Seattle now, otherwise I would try to track him down. *Unfortunately my dad is dead, too, but he was the foreman at Ad-Art Signs from it's start in the 50's/60's through the 1970's. He was involved in large projects - like making the patterns for the Stardust motel in Las Vegas for instance (at the time the largest sign in the US) - so there is a likelihood that he may have been involved with the Islander sign. Alas, it's too late to ask him about it, but In thought it worth a mention. He probably painted the sign at the end of that gang-plank,too, damnit! Anyhow, thanks for the information and stories. this place is great! I never got to visit the Islander, but I remember it, awkwardly placed in the parking lot with a K-Mart. I did go to the Polardville Chicken Kitchen; which was a western-themed, audience-involved, vaudille type showplace. It was cheesy. but the food was okay. [ Edited by: rico 2009-08-28 14:57 ]

Thanks for all of the great information about this place and the photos! I just bought a Wan-fu mug on Ebay for $10 for my wife. We love this stuff!

I grew up in Stockton and lived about 6 blocks from Gong Lee Minnie's. My family seldom went there - it was a little pricey - but I do remember that when you walked through the doors, there were goldfish ponds on either side filled with Koi and elaborately decorated with palm trees and foliage. My dad was a sign painter in Stockton for 50 years* and so I also know that the guy who painted all of their signs was named Glen Martin and had a 1-man shop Stockton for just as long as my dad was there. This guy might be dead now, but he would have pics of the old signage (which was a huge billboard on the the west-facing wall). I live in Seattle now, otherwise I would try to track him down.

*Unfortunately my dad is dead, too, but he was the foreman at Ad-Art Signs from it's start in the 50's/60's through the 1970's. He was involved in large projects - like making the patterns for the Stardust motel in Las Vegas for instance (at the time the largest sign in the US) - so there is a likelihood that he may have been involved with the Islander sign. Alas, it's too late to ask him about it, but In thought it worth a mention. He probably painted the sign at the end of that gang-plank,too, damnit!

Anyhow, thanks for the information and stories. this place is great!

I never got to visit the Islander, but I remember it, awkwardly placed in the parking lot with a K-Mart. I did go to the Polardville Chicken Kitchen; which was a western-themed, audience-involved, vaudille type showplace. It was cheesy.
but the food was okay.

[ Edited by: rico 2009-08-28 14:57 ]

Post #480013 by rico on Fri, Aug 28, 2009 2:53 PM