Kon Tiki Cinemas

Not a bar or restaurant like the Kon Tiki locations in other cities, this one was a movie theater complex in the Dayton suburb of Trotwood. It opened on Aug. 23, 1968 with a showing of The Odd Couple. The theater was owned by the Samuel Levin family, who later donated the building to the city of Trotwood so the city could redevelop the land. The front of the theater was inspired by Grauman???s Chinese Theatre (now the TCL Chinese Theatre) in Hollywood. The sinks in the restrooms were giant conch shells, elaborate mosaic-rounded tile countertops graced the ticket areas and more than 20 illuminated Tiki faces shone from the fa??ade. Accents of volcanic rock and abalone shells were built into the walls. The theater doors weighed 800 pounds and were hand-carved, as were the wooden lighting fixtures. Kon Tiki closed on 2004 and was demolished a year later to make way for a medical building. Checkout more??VINTAGE DAYTON DESIGNS