Chin Tiki in Detroit opened in 1967 and has been closed for many years, but is still somewhat intact. There was been much speculation over the years regarding what the eventual fate of the Chin Tiki will be: whether it will be reopened by the owner Marvin Chin, sold and reopened by another owner, or whether it will disappear entirely. The restaurant was used in filming the movie 8 Mile, and was reportedly damaged by the film crew.
Now, as part of the Jungle Madness Motor City Tiki Art show happening the first weekend of September, the Chin Tiki will be open again, albeit briefly. The Jungle Madness main event will be taking place Saturday, September 3 at Marvin Chin’s other, less-tiki restuarant, Chin’s Chop Suey in nearby Livonia. The organizers have arranged with Chin to offer a tour of Chin Tiki in Detroit the next day, on Sunday, September 4. Marvin Chin will be there to answer questions, I’m sure the first one will be “What’s going to happen to the Chin Tiki?”
- Jungle Madness Motor City Tiki Art II
- Motor City Tiki Art Show and Party 9/3/05 [Tiki Central]
- Chin Tiki [Critiki]
- Chin’s Chop Suey [Critiki]
August 29th, 2005 at 2:12 pm
Now that would be worth going to!
Too bad I’m stuck in L.A…..
August 29th, 2005 at 3:12 pm
I’ve been through that part of Detroit, and it looks like a bombed-out war zone. I don’t think there’s any way that Chin Tiki can or will reopen in that location, unfortunately.
August 29th, 2005 at 5:55 pm
Ah, that’s disappointing, but no surprise, either. Detroit sounds like a fascinating place, it sounds sometimes like it’s one-half modern-day ghosttown.
September 8th, 2005 at 12:49 pm
Marvin and his son Marlon would like to reopen Chin Tiki’s upstairs floor for private events, and possibly as a full time night club. If that goes well, they would like to reopen the (more severely wrecked) downstairs at some point as well. They would like to have the upstairs space ready in time for the Superbowl in January, 2006, which is being held in Detroit. The stadium is walking distance from Chin Tiki. They have a lot of hurdles to overcome, such as plumming problems, water damage, and others.
September 9th, 2005 at 6:55 pm
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