TASTE 2023 miaminewtimes.com 10 W hen brothers Robert “Bob” and Jack Thorn- ton originally began scouting locations to build a Polynesian paradise in the mid-1950s, fate must have brought them on a scouting mis- sion to a neighborhood north- west of Fort Lauderdale beach. During the 1950s, the parcel of land at 3599 N. Federal Hwy. — along a sleepy, two-lane stretch of U.S. 1 — seemed an odd loca- tion for a lavish tropical retreat. The duo saw promise, however, hoping to create an East Coast interpretation of the popular Polynesian restaurants from Don the Beachcomber in bustling cit- ies like Los Angeles and Chicago. When the Mai-Kai opened its doors on December 28, 1956, the A-frame building was con- sidered the most expensive restaurant in the country, costing $350,000 to build. The venue was unlike anything else — a massive tiki-like establish- ment offering a heady combina- tion of beautiful women, strong drinks, and tropi- cal kitsch. During its early years, the Mai-Kai at- tracted celebrities and social- ites for its unique supper club experience. Guests flocked to feast their eyes on Polynesian dancers and fill their bellies with innovative Asian-themed fare and rum-fueled libations. Current Mai-Kai managing partner Bill Fuller likens the Thornton brothers to Disney’s early Imagineers — perhaps among the nation’s original hospitality innovators — able to envision a wholly immersive experience far beyond its time. For decades, the Mai-Kai remained an immersive — if not totally transportive — ex- perience, a rare glimpse into the grandeur of the country’s only remaining mid-century Polynesian supper club. The Thornton family — in- cluding Bob’s wife Mireille and daughter Kulani — alongside generations of extended fam- ily and longtime employees, carried the founding partners’ vision and legacy forward, even earning a place on the National Register of Historic Places. “My father fell in love with the Polynesian people and a Polyne- sian woman, which only fueled his desire to replicate an authen- tic experience at the Mai-Kai,” Kulani Thornton Gelardi tells New Times. “He spared no ex- pense, immersing himself in it, going to great lengths and extreme detail to make sure the experience was a true representa- tion of Polyne- sian culture.” Those decades of hard work and care came — liter- ally — crashing down when in October 2020, torrential rain and a malfunction- ing sprinkler system resulted in a complete roof collapse over the venue’s kitchen, marking the establishment’s first extended closure since its opening day. After a year of struggle and uncertainty, when the scope and cost of the restoration became too much to shoulder, the Thorntons put the building up for sale, much to the shock of longtime fans. “We never wanted to sell the Mai-Kai,” says Geraldi. “It’s been 60 years, and our hearts almost broke at the thought of losing any piece of this place. Instead, we wanted to do what my father would have done — find a way to bring it into the future so that it could be around for another 60 years.” There was a global sigh of relief from Mai-Kai fans ev- erywhere when the family an- nounced the restaurant would reopen — under a new owner- ship team alongside them — one committed to investing millions of dollars into extensive refur- bishment and renovations. Bill Fuller, cofounder of Miami’s Barlington Group, Mad Room Hospitality, and managing partner in the Mai-Kai, came to the historic establishment’s rescue. Nearly 18 months since em- barking on the joint venture, Fuller says he is in complete awe of the legend surrounding the historic establishment. Over the past year of sifting through the property’s rich legacy, he’s con- tinued to unearth the brothers’ unexecuted plans, renderings, and ideas that could be consid- ered innovative even today. Fuller wonders: Could Bob and Jack have known the Mai-Kai would endure for decades to come? Moving forward, Fuller says he shares a common goal with the remaining Thornton family members: renew the founding brothers’ original vision and propel the property into the future via a creative plan that serves to replace aging infrastruc- ture while keeping the familiar interior elements in place. It’s a massive undertaking that requires replacing the aging roof, electrical, and air conditioning systems; redesigning the park- ing lot; reimagining the entrance with a torch-lit drawbridge and outdoor bar; and adding a new kitchen and event space. “But what everyone re- members about the Mai-Kai is still here, and the new TASTE 2023 miaminewtimes.com The Mai-Kai to return after $8 million renovation. BY NICOLE DANNA Mai-Kai photo 10 Peak Tiki THE NAME ‘MAI-KAI’ MEANS “THE BEST,” AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE’VE ALWAYS AIMED TO DELIVER. >> p14 Vintage photo of Mai-Kai Dancers
