Oct 5, 2009

Don’t overlook gift shop at iconic Mai-Kai restaurantBy Patti RothMiamiHerald.com

You probably think of the Mai-Kai as a fun place for anniversaries, proposals or other special occasions. It’s where locals take out-of-town guests for fruity drinks and Pacific Island ambience. Stroll among the waterfalls, the lush landscaping and the tiki torches. Eat dinner and enjoy a lively Samoan fire knife dance.

Dating back to 1956, the Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale is a dining and entertainment fixture. But a source for home décor?

Sure.

Hazel Quire, a Mai-Kai employee for more than two decades, stocks the shelves with items that exude tropical flavor. Locals, along with tourists, she said, like to browse the selection that includes barware, serving platters, picture frames, lamps and artwork.

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