Four months after major fire, no plans to rebuild Wind Tiki in Webster

WEBSTER — Four months after a raging arson fire destroyed the Wind Tiki, the last of the ruble will soon be carted away, but the future of the acre-sized parcel is unclear.

The Wind Tiki, a landmark and popular local hangout since it opened in April 1974, was destroyed March 18.

Marc Becker, who owns the property with his brother Randall, said most of the demolition debris got shipped out of state.

The restaurant and the building have different owners.

“The plans are: Clean the property, let the dust settle. And we’re actually regrading it and preparing to pave it over, probably in the next week or 10 days,” Becker said. “(We have) no plans. No plans. We’re just letting the dust settle and letting Wind Tiki rest.”

Emotionally, Becker said it hasn’t been an easy four months.

“I looked at it every day,” Becker said. “I had to look and smell it because I live next door.”

But the results of the extensive cleanup are now showing, Becker said.

“If you drive by it today, it looks pretty good. They, basically, finally got the rendering grease thing out, all the back-stuff, cleaned it up,” Becker continued. “It will look good…But there are no plans at this point.”

Becker said it’s commonplace for people to ask about, as well as share potential ideas for, the future.

“So many people have asked. So many people have ideas. So many people have desires,” Becker said. “My favorite fun one has always been, we’re going to have a Christmas holiday display year-round.”

No, no one should expect a year-round Christmas theme park. And, most likely, no one should expect another Wind Tiki, at least not like they one that stood there for nearly 50 years.

“To replicate the building in today’s cost, it’s over $4 million. Part of the building was built in the late ‘40s. It was Nectar Ice Cream. And Nectar Ice Cream became Nectarland and Nectarland became Dante’s Inferno and Dante’s Inferno became Wind Tiki in ’74.”

Wind Tiki was legendary for being a local watering hole and meeting place. It was busy on New Year's Eve and other holidays. While the Chinese restaurant has had different owners over the years, the Becker family owns the property.

As soon as the Wind Tiki prepared its first pu pu platter or mixed its first mai tai, the restaurant was a success.

“They were the first Chinese restaurant around here. People from Rhode Island, Connecticut, everywhere, came here.” Becker said. “Soon as they opened up, they immediately planned the first addition. The first addition was the fountain room. Then they expanded the lounge and then they built the garden room off the other side.”

Firefighters from Webster and several communities converged on the scene around 2 a.m. March 18 at 154 Thompson Road, where flames were soon ripping through the restaurant's roof.

The cause of the blaze was ruled as arson.

Joel Batista-Viera, 42, of 24 Lincoln St., Apt. 1, has been charged in connection with allegedly setting the Wind Tiki fire, as well as allegedly breaking in and attempting to cause another fire at a nearby Mexican restaurant.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Four months after major fire, no plans to rebuild Wind Tiki in Webster