Have we come a long way baby?

I love the freedom of “no” Bibliography in my historical fiction novel that I am writing about Sunny Sund. The word “perhaps” allows me to assume how things happened based on my research findings. Research is half the fun for me.

“You have legitimacy, you have the authority of the imagination." She urged her contemporaries not to spend their lives apologizing, cringing because "you think you are some inferior form of historian.” ~Dame Hilary Mantel, Historical Fiction Writer

I know the subject of my book Cora Irene “Sunny” Sund Gantt, is unknown, she has been villianized, labeled a gold-digger, called power hungry, a business robber, and often just referred to as a big-bosomed blonde. She wasn’t perfect. Are you? I know I made mistakes in life, too. I have yet to interview her daughter. I hope to set that up soon. Perhaps, she can tell me the other side of Sunny, as a mom, a friend, a sister, a daughter. All I see from the information I have gathered is a badass, business woman. She opened the first chain of restaurants across the country. She had fabulous contacts and support. Ok, the Chicago Mob. This is still incredible considering women drinking together with men was still considered taboo. Maybe this why she added food to the original bar menu to normalize it. Kinda brilliant. Sociologist Herbert Scott, noted in “American Scholar,” 1949. “Drinking between the sexes was a relatively late development in American social evolution.” Glad I can add some historical reference points, and dimension to her story with facts about how women in that era were treated. It’s been 81 years since she incorporated a chain of restaurants, on February 28th, 1940. Have we come a long way baby?

Sunny Sund: The X

Sunny Sund: The X

She was driven, not a villain.

IN MY OPINION: Don the Beachcombers wife at the time...Cora Irene ”Sunny” Sund Gantt, might have been a little greedy. Some think she stole his business. But, if you go by the facts, it turns-out she supported him in their mutual goals, well, sort of mutual, like a a good wifey. Before 1940, and the Chicago DTB opened—In 1938, Sunny went to Hawaii with him to open a second Beachcomber Cafe. It was her first time on the island. She got the liquor license herself...because he couldn’t, his bootlegging days prevented it. Ultimately, all avenues were blocked to their dream of opening a second location there. The locals protested the invasion of their privacy and a club-like atmosphere around their homes. Denied approval Donn and Sunny went to plan B, sadly, both had a different plan B. Don continued to pursue a business in Hawaii. Obviously, he had a vision and a dream for the Island that wasn’t even a state yet. He even rented a place, a bungalow there for $75. A month, and hired people, because his Luau’s were becoming popular....he would go back and forth, a lot, to Hollywood and Hawaii, while still married. The Marketplace would eventually, open but, Dec. 6th would happen and World War II before he would see his dreams come to light. Sunny had her eyes on growing the business, so off to Chicago with some new MoB friends, “Chingona!”coming from a small town in Minnesota, she wasn’t going back, she was driven to be rich and famous. She Incorporated the business, and kept great records of mob signatures and meetings in leather-bound ledgers.( I find these books in my backyard, in 2018, hence my Tiki psychosis began...) Don just wanted the life of a beachcomber and to be a gracious host to all—with his famous drinks. Both accomplished their dreams, and helped each other. She couldn’t have accomplished it without him. But, I think Donn might have without her. The marriage just didn’t work out. We to this day benefit from both of them—Tikidom. Blue drinks with umbrellas, Muumuu's, Hawaiian shirts, Hawaiian music and pink flamingos. Pop Culture and escapism at it’s best. Thank you Donn and Sunny. Mahalo!