Banana Club

Above is the Bannister / "Bannister" family in the Altadena I.B.C. Museum and Club headquarters several years ago.  The Club was founded in 1972 by Ken Bannister, T.B. (Top Banana) and the Banana Museum opened in 1976 in Altadena, CA.  This bunch is known the world around.  There are over 35,000 card carrying  B.C. members in more than 27 countries!  The Banana Club & Museum has been featured on over 105 TV shows  including the "TONIGHT SHOW"!  FEATURE ARTICLES & PHOTOS have been published is most national magazines, all major newspapers and 12 successful/ published books including the "GUINNESS BOOK of WORLD RECORDS" (2005 record for the most items devoted to one fruit documented ) have all published feature   articles and programs.  

The Club got started back in late 1972 when Ken was handed a 10,000 count roll of Chiquita banana stickers (via his secretary whose husband was a stevedore unloading bananas at the docks in Long Beach CA.  Ken took them to professional photographic trade shows and handed them out to convention attendees telling them to affix them to their I.D. badges and they would get discounts from manufacturers at the shows!  It worked and soon Ken had Banana Club stickers made up to hand out.  The photographers earned merits for hanging prints, so Ken offered B.M.'s (Banana Merits)  for sending him anything tasteful to do with bananas.  That is how the collection was amazed to a count of over 17,000 items (documented by Guinness in the 2005 Golden Anniversary Book).  

Our purpose is to provide everyone with a vehicle to keep people smiling, keep spirits up,  get more attention, get discounts on just about anything, give you the title of your choice and stay in good health!    For just a one time membership fee for LIFE of just $10.00 you can join this bunch and get the card you don't leave home without.  Most members are C.H.D.'s (City Hand Directors) in charge of a bunch or F.D.'s (Finger Director) in charge of themselves.  Ask for a special title and you will get it.  

Simply showing the BANANA CLUB card with a smile on your face is guaranteed  to get you special favors like discounts and upgrades!  Put your title on your business cards and stationary and see the reaction.  RECOGNITION is important and you can get it here in the form of B.M.'s! (Banana Merits) Yes, anything sent to us to do with bananas in good taste earns you BANANA MERITS!  Keep track and when you get to 100 you get an M.B. degree (MASTER OF BANANAISTRY)  Or....500 gets you a PHB (DOCTORITE OF BANANISTRY).