kaka‘ako
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
magazine
A Day in
the Life of
Kaka‘ako
A City on the Move
Big changes are everywhere you look
as this neighborhood transforms.
presented by
Things to do and
places to go, morning,
noon and night
Plus:
Where to eat &
shop
contents
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Kaka‘ako: A City on the Move
K4
One of Honolulu’s oldest neighborhoods
is now one of its newest, with change
happening on nearly every street. Why?
How? Here are some answers.
By Gail Miyasaki
A Day in the Life of Kaka‘ako
K13
With businesses, services and activities of
every kind, Kaka‘ako has become a nearly
24-hour neighborhood. Here’s how you
might spend a day there.
By Gail Miyasaki
Kaka‘ako Eats
K17
A sample of dining and food-market
options in Kaka‘ako.
By Gail Miyasaki
Kaka‘ako Shopping
K19
Unique, one-of-a-kind shops and boutiques
can be found throughout Kaka‘ako.
By Sheila Sarhangi
Kaka‘ako Flashback
K22
A then-and-now reminder of Kaka‘ako’s
roots.
By Gail Miyasaki
kaka‘ako magazine
Publisher
Scott Schumaker
[email protected]
534-7541
Advertising Director
Donna Kodama-Yee
[email protected]
534-7501
Editor
A. Kam Napier
[email protected]
534-7546
Managing Editor
Kathryn Drury Wagner
[email protected]
534-7524
Art Director
Kristin Gonzales
[email protected]
534-7560
section art director
Lauren Hara
Project Editor
Gail Miyasaki
Written, designed and published by
HONOLULU Magazine, March 2007.
© 2007 by PacificBasin Communications,
1000 Bishop St., Ste. 405, Honolulu, HI 96813.
On the Cover: Today’s Kaka‘ako—high
rises and green grass at Kaka‘ako
Waterfront Park.
Photography: Hesham Foto
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S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Kaka‘ako
A City on the Move
The neighborhood of Kaka‘ako is changing
rapidly. Here’s a look at why and how.
b y G a i l M i ya s a k i
photos by hesham foto
Striking even at night, the Honolulu
Design Center at Pi‘ikoi and Kapi‘olani
may be Kaka‘ako’s new gathering spot
with trendy furniture showrooms, a
wine bar, an events center and, coming
in April, a fine dining restaurant.
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S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Got stuff to sell or buy? Check out
young entrepreneur Tiffany Tanaka’s
wesellthings4u or her newest boutique,
The Candy Shop, both on Queen Street.
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kaka‘ako
By The Numbers
Y
ou can still find the Kaka‘ako that kama‘aina know best. In the heart
of Kaka‘ako, radiating out from Queen Street and Ward Avenue, are the
auto repair shops, light-industrial buildings and okazuyas, many of them
multigenerational, family-run operations dating back to when immigrants
coming off the plantations found cheap land in Honolulu to start their own businesses. That’s the Kaka‘ako we know as Honolulu’s garage, workshop and storeroom.
But there are new sights now, all around the district. Along the wide sidewalks
fronting Kaka‘ako’s gleaming new high-rises are the big windows of shops and
restaurants. Even the usually blocky, blank-walled new storage buildings feature
commercial space on the street level, required by design to encourage a pedestrianfriendly environment.
Other important changes are less visible. For example, there are nearly 1,400
affordable housing units, with more on the way. All new Kaka‘ako residential
developments are required to reserve 20 percent of their units for affordable
housing. That’s also by design, to attract and create a residential community of
varying incomes, ages and family groups.
“Diversity is the most striking thing about Kaka‘ako today—luxury condos, senior
housing, mature small businesses and trendy shops—all in one place,” says Allen
Leong, director of operations for KC Rainbow Development, the developer of the
Moana Pacific project and the new Moana Vista, the 492-residential complex with
10,000 square feet of commercial space on Kapi‘olani.
Wedged between the chic bustle of Ala Moana Center and the high-rise commerce of downtown Honolulu, Kaka‘ako is a community in transition. It features a
skyline mushrooming with high-rise, luxury condos; streets once narrow, potholed
and quickly flooded now widened with sidewalks; and storefronts featuring Starbucks
and BMW dealerships near lunch wagons and auto transmission shops. It has a
thriving nightlife anchored by the Ward Entertainment Center, with its multiplex
movie theaters, shops and restaurants, and also encompassing the concerts and
exhibits of the Blaisdell Center just up the street and the clubs and dining spots of
Restaurant Row toward town.
Kaka‘ako today is seeing changes more concentrated in space and compressed in
time than any other urban area in the state. The catalyst behind this unfolding
transformation was a 1976 legislative mandate to turn an underused state asset into
Hawai‘i’s first contemporary live-work-learn-play urban village, where residents could
meet the full range of their living needs with easy ways of getting there, particularly
walking and mass transit.
“We have a unique charge by the Legislature to bring the strengths of private
enterprise together with public regulation to create a vibrant, desirable, mixedused community,” says Dan Dinell, executive director of the Hawai‘i Community
Development Authority (HCDA), the semiautonomous state agency overseeing the
Kaka‘ako Community Development District.
The 670-acre Kaka‘ako district is strategic and significant, bounded by Pi‘ikoi
toward Ala Moana, Punchbowl Street toward town and King Street on the mauka
end and down past Ala Moana Boulevard to the waterfront. This urban experiment
is likely unprecedented nationally on this large a scale, according to Jan Yokota, vice
president of development-Hawai‘i Region for General Growth Properties (GGP) and
former HCDA executive director.
10
Number of publicly funded Kaka‘ako
Improvement District Projects
completed as of 2006, out of the
12 originally called for by the Hawai‘i
Community Development Authority
(HCDA).
33.5
Percent of owner-occupied housing in
Kaka‘ako in 2000, projected to match
or exceed the state average of 56.5
percent by Census year 2010.
47
Number of park acres in Kaka‘ako in
2006, up from 1.7 acres in 1976.
1,388
Number of affordable housing units
constructed in Kaka‘ako
by 2006, up from 0 in 1980.
7,416
Population of Kaka‘ako in 2000.
32,100
Projected population of Kaka‘ako
in 2030.
$
217
million
The state of Hawai‘i’s financial
investment in Kaka‘ako infrastructure,
public facilities and other
improvements.
2+ billion
$
Private-sector financial investment in
Kaka‘ako as of 2006
Sources: U.S. Census 2000, State Dept. of
Transportation and HCDA.
The state of Hawai‘i, GGP and Kamehameha Schools, which own approximately
Continued on K8
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Small businesses, big concerns—(left to right) Dexter Okada of U. Okada & Co., Christine Kaneshiro of Business Letter Services and Paul
Kimura of City Fender voice the concerns of Kaka‘ako’s small business and land owners who want to remain a part of Kaka‘ako’s future.
Continued from K7
380 acres combined, or more than half of the Kaka‘ako
district, are the major drivers effecting change in the
area. Add to that the recent city-approved, fixed-guideway mass-transit line, which will run through the heart
of Kaka‘ako and is expected to boost development and land
values along its Kalaeloa to Manoa route. Kaka‘ako’s current
residential population of about 7,400 is projected to increase
to more than 32,000 by 2030, one of the largest anticipated
growth areas along the rail route.
As Kaka‘ako’s largest landowner,
mostly along the waterfront, the state
has invested more than $217 million
to date in infrastructure and public
facility improvements. More than half,
or $114.3 million, was spent from 1988
to 1993, as part of “setting the stage for
private enterprise,” says Dinell.
expertise in mixed-use planned communities, according
to Yokota.
With 53 acres along Cooke Street and Ala Moana Boulevard,
including Restaurant Row, Kamehameha Schools has singled
out Cooke Street in its strategic plan as the development core of
a “dynamic main street concept featuring a variety of commercial, residential and work-related enterprises,” says Bob Oda,
project manager for KS Commercial
Assets Division for Kaka‘ako.
“We want to see a
vibrant community
in Kaka‘ako, where
the past and the
future can coexist.”
–Paul Kimura
National retail giant GGP (owner of
Ala Moana Center and the Ward Centers) has currently under construction its Ward Village Shops complex,
a commercial/residential mixed-use
development on Auahi, Kamake‘e and Queen Streets. With 165
residential rental units, more than 1,000 parking spaces, and
224,000 square feet of commercial space, the complex will
feature Hawai‘i’s first Whole Foods Market, the world’s leading
natural and organic supermarket.
Just beginning to develop its master plan for the 65 acres
it owns in Kaka‘ako, GGP is exploring a phased-in, premier,
urban mixed-use plan, with help from its 2004 acquisition
of the Rouse Co., a master community developer with strong
Kaka‘ako’s transformation has not
been without growing pains. Oldtimers like Dexter Okada, the thirdgeneration president and general
manager of U. Okada & Co. on Queen
Street, a seafood import business
begun by his fish peddler grandfather
in 1913, wonder if those changes will
mean customers needing the bluecollar services Kaka‘ako has long
provided may no longer find them as
convenient and close to town.
Paul Kimura, the third-generation
head of his family’s 65-year-old City Fender, an auto body shop
on Queen Street, is among the small landowners in Kaka‘ako
who worry that their concerns will not be addressed in the
“sweep of progress in Kaka‘ako.”
“We, too, want to see a vibrant community in Kaka‘ako,
where the past and the future can coexist,” says Kimura, who
became a founding member of the Kaka‘ako Improvement
Association to organize the area’s small businesses and serves
Continued on K10
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Continued from K8
on the HCDA board to voice their
concerns.
Live and Work
Barbara Hoy is one of Kaka‘ako’s newest residents.
“We wanted to quit relying on a car.”
In January, interior designer Barbara
Hoy moved into her new 41st-floor unit
in the 720-residential unit Moana Pacific
project, whose 6-acre site at Pi‘ikoi and
Kapi‘olani features the 80,000-squarefoot Honolulu Design Center, with its
hard-to-miss, shimmering orange façade.
Looking down the road to retirement,
Hoy and her husband, Bill Osheroff,
medical director for HMSA, decided
to downsize from their four-bedroom/
four-bath Manoa home to condominium
living in Kaka‘ako.
“The fact that Bill can walk to work sure
helped in our decision,” says Hoy, who
works out of her new high-rise home.
“We wanted to quit relying on a car
and found what we were looking for in
Kaka‘ako.”
Fifteen years ago, Paul LaBrasca put his
name on a lottery list for senior subsidized housing in Kaka‘ako. With some
exceptions, Improvement District guidelines mandate that a fifth of the units in
a new private development in Kaka‘ako
must accommodate families earning
from 65 percent to 140 percent of
median income. Affordable rental units
in Kaka‘ako range from $500 per month
for a studio for seniors to $930 per month
for a two-bedroom family apartment.
“I got lucky. I wanted to stay in town and
got my place just after I turned 62, the
minimum age to get in,” says LaBrasca,
now a 78-year-old retired laborer who
lives in one of 75 furnished affordable
senior rental studios (top rental $575
per month) in Na Lei Hulu Kupuna on
Cooke Street. He rises at 4 a.m. for his
morning walk and by 5 a.m. often hops
the No. 6 bus to Wal-Mart or Ala Moana
Center. Surrounded by good restaurants
and friends within walking distance,
LaBrasca says he loves the convenience
and coziness of Kaka‘ako.
On the other end of the spectrum, with
“off-the-charts” rentals ranging from
$3,500 to $7,000 a month, is the luxury
condo Hokua on Ala Moana Boulevard.
Its 243 condo units were sold out two
years before it opened in January 2006,
with an average price of $1.1 million.
Some of the units have since doubled
in value and changed hands up to three
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S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Private industry has also begun to
respond, with companies such as Tissue
Genesis, an advanced tissue-engineering
and cell-therapy company in the emerging field of regenerative medicine, which
began operations in 2002 in the former
Gold Bond Building. In late December
2006, it licensed its first agreement for
its tissue-growth technology for use in
treating heart damage.
Kaka‘ako is also home to places that round
out the human needs to play, learn, relax
and enjoy, such as the Children’s Discovery Center, the Mission Houses Museum,
two New Century Charter Schools (Voyager and Myron B. Thompson Academy),
47 acres of new parklands, Honolulu’s
last undeveloped waterfront and even a
historic preservation project in the century-old Ala Moana Pumping Station.
As a community in transition and
moving toward a new kind of revitalized
urban living, Kaka‘ako’s amazing diversity today, whether by fortune or foresight,
captures the old and the new, defining a
tomorrow that many hope will remain
authentic to its past and committed to a
thriving future.
times, according to general manager
Duane Komine.
Drawn by new residents are new kinds
of small businesses, such as 26-year-old
Tiffany Tanaka’s wesellthings4u, a fouryear-old company that sells items on
eBay for clients on consignment. Working at first from home, Tanaka turned
a part-time hobby into a $2-million
enterprise. Tanaka, who sees her Queen
Street location as a gateway to downtown
clientele, has recently opened a retail
outlet featuring a clothing boutique and
the latest in electronic equipment.
Learn and Play
When the University of Hawai‘i decided
to locate its medical school in Kaka‘ako,
a key motivator was the anticipated
role of the $150-million John A. Burns
School of Medicine (JABSOM) complex
as an economic engine to spur new hightech/science-based industries for the
state, attract national and international
investment, and stimulate research and
growth of a biotechnology industry in
Hawai‘i. One of the first to respond was
Kamehameha Schools, which will begin
first-phase development early this year
on a life sciences complex. The goal is to
attract leading-edge research companies
to its property adjacent to JABSOM as a
complement to the medical school’s new
bioscience research lab and the planned
Cancer Research Center.
“We have compelling reasons, in keeping with our educational mission, to
advance health and wellness capacities,
especially of Native Hawaiians, through
education. We also want to develop
advanced industries to provide opportunities for our local young adults
to come back here to work and
compete for high-paying professional
jobs,” explains Oda.
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½V
Ward
Centers
More flavors. More choices. More fun.
w
From the latest to our favorites,
we always come back to Ward.
Big City Diner
Brew Moon Restaurant & Microbrewery
Buca di Beppo
Buffet 100
California Beach Rock ‘N Sushi
Cattle Company Steakhouse
Chowder House
Compadres Bar & Grill
Dave & Buster’s
Dixie Grill Bar-B-Que & Crab Shack
E & O Trading Company Restaurant
Goma Tei Ramen
Kakaako Kitchen
Kincaid’s Fish, Chop & Steak House
Kua ‘Aina Sandwich
Mocha Java Café
Old Spaghetti Factory
Ryan’s Grill
Sushi Masa
Tropic’s Diner
Wahoo’s Fish Taco
Wolfgang Puck Express
All my favorites.
125 shops. 22 restaurants. 16 screen megaplex.
wardcenters.com | Phone: 591- 8411
Owned and Managed by General Growth Properties, Inc.
kaka‘ako march 2007
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A Day in the Life
of Kaka‘ako
b y G a i l M i ya s a k i
photos by hesham foto
I
t may not rival New York as “the city that never sleeps,”
but Kaka‘ako comes pretty close to being a 24-hour
community, with an amazing array of things to see,
activities to try and places to dine, Here is a sampling,
suggested by people who live and work in Kaka‘ako:
5 a.m. Starbucks
Ward Gateway • 940 Auahi St. • 589-2012
Monday through Thursday 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 5 a.m. to 12 midnight, Saturday 5:30 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Early risers or night owls can find their favorite Frappuccino or a steaming cup
of Sumatra coffee at this Starbucks near Ward Avenue. Just down the block,
Starbucks at the Ward Entertainment Center opens at 5:30 a.m. and the one at Hokua
at 1288 Ala Moana Blvd. starts the day at 6 a.m.
5:30 a .m. Fish Auction,
United Fishing Agency
1131 N. Nimitz Highway Pier 38 • 536-2148
Monday through Saturday 5:30 a.m. until supplies last
For the freshest fish on the Island, call ahead to see if the (almost) daily (closed
Sunday) fish auction is on at Pier 38, where fishing boats unload their catches
of the day. Sales are made to the public, while supplies last, on a cash-only basis. Wear
rubber-soled shoes, bring your own cooler and, yes, cameras are welcome.
7 a.m. Harry’s Caf é
1101 Waimanu St. at Kamake‘e Street • 593-7798
Monday through Friday 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday 6 a.m. to
2 p.m.
Start the weekday with the breakfast special of two eggs, two scoops rice and ham or
luncheon meat, served from 5 to 8 a.m., for just 99 cents. The lunchtime crowd can
find local favorites, such as oxtail soup and saimin. The TV is often tuned to KBFD for
the regulars hooked on Korean dramas.
Continued on K14
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S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
“Get yer fresh fish” early
just off the boat at United
Fishing Agency’s (almost)
daily fish auction.
Continued from K13
9 a. m. Sa lon R êve
Imperial Plaza • 725 Kapi‘olani Blvd. C-115 •
593-7737
Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays and
Mondays by appointment
“We see the growth potential in Kaka‘ako,” says co-owner Gail
Arita Chong of the chic, one-year-old hair salon’s Cooke and
Kapi‘olani location, which caters to local professionals and
international clientele. A staff of seven offers specialized color,
highlights, haircuts, plus waxing, special-occasion makeup,
and the new digital perms from Asia. Partners Stacie Yamauchi
and Arita Chong train aspiring local talent in cutting-edge hair
fashion.
10 a .m. Hawai‘i Children’s
Discovery Center
111 ‘Ohe St., across from Kaka‘ako Waterfront
Park • 524-5437
www.discoverycenterhawaii.org
Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Drop the kids off or stay for the fun at Hawai‘i’s museum
dedicated to children. Featuring an interactive, participatory
learning environment, the center, established in 1998, rose
from the renovated and expanded shell of the former Kaka‘ako
Incinerator and now provides kids with hands-on learning
activities. School tours, parties and facility rentals are also
available. Admission.
10:15 a.m. People’s
Open M arket, in
Mother Wa ldron Park
525 Coral St.
Mondays 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.
If it’s Monday, come and buy low-cost, fresh local
produce and aquacultural products at this weekly market,
held in a 1.76-acre park built in the 1930s and named after
Margaret Waldron, a teacher and playground director known
for her pioneering work with the poor and the youth gangs of
Kaka‘ako. Free.
11:30 a .m. Karen’s K itchen
614 Cooke near Coral Street • 597-8195
Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.,
Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Gail Arita Chong and Stacie Yamauchi’s Salon Rêve at the
Imperial Plaza is on the cutting edge of hair fashion.
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There are BMWs parked next to 30-year-old pickups at owner-chef Karen Yamaoka’s popular dining spot, specializing in
“gourmet-style local food.” Comedian Mel Cabang and KTA
head Barry Taniguchi come for the nishime, pulehu ribs and
occasional prime ribs. Japanese tour buses stop for lunch every
Saturday. The sellout dish? “Baked spaghetti. It reminds local
folks of public school lunch,” says Honoka‘a native Yamaoka.
Catering and private parties also available.
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S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
1 p.m. H opaka Auto Re pair
1156 Kona off Pensacola Street • 597-8128
3:30 p.m. Facia l and
Massage at Susa n Snyder
Facials & M assage
Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
1019 Waimanu St. No. 210 • 429-1222
www.susansnyder.biz
Don’t let the name fool you, this popular auto repair shop
relocated to Kona Street in 2001. It’s just a block away from
Ala Moana Center, so shop while you wait. With 25 years
of experience, owner and senior mechanic Paul Maemori
(aided by two mechanics) takes all cars for general maintenance
and repairs, ranging from oil changes to rebuilt engines. By
appointment.
Tuesday 2 to 8 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.,
Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Relax with a soothing facial and therapeutic massage by owner
Susan Snyder. “I love the location and so do my clients,”
says Snyder of her quiet Waimanu Street studio, off of Ward
and Kapi‘olani. A licensed aesthetician and massage therapist,
Snyder does all the facials, peels and massages herself, using
Sothys Paris skincare products, a professional spa line of
products based on plants, flowers, essential oils, vitamins and
aromatherapy. By appointment.
4:30 p.m. Happy Hour at
Side Street Inn
1225 Hopaka St. • 591-0253
Magnum Firearms’ owner Art Ong aims for safety and instruction
at his Kaka‘ako firing range and guns and ammo retail outlet.
2 p.m. Magnum Fire ar ms
and Ra nge
Monday through Friday lunch 10:30 a.m. to
1 p.m.; Sunday through Saturday dinner 4 p.m.
to midnight; Sunday through Saturday bar
2 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Come early, as the after-work crowd quickly fills owner-chef
Colin Nishida’s popular dining spot, where some of Hawai‘i’s
best Pacific Regional Cuisine chefs come for Nishida’s
special pork chops. Lunch features plate-lunch favorites served
cafeteria-style on weekdays only.
940 Queen St. • 597-1911
Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
From outside this quiet, unassuming building, you’d never
know it housed a firing range. Emphasizing safety and protection, owner Arthur Ong provides firearms instruction; practice
ranges and qualifying tests to federal homeland security and
antiterrorist agencies; and equipment to police officers in
Hawai‘i and the Pacific. It’s open to the public for NRA-certified
training classes and for firearms rental and practice.
Continued on K16
Treat yourself to
some TLC at licensed
aesthetician and
massage therapist
Susan Snyder’s
relaxing Waimanu
studio.
2:45 p.m. Museum Tour at
the Mission Houses Museum
553 S. King St. • 531-0481
www.missionhouses.org
Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
guided tours: Tuesday through Saturday
11 a.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
2:45 p.m.
Step back in time to 19th-century Hawai‘i on guided tours
through three restored houses and a research library, offering glimpses into Hawai‘i’s missionary period, from 1820 to
1863 and beyond. Featuring some of the earliest wooden
structures built in Honolulu, the museum was established in
1920. Admission.
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Only in Hawai‘i—a shimmering sunset from Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park.
Continued from K15
5:30 p.m. Kaka‘ako
Waterfront Park
Makai end of Cooke and Coral Streets
Free parking
Walk up the hill at this 30-acre, ocean-side park for a breathtaking view of the Hawaiian sunset over the Pacific Ocean that
visitors come from all over the world to see. Work up a dinner
appetite with a stroll along the spectacular shoreline pedestrian
promenade, which features works of public art, including the
Ehime Maru Memorial.
6:30 p.m. Onjin’s Caf é
401 Kamake‘e St. • 589-1666
Lunch daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., dinner Sunday
through Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., dinner Friday and
Saturday 4 to 10 p.m.
Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and New York’s Culinary
Institute of America, popular restaurateur Onjin Kim
displays her gourmet chops at her cozy restaurant, established in
1999 and featuring fine dining with Asian flourishes. Signature
dishes include bouillabaisse and rack of lamb, plus sea bass
with ponzu sauce and misoyaki salmon. Lunch also served.
Reservations.
8 p.m. Tuesday Open Mic
Ja zz at Studio 6 at the
Musicians’ Associ ation
of Hawai‘i
949 Kapi‘olani Blvd. • 596-2121
Open Mike Jazz on Tuesdays: Studio 6, 8 to 10
p.m.
Catch two hours of live jazz performances open to the public
every Tuesday evening, sponsored by the Musicians’ Association and organized by jazz pianist Rich Crandall. A new 45-footby-60-foot music studio is under construction and scheduled
to open in September 2007, says association president Michael
Lagarticha. Honolulu Symphony musicians use the six practice
rooms that are available for association members from 9 a.m. to
6 p.m., and sometimes later. Admission for Open Mic Jazz.
10 p.m. Pipeline Caf é
805 Pohukaina St. • 589-1999
www.pipelinecafe.net
Monday through Friday 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., Saturday 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Tucked away on a side street, this lively venue has become a
hot spot for alternative concerts (four a month), featuring such
artists as 3 Doors Down, Doors of the 21st Century, Los Lobos,
hip-hop artist Mos Def, pop star Rhianna and Hawai‘i’s own
Jack Johnson and local bands Ekolu and Natural Vibrations.
Happy-hour patrons can check out the dart boards and four
pool tables. Admission for concerts.
Till 4 a.m. Ocean C lub
Restaurant Row • 500 Ala Moana Blvd.
531-8444 • www.oceanclubonline.com
Tuesday through Friday 4:30 p.m. to 4 a.m.,
Saturday 7 p.m. to 4 a.m., Monday through
Sundays
Saxophonist Tim Tsukiyama riffs on Tuesday Open Mic Jazz at
the Musicians’ Association of Hawai‘i.
k 16
kaka‘ako march 2007
Come dance the night away on one of Honolulu’s most popular
dance floors for the Gen X and Gen Y crowd, where the DJ
spins music until 4 a.m. Located on Restaurant Row and only
10 minutes from Waikıkı, this trendy nightspot offers an extensive pupu and drink selection for the after-work and late-night
crowds, and special events for the over-21 crowd. www.honolulumagazine.com
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Kaka‘ako Eats
Burgers
b y G a i l M i ya s a k i
Sweet Stuff
L u nch W ag o ns
Café Kulia Grill
Panya Bakery Express & Catering
New Eagle Café Lunch Wagon
John A. Burns School of Medicine Cafeteria
651 Ilalo St. • 692-0800
711 Queen St. • 597-8880 • www.panyagroup.com
Parked on Queen Street at Ward Avenue
‘Ewa of American Savings Bank
Café at 1130 Nimitz Highway • 545-2233
The Grill’s yummy cheeseburger is part
of a diverse menu featuring fresh, Island-grown produce and products. Hot
entrées change daily and hearty salads emphasize healthy dining creations
(no trans fat!) by the talented, aspiring
chefs at Kapi‘olani Community College’s
Culinary Arts Program.
With this Kaka‘ako outlet as the central
production house for the Panya Bakery
line, you can be sure the sweet and
savory pastries here, including the signature Hokkaido Sweet Bread, are fresh
out of the oven. Owner Annie Yeung
offers soups, salads (with homemade
dressings) and sandwiches for lunch.
Sweet Nothings
1218 Waimanu St., Suite 102 • 593-1234
Opening in October 2006, Hawai‘i’s
Kua ‘Aina Sandwich Ward Centre • 591-9133
Part of a 30-year local tradition origi- first and only bakery offering sugar-free
nating on the North Shore (and now goodies features a full line of cakes, pies,
cookies, muffins and even imported
with 12 locations in Japan), this awardcandies (from high-end chocolates to
winning sandwich shop attracts visitors
Gummi bears)—all made without sugar.
and residents alike for its popular
While diabetics can indulge in the shop’s
avocado burger and homemade shoe- signature Napoleon pastry or its popustring fries. It’s moved across Auahi
lar coffee cake muffin, about half of its
Street
to Ward Centre, with expanded2/8/07
clientele
arePM
non-diabetic,
says partner
3-07_HI_Skin_Cancer1-2h_HM.qxd
3:25
Page 1
seating both inside and out.
Darin Yokoyama.
State of the Art
Skin Rejuvenation
Chicken karaage and the prime rib sandwich may be its most popular items, but
with selections like baked ono, fresh
corned beef, Chinese chicken salad, tofu
salad and even escargots, this lunch
wagon adds a contemporary twist to
the traditional plate lunch.
Tsukenjo Lunch Wagon
Parked on Queen Street at Ward Avenue • 597-8151
Next to Dezign Home • Lunch House at 705 Cooke St.
You can get the popular roast pork
plate lunch as early as 10 a.m. (and it
sells out fast) at this longtime Kaka‘ako
lunch wagon, operating since 1959. Manager and cook Doris Nabarro says their
popular “local grinds” include barbecue
oxtail, pork adobo and sweet-and-sour
spare ribs.
Continued on K18
“Our clinic provides the most up to date
skin procedures available anywhere”
-Kevin J. Mott, M.D.
Now Introducing…
New and Improved Fraxel SR1500 laser!
• Hawaii’s FIRST and only 2007 model
• Enhanced comfort and efficacy
• 30% deeper penetration for maximal skin remodeling
• Faster and better results with minimal downtime
• Advanced skin care by a board certified dermatologist
www.honolulumagazine.com
kaka‘ako march 2007
k 17
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Continued from K17
American dining, P.F. Chang’s features
hot-off-the-wok specialties from five
different Chinese regional cuisines, a full
bar with 50 wine selections by the glass,
and a sumptuous décor of Chinese
murals and art. Honolulu’s new hot spot
is open for lunch and dinner; reservations are recommended for parties of
two or more.
Photo: Hesham Foto
Tak e H o m e
Ward Farmers Market 1020 Auahi St.
Hot Spots
E&O Trading Company Restaurant
Ward Centre • 591-9555
Enter an Asian marketplace and savor
the kiawe-grilled Southeast Asian dishes
influenced by the cuisines of Thailand,
Singapore, India, Indonesia and more.
A popular after-work spot with food
and drink specials, E&O also serves
lunch and dinner on small plates or big
plates—ideal for sharing family-style.
Haili’s Hawaiian Food 593-8019
Featuring eat-in plate lunches, pau hana
takeout, and all kinds of poke for pupu,
this 56-year-old family-run business, an
original tenant of Kaka‘ako’s old-time
farmers’ market, offers popular and traditional Hawaiian foods. Its laulau-kalua
pig combo plate lunch, squid lua‘u and
homemade haupia are big favorites, says
second-generation owner Rachel Haili.
Lin’s Market 593-8611
Got the munchies for ‘ono cracked seed?
Hard to beat Lin’s fresh taste and large
selection of that popular Island snack.
The specialty shop offers an eclectic
mix of candy and snacks, including local
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
favorites (pickled mango, salty lemon),
Ground floor of Hokua • 1288 Ala Moana Blvd. • 596-4710
healthy
(dried
03-07
HonoluluRealty
1-3h appeal
HM 2/11/07
6:57snacks
PM Page
1 fruits, nuts) and
Combining
the international
of
Chinese cuisine with the elegance of fine
Asian delights (dried cuttlefish or fish).
Marukai Market Place 593-9888
For those who love to cook and eat
Japanese and other Asian foods, the
recently expanded Ward outlet of this
membership store now offers more
selections in fresh produce, grocery
items (both Asian and American),
seafood (including fresh sashimi and
poke) and more. Daily fresh-rolled sushi
and a variety of bento takeouts make it
easy to dine Japanese.
Stanley’s Chicken Market 593-9989
Fresh chicken and eggs may be the
main products of this 50-year-old
family-run business, but it’s the oldfashioned shave ice in a variety of flavors
that brings in the biggest crowds. Boiled
peanuts, snacks and soft drinks are also
offered. And for a no-need-cook dinner,
don’t miss the barbecue chicken on
Saturdays only.
Tropic Fish & Vegetable Center 591-2963
Begun as a mom-and-pop store in 1955,
this three-generation family business still
retains the atmosphere of a neighborhood corner market. Shoppers can pick
up fresh Island fish and locally grown
produce. Tailgaters stop by for the poke,
tsukemono, boiled peanuts, musubi,
01-07
Mocha
1-6v
HM 12/8/06
roast
pork,
driedJava
‘ahi and
smoked
marlin
before a UH home game.
Gourmet foods, great salads,
breakfast all day, espresso bar,
milk shakes and smoothies.
Serving Kaka‘ako, Downtown
and Waikiki
Sales
•
Rentals
•
Property Management
nauru tower • hokua • ko‘olani • hawaiki • uraku
royal kai lani • moana pacific • 1350 ala moana
waikiki landmark • honolulu park place...
honolulu realty
eric n hill, realtor
808 533 2100
Nauru Tower, Lobby
1330 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96814
honolulurealty.com
k 18
kaka‘ako march 2007
Ward Centre 591-9023
www.honolulumagazine.com
1:57 PM
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Kaka‘ako Shopping
b y Sh e i l a S a rh a ng i
W
hile Kaka‘ako may still seem
largely industrial, with garages galore, there are plenty of
quirky places to shop. One-of-akind retailers and easy-to-miss
warehouses make this district a
serious shopping destination.
The Candy Shop
January carrying what Bryde Cestare,
executive director of the Friends of the
Library of Hawai‘i, refers to as “gently
used books at great prices.” All of the
Bookmobile’s items—from steamy romance novels to 1,000-piece puzzles and
children’s hardcover classics—are donated, and all of the profits support the 51
public libraries throughout the state.
831 Queen St. • 589-1102
Evoking a funky, New York City Lower
East Side vibe, The Candy Shop made its
debut in February, spotlighting popular
Mainland D.I.Y. handmade clothing lines
such as Spicy Toast and Pretty Trashy.
Twenty-six-year-old Tiffany Tanaka, who
is also the CEO and president of the adjacent wesellthings4u online eBay store,
successfully converted the warehouse
space into a hip boutique stocked with
Montana Knox graffiti-inspired T-shirts,
hard-to-find Lacoste handbags and oneof-a-kind items by local designer Michele
Lau. Also on hand, plasma TVs, digital
cameras and other electronic items.
Favorite gift to give: a set of four vibrant
silk cosmetic bags. $40
Garakuta-Do
433 Koula St. • 589-2262
Walk into Garakuta-Do and you’ll feel
as though you’ve discovered a well-kept
Honolulu secret. The dimly lit, 6,000square-foot warehouse is chock-a-block
with unique Japanese antiques, including 1920s obis and vintage kimonos, clay
octopus traps, bronze hibachis and oversize hand-painted sake bottles. Its main
emphasis is on early 1900s wood tansu
chests (with 500 in stock) and old Noritake china made between the 1890s and
1940s. To top it off, its owner, Wataru
Harada, is not only welcoming, but ready
and willing to give you the history and
usage behind each piece.
Baby Emporium
614 Cooke St. • 596-4868
The Bookmobile
690 Pohukaina St. (next to Mother
Waldron Park) • 536-4174
The Bookmobile isn’t your typical RV.
There’s no kitchen, no foldout bed, and
any thoughts of a road trip are out, since
the vehicle lacks a drive shaft. Yet it does
offer a refreshing take on the archetypal used bookstore. Air-conditioned,
organized and well lit, the retrofitted
12-by-26-foot RV opened its doors in
Three years ago, Tom Kim noted a lack
of baby stores on the island and decided
to fill the niche with the Baby Emporium. The one-stop shopping mecca was a
parent’s dream, carrying everything from
blankets and breast pumps to cribs and
car seats. “We pride ourselves in having
everything in stock, so if you want one of
our strollers, we’ve got it—and in a few
different colors,” says Kim. Need a babyshower gift? Check out the Urban Smalls
Continued on K20
www.honolulumagazine.com
Award-winning sauces from Bella Cucina.
Our favorite yellow and red pepper sauce.
Dinner for four! $14
Sigg Bottles from Switzerland.
Super cool and functional! $19
gift baskets
corporate giving
hand delivery and shipping
Creating beautiful gifts and delicious
indulgence with award winning
and nationally recognized goods and
the finest made-in-Hawaii treats.
Ward Centre
Next to Borders
(808) 593-2733
www.redpineapple.net
kaka‘ako march 2007
k 19
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Continued from K19
onesies with jaunty sayings such as, “I
Party Naked” and “Chicks Dig Me.”
Bali Aga
307 D Kamani St. • 593-9030
Throughout the year, Bali Aga founder
Luis Gamarra makes several trips to both
Indonesia and China in search of eclectic Asian furnishings. His handpicked
treasures, ranging from contemporary
crafted teak bookshelves to antique China cabinets, are showcased in an 8,000square-foot Kamani Street warehouse
(with an additional outpost on the Big
Island). “I try to bring things in with a
unique, fresh look, offering my clientele
something different,” says Gamarra. The
evolving collection also includes colorful
silk throw pillows, red leather bar stools,
decorative bird cages and hand-carved
Balinese table lamps.
Native Books/Na Mea Hawai‘i
03-07 Blue Champ 1-6h HM.qxd
2/8/07
3:34 PM
1050 Ala Moana Blvd.
(Ward Warehouse) • 596-8885
Page 1
The Aria Spa:
TM
TM
The 30th Anniversary Special
• Pool & Spa repairs
• Free in-store water testing
• Full line of Pool & Spa
Supplies
307 Keawe St.
(next door to CompUSA)
538-3665
Mon-Sat 9am-5pm
www.hotspring.com
k 20
kaka‘ako march 2007
Situated in Ward Warehouse since 2002,
Native Books/Na Mea Hawai‘i specializes in locally made goods, from bath
and body products to food items and art
prints. Hawaiian cultural pieces such
as Ni‘ihau shell lei, lua objects and lauhala works are big draws, while its main
staple is the wide selection of books about
Hawai‘i. “The store is just a vehicle for
us,” says partner Maile Meyer. “We have
an endless amount of classes and lectures
and live music on Sundays. We want the
store to be a resource to the community,
not just a retail outlet.”
www.honolulumagazine.com
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
K a k a ‘ a k o
B U S I N E S S
Automotive
Health & Beauty
City Fender
859 Queen St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
% 591-2204
Hawaii Skin Cancer &
Photodamage Center, Inc.
Four Waterfront Plaza, Ste. 470
500 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813
Chuck’s Corvette Clinic
505 Kamani St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
% 597-8147
www.chuckscorvetteclinic.com
Susan Snyder Facials &
Massage Therapy
1019 Waimanu St., #210
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 429-1222
www.susansnyder.biz
Dental Services
Jon Yoshimura, D.D.S.
1441 Kapiolani Blvd., Ste. 1510
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 944-1155
www.jonyoshimuradds.com
Education
Word of Life Academy
550 Queen St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
% 528-4044
www.wordoflifehawaii.com
Food & Dining
Aku Bone Lounge & Grill
1201 Kona St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 589-2020
Beard Papa’s
Ward Centre
1200 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 593-0107
www.beardpapahawaii.com
Buca di Beppo
Ward Entertainment Center
1030 Auahi St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 591-0800
www.bucadibeppo.com
Mocha Java Café
1200 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 597-8121
www.honolulumagazine.com
Heaven on Earth Spa
Club & Café
1077 Queen St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 599-5501
www.heavenonearthhawaii.com
Home
Furnishings
Honolulu Design Center
1250 Kapiolani Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 956-1250
www.honoluludesigncenter.com
Home Services
Blue Champagne Pool & Spa
307 Keawe St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
www.hotspring.com
Native Hawaiian
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
711 Kapiolani Blvd., Ste. 500
Honolulu, HI 96813
% 594-1865
www.oha.org
Professional
ORGANIZATIONS
Hawaii Community Development
Authority
677 Ala Moana Blvd., Ste. 1001
Honolulu, HI 96813
www.hcdaweb.org
Kaka’ako Improvement Association
P.O. Box 3776
Honolulu, HI 96812
722-8487
[email protected]
D I R E C T O R Y
Professional
Services
Shops
A-OK Business Services - Honolulu
350 Ward Ave., Ste. 106
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 591-2983
www.aokbizsvc.com
Red Pineapple
Ward Centre
1200 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 593-2733
www.redpineapple.net
Nancy Evans Tudor & Assoc.,
CPA, Inc.
1150 S. King St., Ste. 203
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 592-2000
www.nancyevanstudorcpa.com
Real Estate
Honolulu Realty
1330 Ala Moana Blvd., Lobby
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 597-1330
www.honolulurealty.com
Keola Lai - Sales Center
676 Queen St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
% 528-4044
www.keolalai.com
Recreation
BIKEFACTORY HAWAII, INC.
740 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813
% 596-8844
Tactical Strength & Conditioning
770 Kapiolani Blvd., #105
Honolulu, HI 96813
% 589-2115
www.tacticalstrength.com Religion
Word of Life Christian Center
550 Queen St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
% 528-4044
www.wordoflifehawaii.com
Shops
My Little Secret
Ward Warehouse
1050 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 596-2990
(CONTINUED)
Roxy
Ward Centre
1060 Auahi St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 596-ROXY
The Wedding Ring Shop
1181 Kapiolani Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 945-7766
www.weddingringshop.com
Ward Centers
1200 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 591-8411
www.wardcenters.com
Specialty
Services
Aloha Scroggin Violins
505 Ward Avenue, Ste. 205
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 741-6363
[email protected]
Engineers Surveyors Hawaii, Inc.
900 Halekauwila St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 591-8116
www.esh-inc.com
Gebco Hawaii Inc.
415 Cooke St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
% 591-0889
[email protected]
Stacy Leong Design
401 Kamake’e St., Ste. 400
Honolulu, HI 96814
% 596-4777
www.stacyleong.com
kaka‘ako march 2007
k 21
S p e c i a l P r o m ot i o n a l S e c t i o n
Kaka‘ako Flashback
1946
Queen and Ward
(1946 and 2007)
Oh, what a difference 60 years can
make. Heading mauka in 1946 on Ward
Avenue at the intersection of Queen
Street (considered by many to be the
“heart” of Kaka‘ako), one traveled on
dirt roads and saw a handful of one
and two-story buildings. These housed
the small businesses—with the families
that ran them living upstairs—drawn
to Kaka‘ako after World War II. Today,
banks, a furniture store and a service
station anchor this busy intersection,
with 909 Kapi‘olani, the upcoming
33-story high-rise condominium makai
of the Blaisdell Arena, offering just a
glimpse of the Ko‘olau Mountains.
2007
Photos: (Top left and middle) 1946 photo
from the Bishop Museum. (Top right and
bottom) 2007, by Hesham Foto.
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kaka‘ako march 2007
www.honolulumagazine.com