Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

Hmmm, the one at Cooke and S. King? Tosaro(sp?) Island gas? I don't remember what it's called.

Now that I think of it, perhaps the 7-11 at Kalakaua and Young is newest gas station?

[mapen]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

Hehe, it shows the naivety of many opponents of urban development when they say that if there wasn't a concrete jungle in places like Kakaako, there would instead be a lush tropical rainforest with rainbows and waterfalls.

When in fact, the plain that most of Honolulu sits on is pretty dry, and would look more like the brown scrubby sides of Diamond Head or Punchbowl crater most of the year, and would only turn green during seasonal rainfalls.

Sorry for going off topic, just wanted to speak my mind.

[oceanpacific]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

What originally threw me about 7-11 on the Wisteria site was that there is another 7-11 a few blocks mauka on the Piikoi-Kinau corner. The difference is that the new one will sell gasoline (UnoCal) and compete with the Chevron station across King Street. BTW, the Jack-in-the-Box across Piikoi used to be a UnoCal station twenty years ago.

[mapen]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

Now that I think of it, perhaps the 7-11 at Kalakaua and Young is newest gas station?

I can't think of when those were built. I woulda thunk that the Tesoro station at Cooke and King might be newer, but I dunno for sure.

I just remembered that the 7-11 gas station across the street from Nuuanu shopping center was built recently (the one that got robbed not too long ago). That might the newest. The newspapers were wrong - gas stations in Honolulu are not dying. Well, just the family owned ones without convenience stores like 7-11 are.

[LikaNui]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

What originally threw me about 7-11 on the Wisteria site was that there is another 7-11 a few blocks mauka

Kinda like where there are three (or is it four?) ABC stores all in one block in Waikiki, eh?
Guess that's why they call them "convenience stores". Doesn't get any more convenient than that.

[kimo55]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

Kinda like where there are three (or is it four?) ABC stores all in one block in Waikiki, eh?
Guess that's why they call them "convenience stores". Doesn't get any more convenient than that.

ok, this is a good example of cause and effect. for decades, and more and more as the month go by, planners, developers, corporations, politicians, etc. have given many tourists and general visitors what they want, need,ask for, like and demand; More high end shopping as well as discount quicky marts for the consumables and cheap souvenirs. (which is of course a consumable) but most importantly they want it all in a very convenient format. look around. mainlanders saying "i wanna visit. and maybe i wanna move here. But i want my convenience. i want my Starbucks. i want my Cheesecake factory. I want my mainland version of the plastic tikitropics." So. Whaddya know?! It is given to them. here in Waikiki, this has created a landscape of ABC store on every corner and in the middle of every block if the nearest corner is occupied by an immovable object. yes, this is what Waikiki has become, based on what tourists demanded and based on their shopping habits. IF... they did NOT want convenience and all the crap they can get back home, we would probably STILL, to this day have much of "old Waikiki" remaining. But as it is, there is no motivation to retain the old style. You read the papers. talk with the average basic touron on Kalakaua Ave. "Yea. I am glad Trump Tower is moving in. That whole block was looking old fashioned and run down."* This from too many people. So. Don't lament the destruction of Trader Vic's. This is what people want. This is what they get for all their shopping habits and lack of support of the older places, and for the swaying of allegience to the new plastic fake junk. (tho we may hear empty arguements; "Oh no. i am a retro dude. I like all the 50's stuff.")
and those that own the land are simply following the results of studies, polls, surveys, trends, and of course trying to compete with other resorrt destinations. Inasmuch as I hate to admit it, in spite of MY protestations, Trader Vic's and all the old carvings and such have come down. BUT. They all are safe, not tossed out like yesterday's papers. Despite what mainlanders think about how WE feel about Waikiki old tropical decor, everything of value, worth and with any history to the Trader Vic's legacy is well taken care of, is spoken for and will not end up decaying in a rot heap at the dump. But the owners of the International market place and for that matter, any other area of Waikiki, will level the old buildings and plant new upgraded upscale structures in place. T'aint what I would prefer, But until I am a block owner in Waikiki, much of my ranting will end up as useful as an old issue of Sunbums newspaper in tutu's attic. How inconvenient. But I like it that way. I was raised in the old days and it was "inconvenient". But we didn't know it.

*http://starbulletin.com/2007/01/12/b...s/story01.html

[tikiyaki]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

I'll take "old Waikiki" over any Trump Dump any day.
Trump is the AntiChrist IMO.

That's the the thing I like about KONA (and most of the BI) is that it still seems to have that old Hawaii feel to it. The Royal Kona put a Don the Beachcomber's in where the normal restaurant used to be. We ate there and it was good, but pricey of course. Then again the old restaurant was just as pricey. Most of the old tikis were still intact, and they added a new big centerpiece with Giant Tikis (probably not wood carved) and all the S&P shakers were tikis too.

They were in the process of redoing the bar too as Don's, and they even had an old cat playing vibes (tho he was playing to a bunch of loops on his keyboards...modern technology) so, it seems like they're trying to retain some of the classic old hawaii in the ROYAL KONA. And Kailua Kona in general seems to be keeping it pretty old school, tho, for how much longer I don't know. It's way different than Waikiki tho'.

Having not been to Waikiki back in the day, it's still pretty plain to see that it's old charm has been decimated. It bummed me out to see it when I was there recently.

[Miulang]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

ok, this is a good example of cause and effect. for decades, and more and more as the month go by, planners, developers, corporations, politicians, etc. have given many tourists and general visitors what they want, need,ask for, like and demand; More high end shopping as well as discount quicky marts for the consumables and cheap souvenirs. (which is of course a consumable) but most importantly they want it all in a very convenient format. look around. mainlanders saying "i wanna visit. and maybe i wanna move here. But i want my convenience. i want my Starbucks. i want my Cheesecake factory. I want my mainland version of the plastic tikitropics."

Kimo, t'ain't just the "tourons" who are encouraging and demanding these changes; the locals share some responsibility for it, too. It's the old paradigm of "the grass always looks greener from the other side of the fence."

Locals come up to CONUS to visit or for college (or see the ads on TV) and are exposed to the mass consumerism of the WalMarts, Tarjets, Trader Joeys and Ikea and when they return to Hawai'i, they say, "we want Circuit City here! We want Best Buy! We want Costco!" . Tourons normally don't patronize those places, but residents do. The immediate effect of having the big boxes arrive in Hawai'i is a perception on the part of residents that this is a good thing because the prices at the big boxes generally tend to be cheaper. But for every positive, there is a negative, the negative being that small businesses have an even tougher time surviving, and thus more and more of "old" Hawai'i disappears.

Miulang

[kimo55]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

Kimo, t'ain't just the "tourons" who are encouraging and demanding these changes; the locals share some responsibility for it, too.

yep. dass why i illustrated that point with the quote and the newspaper link.

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Wisteria Restaurant site to become 7-Eleven

Will the old 7/11 just a couple blocks down on Kinau Street close I wonder with the new 7/11 opening up on King Street?

KalihiBoy