Big & Small Business Memories

[Moto]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

I remember Magic Mushroom and Latin Villa. How about the old Arirangs? These are from my old college days.

Older yet how about Scottys on Keeamoku and La Mancha. There was also a Scottys in Pearl City that became a Nissan Car Dealership and is now a Zippys.

Then There's Clocks in Waipahu now the Mazda Dealership. They were the home of the 22 cent Hamburger. Right behind the Royal Sunset Drive In which is now the Waipahu Shopping Plaza.

Yum Yum Tree's are gone too along with Jolly Roger.

[Pomai]

Oahu's Club Scene of the Past

Here's where I'll show my age when it comes to the club scene!

Anyone remember QUEEN'S SURF? My mother told me that was THE nightclub in old Waikiki until Mayor Fasi tore it down due to the condemnation of land that it was on.

Remember Black Orchid at the then new Restaurant Row? Fun times!

If not mistaken, BLACK ORCHID was in the same spot where WORLD CAFE either took their place or was there before them. RUTH'S CHRIS steak house now operates in that unit.

If anyone remembers a KHON TV2 story of a couple getting married in the Studebaker car inside the nightclub of the same name...guess what? That was me and my wife!

Sorry I missed that KHON spot on your wedding in da' car.. pretty cool video to show your grandkids.

[pzarquon]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Castle Park! The arcade, miniature golf, batting cages, go-kart track, and of course, "Water World"! That last one, with lawsuits and liability, was its downfall, IIRC.

[mel]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

On the Big Island in Hilo and maybe elsewhere, places I also miss:

• Kress Store - Downtown: anyone remember the talking mynah, great colored popcorn?
• Woolworth's - I liked downtown Hilo's the best.
• Western Family Store - Kinoole & Haile Street, Hilo
• Palace Theater - before it became an arthouse movie theater
• Kaiko'o Hilo Mall - Lasted from the 70s to early 90s. They tore most of it down now; State is supposed to build Judiciary building on location.
• J.C. Penney - was a tenant in Kaiko'o Mall
• Pete's Modelcraft - was a tenant in Kaiko'o Mall
• Kress - was a tenant in Kaiko'o Mall
• Muntz Stereo - was a tenant in Kaiko'o Mall
• Sure Save Super Market - was a tenant in Kaiko'o Mall; also had stores in Kona and Waimea
• Ben Franklin Stores - Hilo, Waimea, Kona - had some good cheap stuff
• Village Pharmacy - in Waimea; I used to work there.
• Sun Sun Lau Restaurant
• Tou Inn Restaurant - Chinese food
• K's Place - Chinese take out
• Robert's Bakery
• Old KPUA radio 970 AM - in quonset hut way up in Piihonua.
• Dairy Queen - in Honokaa
• Uptown Barber Shop - in Honokaa
• Ujiki Store - in Honokaa
• Nakashima Store - in Honokaa
• Bric A Brac Store - in Waimea/Kamuela
  

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

I remember Magic Mushroom and Latin Villa. How about the old Arirangs? These are from my old college days.

Older yet how about Scottys on Keeamoku and La Mancha. There was also a Scottys in Pearl City that became a Nissan Car Dealership and is now a Zippys.

Then There's Clocks in Waipahu now the Mazda Dealership. They were the home of the 22 cent Hamburger. Right behind the Royal Sunset Drive In which is now the Waipahu Shopping Plaza.

Yum Yum Tree's are gone too along with Jolly Roger.

La Mancha...that was the place on my mind in the back of the parking lot where Sam Sungs was!! That place was one hot spot for the younger club scene way back then.

Hey Tutusue, you wanna go wayyyyyyy back? How about the rooftop garden of the Alexander Young Building with Del Courtney. He played at the Monarch room at the Moana Hotel in the 80's and 90's until heading to the seas and playing on cruise ships.

But getting more current, there was another nightclub across the street from King's Alley in Waikiki. You did the circuit by heading there around 9pm then around 11pm you headed for The Point After and closed the club down at 4am.

Speaking of Ariirang's, there was "The Place The Place" kitty corner from the old Coco's, and Stoplight Bar where Miss Starwars performed nightly on her clear lucite swing. Amazing woman, she could smoke a cigar, play Dixie on a flute, shoot glow sticks, pick up a stack of quarters, launch ping pong balls and hard boiled eggs and sign her autograph with a pen. Not with her hands or mouth mind you.

[cezanne]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

• Mui Kwai Chop Suey in Kaneohe - This was THE Chinese restaurant in Kaneohe. Until the head cook branched out and made a new Kaneohe hot spot at Kin Wah Chop Suey up the road. The spot where Mui Kwai used to be turned into a bank. Not sure what's there today.

Pomai... Mui Kwai is still there. The bank is next door.

Kress in Kaneohe is where my mom and dad met. Where Burger King Kaneohe is now... used to be Windy's... the winnah ice cream slush.

Any of you Pearl City folk remember Scotty's or Bluebird drive-ins? When we used to visit my aunty down that way we used to always stop at one of those burger joints.

Edit in:

There was also a Scottys in Pearl City that became a Nissan Car Dealership and is now a Zippys.

Ahh maybe I should read the whole thread first.

[EastCoastTropics]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Older yet how about Scottys on Keeamoku and La Mancha. There was also a Scottys in Pearl City that became a Nissan Car Dealership and is now a Zippys.

Yep, I remember the Scotty's in Pearl City!! The one with the wooden tables out front. To me the place was always kinda run down. But the burgers were greasy with drippy sauce!

[1stwahine]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Did anyone mention Hawaiian Hut at the Ala Moana Hotel and Cest Si Bon at Pagoda? Manila Machines and Krush! Dem Young Days!

Auntie Lynn

[alohabear]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

I remember THE STOP LIGHT
An amazing adult circus show!
My fave...C is for Cookie

[Pomai]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Oh, the adult places...

Anyone remember Club Rose? "Rose" was the equivalent "landmark" strip bar of the 80's that Femme Nu is today.

Or even farther back on Hotel st., Club Hubba Bubba. Never been there, but was ever so curious. Heard they had a few ladies that could do the kinda' "tricks" that Craig mentioned.

Also in Chinatown - I think near Hawaii Theatre, wasn't there an old adult movie theatre called LIDO THEATER? I remember a bunch of us youngin's outta' high school walking in there long ago. They had an actual movie theater that showed "adult" movies and coin-operated "booths" on the side. We walked in, took a look and RAN out! "Old men", combined with the odd smell of Pinesol and air condtioning was too much for our then-naive minds.

Aunty, if not mistaken, the Hawaiian Hut in the Ala Moana Renaissance Hotel is still open.

A similar venue that closed long ago was the sphere-shaped showroom at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Forget the exact name of the place.

In Pearl City, didn't they also have a restaurant near Waimanu St. called The Tavern? Never been there myself, but heard about it. I do know they closed a long time ago. I believe that's where Blue Tropix nightclub got the Monkey Bar concept.

[Pomai]

Retailers of Yesteryears

Some facts about ARAKAWA's*

Started in Waipahu in 1909 by Okinawan immigrants Zenpan and Ruth (Tsuru) Arakawa. They were originally from Onaha village in Okinawa. The original store was called Arakawa Shoten.

Original merchandise was kau-kau bags (lunch bags for plantation workers) and tabis (footwear). Palaka wear was made popular in Hawaii by the Arakawa's. Introduced originally in just Blue and white WOVEN (not printed) patterns. They later expanded to more colors.

After WWII, the government condemned Depot Road and the Arakawa's building was torn down. Arakawa's then moved to Magoon Theatre with the name only as "Arakawa's".

At one time, Arakawa's had rooster crowing contests on KCCN AM radio.

Zenpan retired in 1955, then his sons and daughters took over. In 1959 Zenpan Arakawa was recognized as Father of the Year by the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce.

In 1955 Arakawa's closed after 85 years of business.

_________________________________________________

Some facts about CORNET*

Started as a 5-10-25¢ store in Covina, California in 1923 by Belgium-born merchant, Joseph Cornet.

First Hawaii store opened in Aina Haina Shopping Center in 1957. Second store opened in Kaneohe in 1958. Wahiawa, Waianae and Kailua followed.

The entire Cornet chain finally closed in the 1990's after weak sales against Woolwoorth and other retail competition.
----------------------------------------

*Source: the Companies we Keep by Bob Sigall and his students at HPU.

[tutusue]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

I remember THE STOP LIGHT
An amazing adult circus show!
My fave...C is for Cookie

OMG! The Stop Light!!! During the early 1980s, my production company partner and I hosted a 'wrap party' (aka: thank gawd this film shoot is finally over party!) at the SL. Our ad agency producer client, a young, bright, serious, Jewish, self-proclaimed 'princess', always looked forward to wrap parties but always remained in her serious, somewhat rigid shell. We decided to expand her 'princess' horizons just a bit...with the approval of her ad agency! Was that ever fun! We all agreed afterward, tho', that one visit to such an establishment was about all we could handle!

Then there's another ad agency producer who hosted a wrap party on the back lanai of Hamburger Mary's. But, alas, that's another thread...

[tutusue]

Re: Retailers of Yesteryears

Some facts about ARAKAWA's*
[...]
Zenpan retired in 1955, then his sons and daughters took over. In 1959 Zenpan Arakawa was regognized as Father of the Year by the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce.

In 1955 Arakawa's closed after 85 years of business.

_________________________________________________

Some facts about CORNET*

Started as a 5-10-25¢ storein Covina, California in 1923 by Belgium-born merchant, Joseph Cornet.

First Hawaii store opened in Aina Haina Shopping Center in 19557. Second store opened in Kaneohe in 1958. Wahiawa, Waianae and Kailua followed.
[...]
*Source: the Companies we Keep by Bob Sigall and his students at HPU.[/I]

BTW...This book is wonderful and a wealth of information about companies in Hawaii both locally and mainland based. I found out about it when Bob and I met at a funeral last year. The 'small world' side story to this meeting was learning that his mom and my dad worked together at Leon Schlesingers (Looney Tunes) in the late 1930s...
http://www.reelserviceshawaii.com/mydad/
5/23/04 entry!

My first job was at the Cornet's in Laguna Beach, CA., 1959...$1./hour. I thought I'd hit the jackpot. I saved that money to buy a car when I got my license in 1960. The Cornet's in Makaha was the best, tho'. All of the aisle's merchandise was identified by signs in Hawaiian. It was a sad day when it closed.

Ummm...I think Arakawa's closed in 1995?

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

I liked Snackerdoodles in the Windward Mall when it "really" was there, that is, when it did have a walk-in retail store. I like those "Brach's Pic-A-Mix on steroids" kind of stores. The last time I was at the Windward Mall, Snackerdoodles was not much more than a free-standing popcorn stand, located not far from the center court, with snacks, soft drinks, and some pre-packaged goodies.

I hope Carousel Candies is still around at the Kahala Mall..they really had some great snacks in there last time I visted them.

[mel]

Re: Retailers of Yesteryears

Some facts about ARAKAWA's*

In 1955 Arakawa's closed after 85 years of business.

I thought they closed in 1995.