Big & Small Business Memories

[na alii]

Re: Club 'n Nightlife from Oahu's Past

Let me guess...you had the Seiko watch with the cut crystal face and drove your dad's Cutlass Supreme That was the routine and you got your clothes from the Ritz Men's shop, Andrade, or Kramers all in Ala Moana Shopping center.

You cruised around town listening to the Bee Gees or the Ritchie Family, Confunction, Flashlight, whatever on your Pioneer Super Tuner underdash cassette deck, with sounds pounding from the 6 x 9 Tri-axial rear deck speakers (Pre sub-woofer days) because 8-track was soooo yesterday!

Remember the Dove silk shorts the girls used to wear? Now those were hot shorts

LOL..Dove shorts were hot on da wahines. but yeah I had a Seiko watch and still do believe it or not but I drove a Toyota Corolla SR-5 with a Pioneer stereo. My clothes I got was from NEX since I was a military brat but I bought some from Kramer's, Ritz, McInery, Hauoli's, Body Shop and of course Liberty House. I was more of a rock and roller and still am. Believe it or not I'm a lead singer in a classic rock band playing music you hear on 105.9 Big Kahuna. All our band members are working guys so we just play for the fun of it and not professionally for a living. The guitarist is a dentist, my bassist owns a medical supply company and the drummer is a prison guard.

[Linkmeister]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Always wanted to try Buzz's in Lanikai but never made it in. Perhaps I'll take my GF there for a Christmas dinner. Nice trek to the windward side. They've been a gateway fixture to the Lanikai area for decades. Just over the bridge, next to the canal.

How good is Buzz's steaks anyway? I'm not too picky. As long as it's a quality cut, well-seasoned, CHAR-GRILLED (with cross-hatch marks) medium rare, I'm happy. Pass the A-1 please. Baked potato on the side with ALL the fixinz: Butter, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives and bacon bits. Table-side Caesar Salad to top it off. That's what I'm talkin' about!

Speaking of which, it's time to fire up the grill. Have a great Sunday evening HT'ers!

I haven't been to the Lanikai one, but the Pearl City one does all of that (maybe not "table-side" Caesar, but the salad bar is about forty feet long, so...).

[MadAzza]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Always wanted to try Buzz's in Lanikai but never made it in. Perhaps I'll take my GF there for a Christmas dinner. Nice trek to the windward side. They've been a gateway fixture to the Lanikai area for decades. Just over the bridge, next to the canal.

How good is Buzz's steaks anyway? I'm not too picky. As long as it's a quality cut, well-seasoned, CHAR-GRILLED (with cross-hatch marks) medium rare, I'm happy. Pass the A-1 please. Baked potato on the side with ALL the fixinz: Butter, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives and bacon bits. Table-side Caesar Salad to top it off. That's what I'm talkin' about!

Buzz's (at least in Lanikai) is overrated. I lived a couple of blocks away for several years and went there a lot. Their steaks are OK, nothing to shout about. And don't look for grill marks.

Buzz's seems to be coasting on its name. It screams "Local, local, local!" but doesn't really offer anything special to the discerning diner.

The salad bar is pretty good, though. Just don't expect much as far as your dining experience is concerned. It will cost at least as much as a "nice" restaurant in town, but the service and food probably won't be as good.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Club 'n Nightlife from Oahu's Past

LOL..Dove shorts were hot on da wahines. but yeah I had a Seiko watch and still do believe it or not but I drove a Toyota Corolla SR-5 with a Pioneer stereo. My clothes I got was from NEX since I was a military brat but I bought some from Kramer's, Ritz, McInery, Hauoli's, Body Shop and of course Liberty House. I was more of a rock and roller and still am. Believe it or not I'm a lead singer in a classic rock band playing music you hear on 105.9 Big Kahuna. All our band members are working guys so we just play for the fun of it and not professionally for a living. The guitarist is a dentist, my bassist owns a medical supply company and the drummer is a prison guard.

Classic rock in the 70's that was some good music back then. Let's see a rock band member owning a medical supply company...Hmmmm is that another way of saying: Drug Dealer I mean when you put the two together Drugs and Rock & Roll and you come out with Medical supply company owner what's one to think

My favorite 70's rock group was...hmmm that's a hard one because classic rock took a major split during the mid 70's. To me Foghat, Deep Purple, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad represented classic rock. Groups like Led Zepplin and Boston to me doesn't fit into that definition of classic. Then there's the Dead Heads out there. Where do you put the Greatful Dead? Their music wasn't quite rock n' roll...hmmm

But getting back OT...remember: The Kramer's Look? Oh man when I used to go down escalators with my friends, I used to strike that pose and say: Eh brah check me out...get da Kramer's look eh?

[na alii]

Re: Club 'n Nightlife from Oahu's Past

Classic rock in the 70's that was some good music back then. Let's see a rock band member owning a medical supply company...Hmmmm is that another way of saying: Drug Dealer I mean when you put the two together Drugs and Rock & Roll and you come out with Medical supply company owner what's one to think

My favorite 70's rock group was...hmmm that's a hard one because classic rock took a major split during the mid 70's. To me Foghat, Deep Purple, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad represented classic rock. Groups like Led Zepplin and Boston to me doesn't fit into that definition of classic. Then there's the Dead Heads out there. Where do you put the Greatful Dead? Their music wasn't quite rock n' roll...hmmm

But getting back OT...remember: The Kramer's Look? Oh man when I used to go down escalators with my friends, I used to strike that pose and say: Eh brah check me out...get da Kramer's look eh?

Funny you mention these bands because we play Foghat "Fool For The City", "Drivin' Wheel". Deep Purple "Smoke On The Water". Steppenwolf "Born To Be Wild", and Grand Funk Railroad "We're An American Band".

[lurkah]

Re: Club 'n Nightlife from Oahu's Past

My favorite 70's rock group was...hmmm

I wonder if you guys remember a local 70's band that had a gig at Duke Kahanamoku's for years called "The Glass Candle", along with a group called "The Dimensions" that also played for many years in an International Marketplace nightclub whose name I can't remember right now. And speaking of Duke's, I remember going there to see a show by entertainer "Zulu" (Gilbert Kauhi, before he became famous as "Kono" on Hawaii Five-O). The show had a dramatic opening act with a young and muscular Kimo Kahoano opening the show as a macho-looking fire dancer dressed in hula kahiko attire tossing and juggling flaming torches high into the air.

[na alii]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Gilbert Kauhi (Zulu) went to St. Louis when my dad went there. My dad said he only went one year though. His brother Herman Kauhi graduated with my dad.

[na alii]

Re: Club 'n Nightlife from Oahu's Past

I wonder if you guys remember a local 70's band that had a gig at Duke Kahanamoku's for years called "The Glass Candle", along with a group called "The Dimensions" that also played for many years in an International Marketplace nightclub whose name I can't remember right now. And speaking of Duke's, I remember going there to see a show by entertainer "Zulu" (Gilbert Kauhi, before he became famous as "Kono" on Hawaii Five-O). The show had a dramatic opening act with a young and muscular Kimo Kahoano opening the show as a macho-looking fire dancer dressed in hula kahiko attire tossing and juggling flaming torches high into the air.

The only local 70s band I remember was Greenwood and Natural High. They played at our school dances. Was the International Market Place nightclub called The Cock's Roost?

[lurkah]

Re: Club 'n Nightlife from Oahu's Past

Was the International Market Place nightclub called The Cock's Roost?

No, it wasn't The Cock's Roost, which is where I enjoyed watching Iva Kinimaka perform along with drop-in guests such as Jimmy Borges, Myra English and Boyce Rodrigues. The nightclub I'm thinking about was located on the makai side of Duke's towards Kalakaua Ave. Speaking of the Dimensions, this web page shows a current photo (fourth from the top) of the group's leader, Mark Nishimoto.

[oggboy]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Okay, let me get my bearings together. When I grew up on Oahu, I remember the Cornets Store`s. Had the Woolsworth and the Kress and the Ben Franklin stores, besides the Wigwam store.
When I moved to Maui, only had S.H. Kress Store in Wailuku. Also had Ben Franklin`s in the old Kahului Shopping Center. Those was the retail areas for central Maui, oh I almost forget National Dollar Store.
Had mom&pop shop`s that was the best. In Kahului Shopping Center had the
Ah`Fooks Supermarket. Had Noda Market, Port Town Delicatessen, Harold`s Inn, They had ono pancakes. Also had Craft`s Drug`s and Toda Drug stores, the kine fountain style.

OOka Super Market was the place to get good deal on groceries. Golden Jade Restaurant was the place for killa Chinese grinds. Had Wing Sing Rest. but no could top (GJ).
Memories I no going forget during the hana budda days, during the Sugar Cane Era. I like go eat Sam Sato, Lucky they still around........

[na alii]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Okay, let me get my bearings together. When I grew up on Oahu, I remember the Cornets Store`s. Had the Woolsworth and the Kress and the Ben Franklin stores, besides the Wigwam store.
When I moved to Maui, only had S.H. Kress Store in Wailuku. Also had Ben Franklin`s in the old Kahului Shopping Center. Those was the retail areas for central Maui, oh I almost forget National Dollar Store.
Had mom&pop shop`s that was the best. In Kahului Shopping Center had the
Ah`Fooks Supermarket. Had Noda Market, Port Town Delicatessen, Harold`s Inn, They had ono pancakes. Also had Craft`s Drug`s and Toda Drug stores, the kine fountain style.

OOka Super Market was the place to get good deal on groceries. Golden Jade Restaurant was the place for killa Chinese grinds. Had Wing Sing Rest. but no could top (GJ).
Memories I no going forget during the hana budda days, during the Sugar Cane Era. I like go eat Sam Sato, Lucky they still around........

Is Chum's still around? They had ono fried rice.

[oggboy]

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

NO Chum`s, This was when the Maui Pine owned the Kaahumanu Center
Yeah, Chum`s had ono local kine grinds plenty selections. Maui needs more betta local restaurants besides all the chain gang`s

[Pomai]

Maui Businesses

oggboy, what happened with Ah Fooks? I remember a fire destroyed the place several years ago. It looks like they never did rebuild. What's the deal?

Tasaka Guri Guri is amazing. Amazing that they haven't gone national with the brand yet! What a goldmine they're sitting on with that "secret recipe" of theirs.

Just the name alone is so marketable, compound that with the awesome quality of the product itself.

There may be imitators such as the Samurai brand in sold in supermarkets, but nothing comes close to Tasaka's original Guri Guri from Maui!

[Linkmeister]

Re: Club 'n Nightlife from Oahu's Past

Funny you mention these bands because we play Foghat "Fool For The City", "Drivin' Wheel". Deep Purple "Smoke On The Water". Steppenwolf "Born To Be Wild", and Grand Funk Railroad "We're An American Band".

I once wrote a post in which the answer to the question I posed was Foghat.

[Pomai]

Lucky Luck in Hawaii Kai

Based on recollection from my elders, this is what I have to share about:

Lucky Luck

Located in Hawaii Kai, across Maunalua bay beach park, where Kuapa Isle now resides. Lucky Luck existed before the marina was dredged and Hawaii Kai was farm land.

Lucky Luck was primarily a bar with a pool table. A scarce entertainment venue at the time.

Lucky Luck himself started with a comedy radio show, which then evolved to TV.

He was married to his wife, a Kennison, who was half caucasion, half samoan. That family owned Pango Pango Nightclub.. a then-happening club in Waikiki.

That's it. If you have any personal memories of Lucky Luck, please share.