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**Pomai** · October 25, 2005, 04:13 PM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

• Cobra Skateboard Shop across Aala Park - One of the only shops at the time that was dedicated to skateboarding. This was late 70's to early 80's era. I must've spent all my allowance there.

• Times Supermarket in Niu Valley Shopping Center - This was THE anchor tenant. Times was sold by the Teruya family. The Niu valley location was closed in September 2002. Now it's a church? I'm wondering how LeBistro, Lung Fung and KFC are surviving without an anchor.

• Burgerland on Monsarrat ave. - THey had the best local style burgers! Da' secret sauce recipe. Now it's Diamond Head Grill and Market.

• Country Kitchen Kaa'awa (next to 7-11) - They had the best Loco Moco. Well at least it tasted really good after a day in the ocean. Not sure what's there now.

• Skateland in Pearl City (near Waiau Zippy's). They had the X-Wing fighter hanging from the ceiling. Spent many weekends slippin' n' fallin' and making "A" there.

• 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.

• Timmy's Gym downtown near Fort St. Mall - Was a member there for 3 or 4 years. Took 2nd place in a bodybuilding competition there. That was YEARS ago. Timmy Leong opened another gym behind Dixie Grill on ward. It's no longer there though.

Ahhh... the memories stir...

**EastCoastTropics** · October 25, 2005, 06:03 PM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Originally posted by Pomai

But what about the smaller guys or the mom & pop stores around your neighborhood corner? What are the owners doing now? What's currently in the place where they used to be?

What ever happened to:
• Hauole's clothing store in Kaneohe Bay S.C. - I think it's a Blockbuster now.
Ohh da' memories!

There was one in Pearl City too....now is Blockbuster too!

**EastCoastTropics** · October 25, 2005, 06:08 PM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Originally posted by Pomai

• Skateland in Pearl City (near Waiau Zippy's). They had the X-Wing fighter hanging from the ceiling. Spent many weekends slippin' n' fallin' and making "A" there.

Ahhh... the memories stir...

I used to skate here too! I stopped going because I got kicked out!

I was in the military and showed up in my uniform one afternoon after work to see if my friends had stopped in. I was there for not even a minute and a girl who worked there came up to me and told me to leave because they don't allow any military in uniform. I thought she was joking but she wasn't!

I'm glad they closed...bye bye! Ice Palace is waaaay cooler!!

**TurquoiseDuck** · October 25, 2005, 08:00 PM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Woolworth's

**tutusue** · October 25, 2005, 08:42 PM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Originally posted by TurquoiseDuck

Woolworth's

I miss Woolworths! In Waianae, it's now a City Mill...which is handy! Cornet's (Makaha)is now Makaha Marketplace with several small businesses, but not enough. EJ's Cafe is now on it's 2nd incarnation...Aloha Aina Cafe. The Nanakuli Theater is now a church, iirc. But, one thing never changes...Tamura's Superette...the best grocery store on the island!

**mel** · October 25, 2005, 10:23 PM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Some of the businesses that I miss over the years include:

Kress Store in Downtown Hilo
Woolworths Hilo, Ala Moana Shopping Center & Downtown HNL
Jelly's at 404 Piikoi Street (Norm still has one in Aiea)
Records Hawaii
Job Lot
Froggie's Records & Books (corner of King & Kalakaua)
Hamakua Fountain in Honokaa, Hawaii
Masa's Plate Lunch
Cinerama Theater in Honolulu
Waikiki #3 Theater
Waikiki #1 & #2 twins Theaters
City Art Works
Super Save Camera
Mid Pacific Airlines ($19 coupon fares!)
KPOI 1380 radio AM
KKUA 69 AM radio
KAOI FM 95.1 "Quality Rock" radio format (1977 - 2000)
Radio Free Hawaii

**AuntieNellieKulolo** · October 26, 2005, 07:00 AM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

I miss the stores which used to be at Ala Moana SC in the '70s and '80s:

Woolworths
India Imports
Otaheite
San Francisco Rag Shop
Sera's Surf & Shore
Tahiti Imports
Foxmoor
House of Music
The Ritz

**pzarquon** · October 26, 2005, 07:16 AM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Ah, Woolworth's (now Old Navy at Ala Moana). You know, just reading or hearing the name of that store still brings back the smell of the place -- like a freshly opened new box of crayons (owing largely to their positioning of cheesy, gaudy candles near the door).

Definitely movie theaters... Cinerama (now Checker Auto Parts), Kapiolani (now Papa John's), Kuhio Twins (now a gaudy high-end retail complex), Waikiki 3 (to be another gaudy retail complex)... even Kam Drive-Inn.

Absolutely Jelly's on Piikoi.

And we've discussed many an old restaurant here on HawaiiThreads before... King's Bakery, Columbia Inn, Kelly's, Wisteria, KC Drive-Inn...

**mel** · October 26, 2005, 07:37 AM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Originally posted by pzarquon

Ah, Woolworth's (now Old Navy at Ala Moana). You know, just reading or hearing the name of that store still brings back the smell of the place -- like a freshly opened new box of crayons (owing largely to their positioning of cheesy, gaudy candles near the door)..

I liked their previous location in Ala Moana Center way better than the present Old Navy location. For a long time Woolworth's was a large tenant occupying two floors of Ala Moana Shopping Center in the location next to Long's on the mall level and downstairs where Foodland is now. One of the best things about Woolworth's was the coffee shop restaurant and the take out bento place... I liked the musubi, fried chicken and corn they used to sell there.

Originally posted by AuntieNellieKulolo

House of Music

I could never figure out why House of Music always had the highest prices in town for CDs, records and tapes they sold. Record stores in the same shopping centers they occupied sold the same music for several dollars less. Of course the best places in those days to buy records was DJ's Sound City (in Ala Moana Shopping Center), Records Hawaii, and later Jelly's. In Hilo there was a neat record store called Project 3 LTD, which sold not only records and tapes, but weird hippie and drug paraphernalia stuff too.

**1stwahine** · October 26, 2005, 07:45 AM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Originally posted by pzarquon

Ah, Woolworth's (now Old Navy at Ala Moana). You know, just reading or hearing the name of that store still brings back the smell of the place -- like a freshly opened new box of crayons (owing largely to their positioning of cheesy, gaudy candles near the door).

Gosh, Woolworths AlaMoana and Downtown brings back so much memories for me...Food! They made the best Rost Beef, Baked Ham, Roast Turkey Sandwiches on Buns. Can't forget their Cheeseburgers too on the grill section.
Pizza, thin sliced pizza. Woolworth style. Yummy!!!

Auntie Lynn

**Pomai** · October 26, 2005, 08:15 AM

Nickel-and-Dime Retailers

It's interesting hearing everyone touch back on Woolworths. Many locals thought of Woolworths as a "local" company. But in fact, Woolworths was started as a 5-and-dime store by F.W. Woolworth in New York and Pennsylvania. Woolworth discount stores became the role model for today's Targets, Walmarts and KMarts.

Remember Woolworths' fried chicken? That stuff rocked! Like Pzarquon also mentioned.. the smell. Something about the combination of scented candles, crayons, new textiles, popcorn and fried chicken.. loved that!

Anyone remember KRESS and WIGWAM? We had both of these stores in Kaneohe, but I very young so my memories are very vague.

According to Bob Sigall's "The Companies that we Keep", Wigwam started in 1958 in Dillingham Plaza (Kalihi) where Savers is today. They had up to 8 stores in Hawaii and 35 in Washington, California and Arizona. Payless bought the Wigwam chain in 1971.

Speaking of record stores, I used to frequent Hungry Ear Records across Tower Records. Most of my current CD collection came from there. Avg. price was $5-6 bucks for mint condition used discs. I think there's a Lingerie store in there now (or was there).

**1stwahine** · October 26, 2005, 08:43 AM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Kress. Instant memories come to my mind like going back into time. Tears flow. Yes, I remember Kress on Ft. Street Mall. As far back as I was three years old with my mom holding my hands...walking in it's gigantic store. So much material stacks in the back. Looking like monsters, ready to grab my little hand. I grew up and saw the material stacks become smaller and smaller. Until oneday, I grabbed one with my hands to use in making a dress for me!

Auntie Lynn

**EastCoastTropics** · October 26, 2005, 09:58 AM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Originally posted by AuntieNellieKulolo

I miss the stores which used to be at Ala Moana SC in the '70s and '80s:

Woolworths
India Imports
Otaheite
San Francisco Rag Shop
Sera's Surf & Shore
Tahiti Imports
Foxmoor
House of Music
The Ritz

Wow...stroll down memory lane fer sure! I remember a lot of these stores. Used to work at The Ritz Store in Pearlridge Mall. Dang, that store was sooooo full! They had so much merchandise and everything was crammed in! Mrs. Cadacio was the one that interviewed and hired me. She was always so nice to me. At Christmas time they had me folding large boxes to make smaller ones and then I'd put a sheet of tissue in each one.

Another store I used to shop at was Coronet (or Cornet) in Waipahu.

**alohabear** · October 26, 2005, 10:10 AM

Re: Big & Small Business Memories

Originally posted by AuntieNellieKulolo

I miss the stores which used to be at Ala Moana SC in the '70s and '80s:

Woolworths
India Imports
Otaheite
San Francisco Rag Shop
Sera's Surf & Shore
Tahiti Imports
Foxmoor
House of Music
The Ritz

Eh Aunty, still get Party Center or what?

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Big & Small Business Memories

Big & Small Business Memories

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