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  • #31
    Re: Disappearing establishments

    Originally posted by Linkmeister
    Don't forget Popo's!

    It was pretty lousy Mexican food, but it was the only Mexican food west of Kaimuki other than Mama's Mexican Kitchen on School and Mama's in Moanalua Shopping Center.

    Few people know that Spencer and Clifton Weaver were the sons of one of the nation’s leading architects. Fullerton Weaver designed the Waldorf-Astoria, the Hotel Pierre in New York City, and the Breakers in Palm Beach.

    The boys’ mother was Emily Stokes, a great beauty who won the U.S. Open in mixed doubles tennis one year. The family owned an estate in East Hampton, Long Island that was called "Spencecliff."

    The father took the boys on an around the world trip and they fell in love with Hawaii. They later moved here and found a job as cafeteria workers at Pearl Harbor in the late 1930s.

    In 1939, they opened Swanky Franky’s Hot Dog Stand on Ena Road. Swanky Franky’s Drive-inn opened a few months later where Singha Thai Cuisine is now.

    After service in World War II, they formed the Spencecliff Corporation. The Sky Room, which opened in 1948, was atop the airport terminal at John Rogers Field, a great location with constant traffic. It was a fancy place with great steaks.

    Next, they purchased M’s Ranch House (and dropped M’s) and then Fisherman’s Wharf in Kewalo Basin.

    One of their most famous acquisitions, in 1949, was the Waikiki beach home of millionaire Christian Holmes, heir to the Fleischmann's Yeast fortune. They turned it into Queen’s Surf.

    The Barefoot Bar, upstairs at the Queen’s Surf, was one of the most popular places in town. You couldn’t get in unless you knew someone. There was always a big line.

    They also purchased the lease on the site of the Kau Kau Korner in 1960, much to the dismay of owner Sunny Sundstrom, who had run the place since 1935. They turned it into Coco’s.

    Spencecliff was renowned for taking care of its employees, many of whom served over 20 years. For instance, each employee received a birthday cake on the day before his or her birthday. Then they got their birthday off with pay. This was no small feat, given that they had 1,400 employees!

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    • #32
      Re: Disappearing establishments

      Hot dang, Bob. Your posts are just soooooo interesting! Hmmm...please jog my short term memory. Is the Spencecliff story in your book? My copy's at home and I'm in town so I can't look it up. I can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning!

      Oh...and I heard from your mom!!!

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      • #33
        Re: Disappearing establishments

        ah, the brothers and queen's surf.
        Sterling Mossman..
        many stories there.

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        • #34
          Re: Disappearing establishments

          Originally posted by Tutusue and Kimo55: Hot dang, Bob. Your posts are just soooooo interesting! Hmmm...please jog my short term memory. Is the Spencecliff story in your book? My copy's at home and I'm in town so I can't look it up. I can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning! Oh...and I heard from your mom!!!=kimo55
          ah, the brothers and queen's surf.
          Sterling Mossman..many stories there.
          Yes, Spencecliff is in my book and was one of the harder stories to research. The founders were gone. Their kids didn't know much about the business.

          I finally found someone on the net who listed Spencecliff on his resume, and he directed me to the office manager who joined the firm in the late 1940s - Myuki Hyruby.

          Also, I hired a yard guy and he was Sterling Mossman's son! Here's another excerpt about the Barefoot Bar:

          Kula Mossman remembers being in the backup band for his late father, Sterling Mossman, the Hula Cop. “Dad loved entertaining,” Mossman recalls. “But being a cop paid the bills. Few remember that he was president of the HGEA. He was also a very generous man. He helped many get their careers going, including Don Ho, Danny Kaleikini, and this big guy who parked cars at Queen’s Surf named Zulu.”

          Don Ho, who started his career at his mother’s bar, Honey’s in Kaneohe, began to sit in at the Barefoot Bar when Sterling Mossman took breaks. Local audiences followed Ho, and tourists began to take notice, too.

          Sterling Mossman played at the Barefoot Bar from 1952 until 1969 when the city closed it so the beach could be expanded. “The last show, in December 1969 was huge,” Kula recalls.

          “The place was packed with local and Hollywood celebrities. Dad was a very funny guy. I laughed at the same jokes every night, even though I knew the punch line. It was the way he told it.”

          “Sterling Mossman was the Barefoot Bar,” Hruby says. “Mossman was a cop by day and an entertainer at night. He sang, danced the hula, and was a comedian. He was a very versatile man.”

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          • #35
            Re: Disappearing establishments

            Does anyone know where the chef from Tokiwaya (a small eatery that was on Pensacola next to Subway) went? Tokiwaya was great to eat at. It was like gourmet Japanese bentos.
            just started: mililaniblog.com

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            • #36
              Re: Disappearing establishments

              Spencecliff also ran Top's Waikiki, Top's Waipahu, and Prince Kuhio (Ala Moana Center makai street level).

              Other restaurantswhich have gone by the wayside: Canlis; Cavalier (later, Marcus Steak House); Pearl City Tavern (seeing a Cutter car dealership there just kills me); Little George's; Quinton's; Quinton's Wharf; King Tsin; Arthur's (Ilikai Marina, downtown); Volk's Steak House (Pearlridge); the various Chuck's locations; the Bistro; Alioto's; Checkers; Bernard's Deli (he seemed to be doing well at Kahala Mall, but went down soon after re-locating at Ward Center); Trader Vic's (made way for the Honolulu Club).

              In the restaurant business, only the strong survive.

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              • #37
                Re: Disappearing establishments

                [QUOTE=oceanpacific]Spencecliff also ran Top's Waikiki, Top's Waipahu, and Prince Kuhio (Ala Moana Center makai street level).

                Wow remember when Prince Kuhio used to turn into a nightclub after 10:00pm on weekends?

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                • #38
                  Re: Disappearing establishments

                  Ok. I'm sure nobody cares about the Goodyear franchise in Waimalu, but you might be interested in seeing what's replaced it.

                  I've forgotten the exact names, and I wasn't close enough to get them all, I suspect, but anyway: on the far left, a police storefront; then the Mail/pkg place that had been next to Subway; Mashies (or something like that); a Great American Bread store; Jamba Juice; Starbucks.
                  Attached Files
                  http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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                  • #39
                    Re: Disappearing establishments

                    The South Seas restaurant on Lagoon Drive became a car dealership too. As kids, we iked Spencecliff cause you could go to their "treasure chest" and get a small toy after your meal.

                    I miss Mama's....they also had a short run at the Pearl Kai food court when the strip mall first opened. I miss pizza at Shakey's on Keeaumoku and Chico's where the Kaimuki City Mill is now. Also the Harpo's location on Kapahulu, which is still there physically.

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                    • #40
                      Re: Disappearing establishments

                      Originally posted by Linkmeister
                      Ok. I'm sure nobody cares about the Goodyear franchise in Waimalu, but you might be interested in seeing what's replaced it.
                      We care in our house since it's in our neighborhood! As you mentioned, there is a Jamba Juice/Starbucks combo and Great Harvest Bread opening soon. Already open is the Munchies and a very nice wine/spirits store called SWAM.

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                      • #41
                        Re: Disappearing establishments

                        Originally posted by glossyp
                        We care in our house since it's in our neighborhood! As you mentioned, there is a Jamba Juice/Starbucks combo and Great Harvest Bread opening soon. Already open is the Munchies and a very nice wine/spirits store called SWAM.
                        Yeah, my neighborhood too. I had to switch to Lex Brodie's for car repairs when it closed.

                        Thanks for the Munchies correction and the SWAM addition. I shoulda taken notes.
                        http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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                        • #42
                          Re: Disappearing establishments

                          two things;
                          there's a sick plan they are trying to slip under the radar. the redevelopment of liliha street. which will displace too many long term establishments and residential units.
                          You will have a slew of names to add to this thread soon. Do we want the neighborhood destroyed and then paved over and built up to resemble a strip mall in cali? it will. If we don't stay alert.

                          also.
                          found this site which has a buncha places now part of histroy...

                          http://ronhashiro.htohananet.com/tra...-kamaaina.html

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                          • #43
                            Re: Disappearing establishments

                            So, the restaurant at the corner of K-Bay Shopping Center in Kane`ohe - used to be Ko`olau Ranch House, seems to change hands every 2-3 years - what is it now?

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                            • #44
                              Re: Disappearing establishments

                              CHICO'S and SHAKEY'S: we'd storm those places after playing volleyball on Friday and Saturday nights at Kaimuku Rec Center or Kanewai Field. We brought our own VB net those days. Pizza and draft beer - even the "chicks" would chug-a-lug the brew with us guys. What a loss after those places closed up. That was over three decades ago.

                              My favorite pizza at CHICO'S was the "Hometowner" - Canadian Bacon and pineapple, topped with slices of fresh tomato. Sometimes, I'll order take-out pizza (ham and pineapple) and add my own fresh tomatoes.

                              I went to Japan in 2004 and saw a Shakey's Pizza there. Filmed it on my camcorder.

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                              • #45
                                Re: Disappearing establishments

                                Anyone else remember the House of Janus on Ala Moana Blvd. Ohta-San played there, and I seem to remember also Gus Hanneman (could this memory be correct??). It was a showroom, not a restaurant.

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