Small Business

Parting Shot: Eyeing the Needle

Wednesday, 10:35 A.m. Working Class Tattoo, Kaimuki Photo by Olivier Koning Owner Steven Lam meticulously inspects a sterilized needle through a magnifying loupe to ensure it is straight and sharp before it punctures flesh. Lam says that during the manufacturing…

LocalKineBiz: Primo Gelato

Once you’ve had gelato, you may never go back to plain ol’ ice cream. Gelato is Italian-style ice cream, made with less butterfat and less air, which make it denser and more flavorful, usually with less fat and fewer calories…

Chocoholic’s Paradise

Ricard Muszynski loves to create chocolate treats by hand and wants to show you how to do it, too. At his Waikiki shop, Kokoa Bar by Ricard Chocolat, you have many choices: You can ogle and taste artisanal confections such…

Express Yourself

If it’s been a long time since you colored outside the lines, visit Clay Cafe Hawaii, where children and adults paint on premade pottery and flex their creative muscles. “To think outside the norm, we encourage that here,” says manager…

Lighting it up

Fireworks create such a magical experience that you might not realize all the work that goes beyond just igniting the rockets. Wayne Hikiji is the entertainment and production expert for Envisions Entertainment & Productions,…

Alive and Doing Well

Reports of the death of books have been greatly exaggerated, as the local publishing industry keeps evolving to meet demand Despite the closing of bookstores around the Islands, local publishers say they are thriving. Books about Hawaii still sell –…

His Business is Ruff

PoochFit founder gets paid to run with dogs When Dustin Metzler shows up for a client meeting, it’s pandemonium – the clients are jumping with excitement, crowding each other to get close to him, even licking his knees. It’s all…

Brewed and Bottled in Hawaii

Owning and running a brewery or brewpub is a lot of people’s idea of a fantasy job. The reality is there are casualties spread across the Hawaiian Islands. Companies that recently failed include Alii Brewing, Pacific Breach Brewing, Aloha Beer…

Created In Hawaii, Made For The World

Hollywood has long loved Hawaii, flying A-list actors and crews to the Islands to produce an eclectic mix of TV shows and movies. But what about Hawaii’s own filmmakers and their stories? Global Virtual Studio had those local storytellers in…

Ask the Expert: Health Insurance Plans

J.P. Schmidt President & CEO, Family Health Hawaii familyhealthhawaii.com Question: What steps should I take to make sure I choose the right health insurance for my employees without breaking the bank? Answer: Dealing with health insurance doesn’t have to be…

Amazon Queen

In the downstairs office of a quiet home tucked into a side street in Pukalani, a 49-year-old married mother of two is plotting her next murder. And with a production schedule that sees her churning out five to six new…

Maui Favorite Going Global

When David Yamashiro opened his 65-square-foot shave ice shop in Lahaina in December 2008, he had to beg people to try his product. “In the beginning, we were selling about 15 shave ice from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.,” Yamashiro…

Your Credit Card Partner

Credit cards are no longer an “if” question for most businesses, but “what” and “who” questions. “What technology should I use to process credit card payments and who will be my partner?” Answer those questions well, and you will take…

Picnic Lunch with a View

Spalding House is an idyllic spot for a contemporary museum – a 3.5-acre estate on Makiki Heights with panoramic views of Diamond Head and Waikiki – and also a great place to picnic. The cafe on the museum’s first floor…