Until a few months ago, I thought a “pop-up” was an old-fashioned three-dimensional card or book that surprised you with a magical foldout that popped up as you opened it. Now, I know modern pop-ups are fleeting events – whether…
If you are a connoisseur of unique and well-designed pens, you’ve probably heard of ACME Studio. But you may not know that the company’s factory and headquarters have been on Maui since 1988. ACME Studio was founded in 1985 in…
Move over, Jet-Puffed, there’s a new marshmallow in town. Kristin and Kui Bento have introduced Marshmahalos, a gourmet take on the spongy confection. “They come in a variety of flavors, including Royal Chocolate Mousse, Salted Caramel Crunch and Strawberry Lemonade,”…
Chef Chris Okuhara says he wasn’t left with a crumb at the inaugural Honolulu Night Market in Kakaako in October. The co-owner of Miso & Ale, a “pop-up” eatery, says close to 1,000 people visited his booth, which served pork…
If they can’t get home for the holidays, Wei Fang and Kina Mahi will help you send a bit of Hawaii to distant family and friends. The two business partners – already involved in a number of startups and other…
83 years after opening her business, Mary Shizuko Teshima still loves company. Mary Shizuko Teshima probably holds the Hawaii record for business longevity: 83 years after opening on her property in Honalo, she still lives behind the family restaurant and…
We love them like family when they’re alive, so why not treat them the same way in death? A cemetery burial for your pet at Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe gives you a way to recognize that affection. Pet…
Q: I have a successful company and am thinking of expanding to another island. What should I consider before taking the leap? A: The desire to grow is imbedded in the DNA of most business owners. Of course, any kind of expansion…
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG YAMAMOTO Startup Weekend Honolulu condenses entrepreneurship into a fast-paced weekend of networking, programming, design and business development. Red Bull is optional. Four weeks after being laid off, 27-year-old Bryan Butteling stands before a crowd of entrepreneurs, software developers, designers…
When Denyse Ray opened her manufacturing and retail operation in Kakaako in April, she opened a floodgate. Her original plan was to create a place where her company, Ease Collection, and its staff of 20 would make the company’s surgical…
A meeting of the Maui Business Brainstormers is like speed dating for business people. The monthly lunchtime meetings mix networking with problem solving and information exchange in a rapid give-and-take. Grace Fung and Carmel Patterson, who met at a Toastmasters…
Tanna and Bryson Dang, owners of the boutique Eden In Love and winners of first prize in the “This is Retail” video contest, have pledged $75,000 over five years to help bring clean water to a Sri Lankan village. The…
When chef Lance Kosaka first stepped into the vacant restaurant space at the YWCA on Richards Street, its high ceilings, open-air feel and architectural beauty captivated him and his partners. “We stood in the restaurant and looked around,” he says.…
Q: One of the key, long-term managers at our family-owned company – someone who is not a family member – is asking for an “exit package” in the event she is terminated or decides to leave the company on her own.…
This summer, hundreds of children in Honolulu and seven mainland cities will compete to create the best lemonade stand. But don’t expect watered-down concoctions and makeshift tables: These kids mean business. The contest, Lemonade Alley, requires participants from kindergarten through…
When Taiji Terasaki needs fresh herbs for a pot of stew or the ingredients for an organic salad, he’ll send his 7-year-old son, Kenta, and 4-year-old daughter, Miya, out to the family’s kitchen garden. There’s quite a selection in the…
Gummy-bear keychains, Pop-Tart necklaces and shave-ice rings. The art of “deco sweet” or miniature food jewelry is all the rage in Japan. Local business Bit of Sugar is taking the trendy, handmade treasures to new heights this summer. Co-owner Lei…
Huggo’s, on the water at the south end of Kailua Bay, is one of Kona’s oldest and most popular restaurants. Executive chef Ken Schloss and butcher Urs Hartmann talk about fish, the mainstay of Huggo’s menu. Where do you get…
It’s not easy taking over a family-run business that’s been operating successfully for nearly six decades. And, if loyal customers notice any changes, even necessary changes, they’re quick to criticize the new owner. All that wasn’t lost on Honolulu entrepreneur…
With all the different Hawaii beers coming onto the market, it helps if people think your new brew is a long-time favorite. “When I talk about Aloha Beer, for some reason, many believe it already existed from a long time…
If Eric Rose appears serious, it’s probably because he’s thinking. Born in Chicago, Rose worked in the food industry in Oregon for more than 20 years before moving to Hawaii, where he loved the surf. He opened Morning Glass in…
When many people think of a military veteran or a small-business owner, they assume it’s a man. Instead, consider Chelsea Fernandez, co-founder and managing director of Hawaii Assistive Technology Co. on Maui, one of nearly 100,000 women veterans in America…
Tanna and Bryson Dang operate a popular women’s clothing boutique called Eden in Love at Ward Warehouse, and have been planning for a year to sell products online. Their site, edeninlove.com, was set to go live on Sunday, April 22, the…
A word to the wise this graduation season: Lei will be pricey because of the shortage of Thailand-grown orchids, not to mention the thousands of lei that are now being shipped to the mainland. It’s not just transplanted Islanders who…