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Sports bar opens in former Tokoname Sushi space in Honolulu

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The owners of Tokoname Sushi Bar & Restaurant have closed its Manoa restaurant in East Oahu and converted it into a sports bar called "Around the Corner Bar & Grill." Located in the Safeway-anchored Manoa Marketplace, the new sports bar recently opened and has or will eventually have televisions, dart boards and a pool table. Brian and Jeff Howdeshell, who are brothers, own Restaurant One Inc., which is the parent company of Tokoname and Around the Corner, public records show. Tokoname opened at the Manoa Marketplace in 2012 after having a Kailua in Windward Oahu location on Uluniu Street for many years. It also has a restaurant in Kaimuki along Waialae Avenue. Hanaki Restaurant was formerly located in Around the Corner's new space for more than two decades. Alexander & Baldwin Inc. recently purchased the Manoa Marketplace.

Opening date set for Ala Moana Center's new food court in old Shirokiya space

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The new restaurant complex opening in part of the old Shirokiya location at Ala Moana Center in Honolulu is scheduled to open this fall. Brug Bakery is one of the eateries opening at The Lanai at Ala Moana Center, relocating from another part of the mall. Store officials said it is scheduled to reopen in its new digs at mall level of the old Shirokiya store on September 15. Others opening at The Lanai include Hi Tea Cafe. The food court is expected to have up to 12 specialty food vendors and indoor and outdoor seating for up to 450 people.

Hakubundo Bookstore expanding to Central Oahu

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Hakubundo Bookstore is expanding to Central Oahu with a new store opening at Pearlridge shopping center in Aiea. On Thursday, the Japan Publications Trading Co. Ltd.-owned company filed a $144,000 building permit with city regulators for its new store at Pearlridge Uptown. Omizu Architecture Inc. is listed as the architect for the project, according to the permit. Hakubundo said on its website that it will be opening a new store at Pearlridge this summer following the closure of its Ward Warehouse location at the end of July. The Honolulu retail and restaurant complex will eventually close and be demolished to make way for a luxury high-rise mixed-use project by landowner The Howard Hughes Corp. Hakubundo expanded to Hawaii in 1910, carrying Japanese imports such as ceramic plates, traditional Ichimatsu dolls, among other items. The store carries books and magazines, Japanese stationery, character goods, anime and Hawaii items.

Hawaii developer to open new restaurant at Waikiki hotel

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Hawaii developer Kevin Showe plans to open a new restaurant Waikiki, public documents show. Showe, who heads Honolulu-based National Housing Corp., has recently registered the trade names "Fish Hook Cafe" and "Fish Hook Restaurant" through his Manhattan Boys Venture LLC. The Luana Waikiki Hotel & Suites' former space of Ville De Coco beauty spa and salon is listed as the address for the new Fish Hook Cafe. Showe is listed as the owner of the space along with a few others at the hotel, according to property tax records. A Craigslist job advertisement shows that Fish Hook Cafe, a new restaurant opening at a Waikiki hotel, is looking for employees including prep cooks. The Luana, a boutique hotel managed by Aqua-Aston Hospitality LLC, is located near Fort DeRussy Park on Kalakaua Avenue. In 2015, Showe sold his property nearby that included the former Kyo-ya Restaurant to Japanese investors, who plan to build a condominium-hotel on that property.

Food trucks, dining area being added to high-profile Waikiki property

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A plan to add food trucks to a parcel of land in the middle of Waikiki is moving ahead, according to public documents filed Wednesday. Waikiki Pride LLC, which owns the property at 2460 Kuhio Ave., filed a building permit with the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting to place a food truck and 10 picnic tables on new astro turf on that lot. Iosepa Electric and General Contracting is listed as the contractor for the project, which would join another food truck project in the state's tourism mecca. The 4,531-square-foot property is located at the corner of Kuhio Avenue and Kapuni Street and one block from the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. The property currently has a 1928 redwood plantation home on it and is zoned for commercial activities. The property sticks out like a sore thumb in the midst of high-rise hotel towers including the Hilton Garden Inn.

California court dismisses Volvo manufacturer lawsuit against Honolulu dealership

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A United States District Court judge in California has dismissed Volvo Car USA's lawsuit against Volvo Cars Honolulu saying that the suit was improperly filed in the Golden State. The California court said that the manufacturer's complaint had nothing to do with the state of California. Volvo Car USA's lawsuit was filed immediately after the dealership demanded that the manufacturer end its alleged long-standing practice of arbitrarily inflating car sales figures and forcing the dealership to accept inventory well beyond actual sales demand. Envy Hawaii LLC, which is doing business as Volvo Cars Honolulu claims that this practice, known in the automobile industry as "punching," is misleading because it creates the appearance of continued growth and impressive sales. Instead of addressing the demand to correct the punching practice, Volvo Car USA requested some time to respond so the two companies could work on a resolution. Volvo Honolulu said that instead

Community garden planned for growing Kakaako neighborhood

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A community garden that would be utilized by the tens of thousands of residents expected to call the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako home by 2030 is in the works at Kakaako Waterfront Park. Kakaako will be home to 30,000 new residents by 2030 and most of these residents will live in high-rise towers, with people needing open spaces to grow food. The Hawaii Community Development Authority is scheduled to talk further about this project at its regular meeting on Wednesday. Some ideas for such a community garden would include a market area, a picnic area and a kids zone. There are several community gardens in Honolulu including the Makiki Community Garden. Community gardens vary in size and type but are mainly supposed to benefit the community by providing recreational spaces and food in urban areas such as Kakaako. These gardens are generally overseen by the city mainly by parks and recreation departments or by public institutions such as schools.