As a freshman at the University of Hawai‘i, entrepreneur Eddie Flores, Jr., co-founder of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, says he took a writing class — and got an F.
Since then, though, he's written several books: two small publications "just to spite my teacher;" a Hawaiian barbecue cookbook, which has recipes and "a lot of jokes," and another offering "108 Tips on Business, Travel and Culture in China."
He's just published his latest: "Franchising the American Dream: The Story of Eddie Flores, Jr. and L&L Hawaiian Barbecue."
In it, Flores shares his personal story of overcoming poverty and learning challenges, and looks at the secrets to L&L's success. The book offers insights for people considering franchising their business, buying a franchise or looking for inspiration.
He'll hold a book signing and discussion at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Barnes & Noble in Ala Moana Center.
Aloha State Daily recently spoke with Flores about his background, his work and the new book. He's chatty and charming as he shares his story, and that of L&L.
Back to the beginning
Flores said his mother was born in Hawai‘i but returned to China when she was young. She met his father, a Filipino musician, in Hong Kong. They later married and Flores was born in Hong Kong.
He was entrepreneurial from a young age.
Flores recounts a story where, in Hong Kong, he would buy a slice of watermelon and cut it into three pieces — then sell two of the pieces to his siblings, recouping his costs.
"The funny thing is, my kid brother and sister had no money to pay me. I had to extend credit to them," he laughs.
(We asked: his siblings never paid him back, "so I lost money on that," Flores says).
In 1963, when he was 16, the family returned to Hawai‘i.
"When we came, it was a little difficult, because my dad was a musician, my mom never did work before, and they both only had a sixth-grade education, so it was really rough on us to find a job or do anything."
For Flores, though, he says the most fortunate thing was being able to attend UH, where he received a business degree.
He worked for a bank for a couple of years out of college, but just two years after he graduated, he started a real estate business.
Flores says he decided in high school that he wanted to be a millionaire, "and the only way to do it is really real estate at that time, so I went into real estate business — with no experience, mind you. I didn't know anything. I only worked part-time and I actually hired 12 people."
He specialized in "business opportunities," the buying and selling of restaurants, bars and the like. And in 1976, he saw a "little restaurant for sale" called L&L Drive-Inn. It was founded as L&L Dairy in 1952.
"I look at a financial statement and it shows that it's making money," he told ASD. "You never see that in any small business. I decided to make an offer and I purchased the restaurant and I gave it to my mom as a gift."
His mother, Margaret, had been working as a dishwasher and counter girl at Lynn's Deli in Ala Moana Center, he says.
"Knowing the fact that she doesn't really know anything about [running a] restaurant, I called my good friend. His name is Johnson Kam," Flores says. "... Johnson actually came in helped us."
Flores said his mother ran the restaurant for two years, after which everything was sold to Kam.
Flores says Kam, a close friend, had been approached by others who noted the success of L&L and wanted to know how it was done. Kam, he says, taught them to cook and let them use the name. By doing that, he opened up several more L&L locations, Flores said.
About a decade later, the friends, while on a family vacation together, began discussing franchising the business.
"When you look at restaurant business, chances of success is very slim," Flores says. "But for L&L, that's why the book is called 'Franchising the American Dream.' ... We seldom have someone say, 'oh, I'm going to close because it's not making money.'"
In 1999, L&L and its plate lunches were introduced to the Mainland, and the company was rebranded to L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. With the recent opening of a location in Albuquerque — the second in New Mexico — L&L now has a total of 232 franchises throughout the U.S. and Japan.
Flores' daughter Elisia , took over as the CEO of L&L in 2019.
When asked why decided to write the new book, Flores said that since she's running the business now, "I got nothing to do. And two years ago, I said 'Gee, let me write another book.' Because every time you write a book, you're promoting L&L. We're branding the company."
As for what he hopes people take away from the book, Flores said the biggest thing is that "no matter where you come from — like myself, I came from a very poor family — if you work hard enough, you will make it. You will make it if you work hard enough. In order to make money, you've got to be in business."
You can find the book at bookstores and other retail outlets, from online booksellers including Amazon and direct from Legacy Isle Publishing at bookshawaii.net.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
