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John Pritchett

Business & Tourism

Cartoons

<title>Pritchett Cartoon: AI panic ...</title>

Pritchett Cartoon: AI panic ...

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

The 450-acre private club and residential community, on Hawai‘i Island's Kona Coast, has seen more than $100 million in sales so far this year as its newest 

newest residential offering, Hale Ka Hala, nears completion.

Carrie Nicholson, principal broker and vice president of sales and marketing at Kohanaiki, told Aloha State Daily that as of Friday, there had been approximately 15 closed transactions from Jan. 1 through Sept. 11.

According to a recent announcement, the highest sale so far this year is 

, which closed for $21 million in May; it was Kohanaiki's second-highest sale of all time.

 late last year, marking the largest sale for the community at that time).

But Nicholson says there also have been "multiple transactions in that $5 million to $9 million range" across the Kohanaiki community.

"We've had some great interest," she says. "What's particularly encouraging with this activity is we're seeing demand across different types of real estate throughout Kohanaiki, different price points rather than the year's volume being driven by just one or two transactions; it's kind of spread out with a variety. I think that speaks to a lot of depth of interest in Kohanaiki and the strength of the community as a whole."

, Kohanaiki features an 18-hole, Rees Jones-designed golf course; access to a white sand beach and the ocean; an adventure club; spa; fitness center; multiple dining options; and an on-property biodynamic farm, as well as a variety of real estate offerings and a 67,000-square-foot clubhouse. The community is being developed by 

Nicholson says most buyers are more focused on the overall experience and the usability of the property.

"We're seeing a strong preference for homes that are turnkey, beautifully designed, easy to enjoy immediately, move-in ready," she says. "They're also looking closely to that indoor-outdoor living with views and privacy and proximity to our clubhouse and amenities, how the home actually functions for their particular family and guests. We're also seeing buyers think beyond just their home itself. They want access to exceptional golf — we have our ... Rees Jones championship golf course. We have our dining, wellness, ocean activities, and the whole community where their families can spend meaningful time together."

[{"type":"text","text":"According to Nicholson, they're also seeing repeat Hawai‘i buyers."}]

"These aren't just people discovering Hawai‘i for the first time," she told ASD. "They're buyers who understand the coast, they understand the Islands and they're very intentional about making their decisions of where they want to spend their time, and they understand the privacy and the exclusivity that comes with living within a private golf and ocean club community."

Nicholson says that the $21 million sale of Hale Kai Apo, also known as 

, is a "great example" of what they're seeing at the very top end of the market.

"Buyers at that price point are looking for something truly exceptional and irreplaceable, and they're looking at the quality of the residence, the setting, location, the privacy, views, and I think, importantly, the overall Kohanaiki lifestyle," she told ASD. "So when you have a property that checks all of those boxes, there's still buyers willing to move very quickly, and that's what that sale represented; it really checked a lot of boxes for that particular buyer."

[{"type":"text","text":"More residential options are coming soon."}]

Its newest residential offering, Hale Ka Hala, includes 24 townhomes in its first phase and followed by 12 more in phase two, the announcement noted. The homes will have five bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms, and buyers will have the choice of four curated furniture packages, including collections from 

"It's one of the most exciting neighborhoods to Kohanaiki's residential offering," Nicholson says. "It represents another kind of Kohanaiki lifestyle, with residences designed around indoor-outdoor living and the way members actually use their homes. What I think is particularly compelling about the Ka Halas is the ability to enjoy the comfort of being in the home but being right off the golf course. These are five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath homes, so it's very multigenerational, where you can have a lot of family in the residence. There's a lot of indoor-outdoor spaces, and again, they have a sense of privacy. We're seeing a lot of interest from buyers who are looking for that type of combination."

Nicholson noted, too, that these properties, prices for which start at $5.25 million, have four bedrooms in the main portion of the home, with the fifth bedroom part of detached guest quarters. 

Kohanaiki

<title>Kohanaiki has closed more than $100M in sales this year</title>

The 450-acre private club and residential community is located on Hawai‘i Island's Kona Coast.

Kohanaiki has closed more than $100M in sales this year

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

Government & Politics

A Honolulu City Council bill is heading to the mayor’s desk after Waialua resident Kathleen Pahinui advocated for a bill to permit farmers markets and food distribution in underutilized public parks.

The Waialua Bandstand hosts concerts about once a month and Pahinui said she believes the small park could be better utilized. The Waialua Farmers Market is on Saturdays behind the Waialua Sugar Mill, and Pahinui said that if the farmers market was permitted to meet at the Waialua Bandstand, it could make the market more visible, easier to find and make the park more of a gathering place in the North Shore community.

Pahinui met with city councilmembers and worked with the Department of Parks and Recreation on the bill.

, sponsored by Councilmember Andria Tupola and passed by the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday, would allow nonprofits to operate food distribution events and farmers markets in public parks.

Tupola said that she sees the bill as an opportunity to revitalize Oʻahu’s public parks while supporting farmers and food security efforts.

“In a lot of our parks we see vandalism, illegal camping and too often our response is the same: we spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to eradicate problems over and over which isn’t sustainable. What we really need in our parks is transformation, bringing back life, bringing back community and bringing back food,” she said at a City Council meeting in July. “Can you imagine some of our underutilized parks with a regularly operating farmers market? I’m excited about that. It transforms our parks into positive community gathering spaces instead of places that we’re constantly policing.”

The Committee on Housing, Homelessness and Parks adopted suggestions from the Department of Parks and Recreation to clarify that farmers markets are operated by nonprofits, are subject to the department’s rules and regulations, are not located on properties where the people’s open market program operations and are not located in highly utilized parks. 

 operate for about 45 to 60 minutes at 13 locations on Oʻahu.

The bill received opposition from tour operators and the Waimānalo neighborhood board.

The City and County of Honolulu banned unregulated commercial activity at beach parks between Waimānalo and Makapuʻu in 

Kimeona Kane, chair of the Waimānalo neighborhood board, expressed concern in a March letter to the council that the bill goes against Wāimanalo stance against commercial activity in public parks.

“If this is allowed, it may undermine the current law that supports our community position, protects our public spaces from disrespectful attention and overwhelming strain on conditions and value of life for local residents,” Kane wrote. “There could be potential for this bill to serve other communities, and I encourage them to seeks these opportunities, however I do believe that other options can and do exist, where Farmers Markets may take place.

Pahinui told ASD that she shares Kane’s concerns about commercial activities in public parks, which is why she pushed for the bill to be for nonprofit organizations and in smaller parks off the beaten path.

Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau Executive Director Brian Miyamoto supported the opportunity to support small farmers and improve access to fresh food, and wanted the council to clarify that “products being sold are locally grown or produced.”

His requests that the bill prioritizes Hawaiʻi grown agricultural products, direct participation by farmers and local producers and transparency in product sourcing and labeling did not make it into the final bill.

Jennine Sullivan, executive director of Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, wrote to the council that the bill strengthens local food systems and improves community wellbeing.

Feeding Hawaiʻi Together operates The Pantry, which distributed 2.2 million pounds of food in 2025. “Expanding access points for fresh food is critical to meeting the growing needs of our community,” Sullivan wrote.

The bill also supports small businesses and improves access to fresh, nutritious food, Sullivan stated, writing, “Allowing farmers’ markets in public parks creates more opportunities for communities to connect directly with local agriculture in accessible, familiar spaces.”

ʻElepaio Social Services distributes food to about 1,200 kūpuna each week through four pantries on the west side of Oʻahu, including at Nānāikapono Protestant Church. Director of Community Impact and Engagement Cassidy Keola wrote that the bill would allow ʻElepaio Social Services to operate the pantry in a public park, like Nānākuli Beach Park, which could make it more accessible.

“Holding food distributions at a park would improve operation logistics and efficiency and re-open the church to community members. Plus, hosting a distribution in a public and visible space such as park would help us reach more community members who may not know of our services,” Keola stated.

Ted Kefalas, director of strategic campaigns for Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi, wrote to the council that Grassroot supports legislation to lower barriers to entrepreneurship.

“Selling food or homemade wares at a farmers market is a low-cost, low-risk way for people to turn an idea into a business. This measure would give more Oahu residents the opportunity to start up small businesses and participate in the tourism industry,” he wrote.

Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi President and CEO Sherry Menor wrote that the bill supports one of the chamber’s missions to support the economic viability of agriculture careers and reduce operating expenses, and food and economy security as food prices rise.

Tupola speaks at Council meeting

<title>Bill passed by City Council would allow farmers markets in underutilized parks</title>

The Honolulu City Council passed a bill on Wednesday that would allow the Department of Parks and Recreation to permit nonprofit organizations to host farmers markets and food distribution events in underutilized public parks.

Bill passed by City Council would allow farmers markets in underutilized parks

Honolulu-based real estate development firm ProsPac Holdings got its start a decade ago.

Tony Chen, a statistician and recently appointed director of the company, said it began with his brother, William, and their late father. 

"It really started with my father, Mr. Chen's vision, when he first visited Hawai‘i and it was just very apparent to him that there was a real need for housing of all types, really, in Hawai‘i," he recently told Aloha State Daily. "He was a very entrepreneurial man and saw that there was a great opportunity to do what we do here."

The core of the company's founding is in its name, one Chen says his father challenged the brothers to come up with. The name ProsPac — a combination of Prosperity and Pacific — "really gets to the heart of what we do and I think it speaks to our mission."

"It's about developing real estate and seeing real estate development as an engine of economic growth," he says. "When we develop, it means building homes for people. It means building spaces for businesses, and it's this common denominator across every thriving economy. That's where we saw we could provide the greatest benefit to where we are today."

Chen was promoted to director of ProsPac Holdings in June. In that role, he oversees key development initiatives and supports the company's long-term vision, an announcement at that time noted.

According to that announcement, Chen was a senior statistical officer at the Valuation Office Agency of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, before

. He holds degrees from Queen’s University, Peking University and the London School of Economics and Political Science; serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i; and is an active member of NAIOP Hawai‘i and Statisticians for Society, a pro bono entity that connects professional statisticians with charitable organizations.

The Honolulu-based ProsPac developed Azure Ala Moana, a mixed-use project in Honolulu's Ala Moana neighborhood with 330 condos, 78 rental apartments and commercial space.

Its next project is Kali‘u, a boutique luxury condo in the works in Kaka‘ako.

Kali‘u — whose name is derived from the Hawaiian word for “well-seasoned”— will be constructed adjacent to SALT in Our Kaka‘ako, Kamehameha Schools’ mixed-use community. ProsPac was chosen to redevelop the block, bordered by Ala Moana Boulevard, and Auahi, Coral and Cooke streets, 

 Master Plan was approved by the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority in 2009. The Our Kaka‘ako Master Plan encompasses 29 acres across nine city blocks of KS land in the neighborhood, its 

The redevelopment of Our Kaka‘ako’s first four blocks have already been completed as part of Increment I. That includes Keauhou Place and Keauhou Lane on Block A; The Flats at Pu‘unui and 400 Keawe on Block B; The Collection on Block E; and SALT at Our Kaka‘ako and 680 Ala Moana on Block F.

Development partners have been chosen for four of the five remaining blocks in Increment II, KS notes.

 on Block G, KS previously announced that Kaka‘ako Block C LLC, an affiliate of Stanford Carr Development, 

 on Block C, Koa Partners and Castle & Cooke Hawai‘i will develop 

 on Block D and Kobayashi Group will develop 

[{"type":"text","text":"Kali‘u will offer 285 one-, two- and three-bedroom units."}]

, health and wellness are set to be at the forefront of 

. The development will offer several new wellness technologies, including an intelligent robotic massage system from Aescape, the Ammortal Chamber, zero-gravity flotation tubs and other amenities.

Chen says the developer hopes to break ground on Kali‘u in early 2027, although some infrastructure work has already started. Work is anticipated to take about 30 months. Units went on sale to the public in early 2025.

Joining a bevy of local developers in Hawai‘i, Chen says, as expected, it wasn't easy for ProsPac to enter the development sphere here.

"Hawai‘i has every right to be questioning towards people who think they can just move here and start a development company," he told ASD. "I think from early on, the key behind our initial success was how deferential and respectful Mr. Chen was to the way things were done here and I think that earned us a lot of credit — and it is a lesson that still sticks with us today. Instead of trying to come in and change the way things are done, to be mindful and to understand the way things are done."

[{"type":"text","text":"The company's goals are simple."}]

"Fundamentally, we want to build great things and housing is, right now, something we want to build," Chen says. "And for Kali‘u, as you may have already seen with the programming of the building, the experience we're trying to deliver, as you can see with what we did with our showroom, is to create something that hasn't existed here before — a boutique, wellness-centered living experience. We believe in this mission that we're on because I think we've done our research, we've looked at the data and we understand this is what people want."

Tony chen prospac 072326

<title>Coming soon: ProsPac's newest residential tower, Kali‘u</title>

The Honolulu-based real estate development firm got its start a decade ago. Its next project will take shape within the Kamehameha Schools portion of Kaka‘ako.

Coming soon: ProsPac's newest residential tower, Kali‘u

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 just opened today in Waimalu Shopping Center. This is the business’s third and newest location. It features a full-service, sit-down dine-in experience, along with a takeout window. 

The biz is celebrating its grand opening tomorrow, Aug. 15, with a lion dance at 11:30 a.m.

Customers can expect a variety of manapua, along with dim sum, peking duck and plate lunches; this location features an expanded menu.

The business’s Hong Kong-style dim sum selection was crafted in partnership with its sister restaurant, Mei Sum Dim Sum. The dim sum menu comprises spring rolls ($4.95), potstickers ($6.35), shrimp pork hash ($6.35), half moon dumplings ($6.35), shrimp dumplings ($6.35) and more.

[{"type":"text","text":"The business’s classic char siu manapua is a bestseller."}]

Besides manapua and dim sum, customers can choose from a variety of local-style plate lunches. Entrees include ginger fried chicken, kalbi ribs, garlic butter shrimp, hamburger steak and more. Seafood and steak combo plates are also available. 

Island Manapua is re-branding its other two locations in Mānoa and Waipahu as Aloha Manapua.

“Over the years, we’ve grown from being a neighborhood manapua counter into a gathering place for families, friends and our community,” states Christy Tong, owner of Aloha Manapua. “Rebranding as Aloha Manapua celebrates our local roots, our commitment to serving our community, and the relationships we’ve built with our customers. While our name is changing, our dedication to the food and service our customers know and love remains the same.”

The ‘Aiea store will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For the rest of August, customers can take advantage of a 10% discount.

Aloha Manapua shrimp dim sum 081426

<title>Aloha Manapua is open in Waimalu Shopping Center</title>

This is the business’s third and newest location; it’s celebrating its grand opening Aug. 15. Customers can enjoy its signature manapua, along with dim sum and plate lunches. The business is featuring a 10% discount for the rest of the month.

Aloha Manapua is open in Waimalu Shopping Center

[{"type":"text","text":"Kam Bowl is now open in Pearl City."}]

The restaurant opened in Times Square Shopping Center, in the former space of IHOP. The eatery 

 and re-opened in July under new ownership and under a new name, Aliʻi Diner.

At the new Pearl City restaurant, customers can expect the same signature dishes Kam Bowl was known for according to co-owner Ryder Yoshida, who says the menu is currently limited to the most popular dishes.

“It’s smaller and more simple,” Yoshida says. “We’re concentrating on getting the stuff people like before adding more things.”

Kam Bowl Pearl City did some renovations to the restaurant’s interior, such as adding new booths for seating.

“The kitchen was pretty much empty; we had to re-do the whole kitchen,” he says. “The hard part about it is the restaurant is big and the kitchen area to prepare food is small, compared to the Kalihi location.”

The menu features dishes like the eatery’s famous oxtail soup ($24.95), hamburger steak ($18.95), loco moco ($18.95) and Japanese breakfast ($18.95). The latter includes miso soup, toss salad, two eggs and a choice of mahi or salmon.

The restaurant now uses wagyu beef to make its hamburger patties, according to Yoshida.

“This is the first time we’re using wagyu beef,” he says. “We’re trying to keep prices reasonable.”

Dishes like hotcakes and sweet bread French toast are available from 7 to 11 a.m. Many plate lunch-style entrees come with white rice and a choice of toss or mac salad.

On the eatery’s opening day — Aug. 1 — regular customers from Kam Bowl’s Kalihi location were eagerly eating breakfast. Yoshida encourages diners to check out the new space.

“I was sitting in here before we opened, and people would ask, ‘Are you guys open yet?’” he says. “I kept on saying, ‘Pretty soon, pretty soon.’ Just come and try our food.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Kam Bowl Pearl City is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m."}]

98-1264 Kaahumanu St. Ste. B03, Pearl City

Kam Bowl Pearl City owner 080126

<title>Kam Bowl is open in Pearl City</title>

The eatery is now open in Times Square Shopping Center, in the former space of IHOP. Customers can look forward to signature dishes like oxtail soup, loco moco, hamburger steak and more.

Kam Bowl is open in Pearl City

, remembers craving Venezuelan food and not being able to find many options for it in Honolulu.

“There was a food truck a long time ago (that had Venezuelan food), but then they closed,” says Fernandez, whose family is from Venezuela, specifically Margarita Island.

Fernandez and her husband, Jurian Rojas, decided to open Guaiqueri Empanadas in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We opened our business to as an income for our family and to offer a Venezuelan option here,” Fernandez says. “Venezuela is a very blended country; we just wanted to offer a different option from the Latin American food people already know.

“I always wanted to showcase indigenous food from Margarita Island because I feel like the flavors and the way we cook is a little bit different,” she adds. “Guaiqueri is the name of our indigenous tribe from Margarita Island.”

Since April, Guaiqueri Empanadas has been a regular vendor at Plenty of Aloha’s market at the Varsity building on University Avenue. The business got its food truck last May, and still pops up at events around Oʻahu, according to Fernandez. They’ve been at Plenty of Aloha’s market at the Varsity building since April.

“We were looking for a place to park and sell (from our truck); this (Plenty of Aloha market) gave us the option to stay open and sell here every day if we wanted to,” she says.

Empanadas ($5-$9) come with fillings like chicken, chorizo and guava with cheese. The latter is influenced by local flavors, according to Fernandez.

“I like the taste of POG juice,” Fernandez says. “The combination of sweet and savory is really good.”

The business’s arepas, which is made with corn flour, are a customer favorite, according to Fernandez. Menu options include arepa reina pepiada ($13) — which features a chicken avocado filling — or arepa caprese ($15) with mozzarella, tomato and truffle cream.

“It (an arepa) can be grilled or it can be fried; it’s like a sandwich,” Fernandez explains. “You open it and stuff it with whatever you want.

“I did a cohort at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, and it was about elevating your dishes,” she adds. “I felt inspired and tried to do that with the truffle cream.”

On Fridays, the business often features a special. At the time of our visit, pasticho ($25) — which Fernandez says is like a Venezuelan lasagna — was offered.

“We make it a little bit different, but we eat it a lot in Venezuela,” she says. “There’s layers of bechamel sauce, ground beef that we make very Venezuelan-style, a layer of pasta, and at the end, we put a lot of mozzarella, bechamel sauce and Parmesan cheese. The (featured) meat is ground beef with pork.”

The business also offers two drinks — cocada ($10) and papelon con limon ($8). Cocada is made of coconut milk, shredded coconut and coconut condensed milk, according to Fernandez. Meanwhile, papelon con limon is a refreshing drink made with raw cane sugar.

“Cocada is mostly sold in Margarita Island,” she says. “I put a little bit of salt, a little bit of vanilla and a little bit of cinnamon. It’s good; it’s creamy.”

Fernandez says they try to feature different dishes at the food truck so customers can try a variety.

“At the pop-ups, it’s (our menu’s) mostly empanadas and maybe one of our drinks,” she says. “We have a different menu here at the food truck park. If people want to try many Venezuelan dishes, they can come to our location at the food truck park.”

Guiaqueri Empanadas business owner 060126

<title>Guaiqueri Empanadas offers authentic Venezuelan cuisine</title>

The business, which opened in 2020, can now be found regularly at Plenty of Aloha’s market at the Varsity Building. Customers can look forward to arepas, empanadas, and featured specials that aren’t available at Guaiqueri Empanadas’ pop-up events.

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Pritchett Cartoon: AI panic ...

Authors

John Pritchett

More in Business & Tourism

At Lahaina bakery Papi's ‘Ohana, every pastry is a blessing

Retailers say fines for illegal peddling are too low

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Most read