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Daily Smile: Friday, March 27, 2026

Man takes his dog to the park just so he can ride his favorite toy horses....

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Daily Smile: Thursday, March 26, 2026

Dog waits until his owner reaches the end to go....

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, March 25, 2026

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Daily Smile: Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Now let's all enjoy a fat dog running in snow with helicopter tail.....

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Daily Smile: Monday, March 23, 2026

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Daily Smile: Sunday, March 22, 2026

This is Albie. He was so touched by his family singing happy birthday in his native language that he didn't notice the cupcakes with his face on them.....

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Daily Smile: Friday, March 20, 2026

I will never know peace like this on this earth.....

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Daily Smile: Saturday, March 21, 2026

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Daily Smile: Thursday, March 19, 2026

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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, is now open to the public. The Pinehopple Room is located on the second floor, directly above the Kaka

The space was previously home to the HI Brau Room, Aloha Beer Co.’s speakeasy that the biz operated primarily as a private event space.

“We always loved the room and felt like it had so much character,” says Candice Ishikawa, Aloha Beer Co.’s head of marketing and brand. “People who discovered it seemed to immediately fall in love with it, and we saw an opportunity to reimagine the space as something more distinctly connected to Aloha Beer and to Hawaiʻi, while opening it back up for more people to enjoy.”

Ishikawa explains that The Pinehopple Room concept came from the idea of taking the creativity and craft that goes into brewing beer and applying that same spirit to cocktails and hospitality.

“We wanted to create an intimate, upscale lounge that still felt unmistakably part of Aloha Beer, while offering a different side of Aloha Beer from the casual beer garden downstairs,” she says. “The name ‘Pinehopple’ comes from our logo icon and is a play on pineapple and hops, bringing together something immediately evocative of Hawaiʻi, with our roots as a brewery.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The venue’s name impacted its décor and ultimate vibe."}]

“We didn’t want to lose the darker, intimate character that made the original space special, so we built it with a vintage Hawaiʻi-inspired aesthetic, adding tropical botanicals, greenery, warm lighting and other details that make the room feel lush and inviting,” Ishikawa says.

She says The Pinehopple Room’s beverage program is where “the concept comes to life.” The drinks were inspired by the golden age of Hawaii cocktail culture, but the team wanted to bring its own unique twist to the beverages.

“We kept coming back to the idea that classic Hawaiʻi cocktails deserve to be remembered, not simply replicated,” Ishikawa says. “We’re taking those flavors and traditions, and reinterpreting them through fresh ingredients, thoughtful technique and our perspective as a craft brewery.”

So far, popular cocktails include the tropical itch ($18), Molokai fogcutter ($16) and paradise of the Pacific ($21). The tropical itch is made with 

bourbon, rum, orange curaçao, lilikoʻi, pineapple and a dark rum float; the Molokai fogcutter features aged and white rums, pineapple, lilikoʻi, lemon and orgeat; and paradise of the Pacific includes aged rum, tamarind, pineapple and hibiscus grenadine, according to Ishikawa.

Customers can also enjoy a scorpion bowl for two ($38), which is served in a vintage-inspired fish bowl. The drink is designed to be shared and also doubles as a fun centerpiece for the table, according to Ishikawa.

She also explains that The Pinehopple Room team is excited to offer a series of guided spirit flights.

“Guests can explore bourbon, Scotch, international whiskies, agave spirits, and Caribbean rum or Hawaiʻi-made rum, with a guided tasting sheet that provides some background and context for each pour without making the experience feel overly formal,” she says.

Customers can also enjoy light bites that pair naturally with the cocktails. Highlights include Pinehopple sashimi trio (market price) — served with a lilikoʻi-wasabi glaze — Pinehopple shrimp cocktail ($12), spinach dip salmon belly bites ($18), Cuban sliders ($13), paprika chicken pops ($18) and a salami caprese flatbread ($15).

“On the food side, we wanted dishes that were easy to share and felt at home alongside the cocktail program,” Ishikawa says.

The Cuban sliders feature brioche buns stuffed with mayo-mustard, ham, kalua pork, Swiss cheese, pickled cucumbers and cilantro-orange sauce. The paprika chicken pops comprises chicken drummettes in paprika batter, served with blue cheese honey-Red Zeppelin buffalo sauce and celery curls. So far, the chicken pops, spinach dip salmon belly bites and sliders have been customer favorites.

Ishikawa explains that The Pinehopple Room team has been excited to welcome guests and have them experience “the way different kinds of craft come together in one space.”

“Pinehopple is also about the experience around what’s in the glass,” she says. “There’s a sense of nostalgia and vintage Hawaiʻi hospitality without trying to recreate a specific era. We want it to feel special, but never overly formal — a place where people can slow down, connect and stay awhile.”

The Pinehopple Room is currently open from 5 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The lounge does not have a formal reservation system set up and is primarily open for walk-ins, but if a customer calls ahead, the venue can hold a table for them, according to Ishikawa.

“Aloha Beer has always been about creating places for people to gather, and Pinehopple gives us a new way to do that,” Ishikawa says. “Someone can have a beer in the beer garden downstairs, then head upstairs for a cocktail or whiskey flight and feel like they’ve stepped into an entirely different experience without ever leaving Aloha Beer. We’ve loved this room for a long time, and we’re excited to finally open the doors and share it with more people.”

The Pinehopple Room decor 092826

<title>The Pinehopple Room is a new upstairs lounge in Kakaʻako</title>

Located upstairs from Aloha Beer Co. on Queen Street, The Pinehopple Room — previously home to the HI Brau Room speakeasy — recently opened to the public. The upscale lounge features a vintage Hawaiʻi-inspired aesthetic, along with classic Hawaiʻi cocktails with a modern twist.

The Pinehopple Room is a new upstairs lounge in Kakaʻako

De Soto 2025

DeSoto Brown

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

Do you remember Ward Warehouse? It was something of a landmark in Kaka‘ako once, but after being demolished nearly 10 years ago it’s now on its way to being forgotten.

The Ward family is foundational to the history of Kaka‘ako. Back in the 19th century, the clan came to own a large tract of land stretching from their private home that was just across King Street from Thomas Square, all the way down to what is now Kewalo Basin. This ownership, of course, is the origin of the name Ward Avenue for the street that formed most of the boundary of the property on its ‘Ewa side.

By the middle of the 20th century, the Ward land contained a mix of private homes and a variety of business tenants. The family-owned corporation that managed the property, Victoria Ward Ltd., started taking small steps towards more lucrative tenants in the 1950s but ramped up its redevelopment goals in the early 1960s by constructing a series of modern, low-rise structures.

A major new commitment came in early 1974 with the start of construction of Ward Warehouse on a 4.1 acre site between Ala Moana Boulevard, Ward Avenue and Auahi Street. The location had some special considerations in that it was covered by two very different types of zoning: one was for retail while the other was strictly for wholesale and industrial uses. The latter category was slightly problematic for what was intended as, essentially, a shopping center open to the public, and initially required a careful selection of tenants.

Designed by architect Steve Au, Ward Warehouse had a notably 1970s appearance. The hippie movement in the USA by this time had popularized more earthy, natural materials, so the complex’s exteriors were dark-stained wood, inspired in particular by a trend-setting development called Sea Ranch in California from the late 1960s. The only outside decorations were sections of bold painted “supergraphics” in geometric patterns. Industrial elements were not covered up but were openly displayed; on the outside, pipes and fittings were painted in bright colors to show them off, along with some oversized machine parts that were installed purely as decor. Inside the rental spaces, high ceilings showed undisguised conduits, light fixtures and air-conditioning ducts. Floors were concrete and walls were mostly unpainted wood. The effect was “honesty” in materials vs shiny synthetic surfaces.

Ward Warehouse opened with 87 tenant spaces; some interiors had the potential for the construction of mezzanines. Parking on the ground level accommodated 250 vehicles while the four-level concrete garage had 400 more spots. A soft opening for some businesses took place in time for Christmas 1974. By April 1975 the complex was placing large display ads in the Honolulu newspapers.

Those who are old enough to have patronized Ward Warehouse will undoubtedly remember particular stores or restaurants they regularly visited. For many people, the Old Spaghetti Factory at the far ‘Ewa end, with its two-story interior spaces, was surely a favorite (it has since moved to Aloha Tower). Embellished by numerous antique light fixtures and other old-time props which the company had been able to accumulate when such items were mostly inexpensive salvage goods from the demolition of 80- or 90-year-old structures in the USA, the low-cost restaurant had a unique feeling in its diverse seating areas.

Of course many other businesses came and went through Ward Warehouse over the years. There was the Liquor Collection which was filled with limited-edition figural ceramic specialty bottles, stores just for outdoor furniture, kitchenware, and flags, and the Nohea Gallery for local artwork of all kinds.

Ward Warehouse was never intended to last throughout the ages. A 1969 newspaper article quoted a statement from Victoria Ward Ltd that said offices and high-rise structures were eventually planned along Ala Moana Boulevard. Closure of the shopping center came on July 31, 2017 followed by demolition that began in November.

Howard Hughes Corporation, by then the owner of the site, first announced that two “ultraluxury” towers would soon rise here, the Ward Village Gateway. One of these was to be the 

 with units offered for prices ranging from $1.3 million to $23 million; these were first put on sale in 2015. But in 2018 the entire project was dropped, even after Howard Hughes had spent $29 million on it, and 28 of the 125 apartments in the Cylinder had been sold. In 2019 Victoria Place was approved for construction on the Waikīkī end of the property. Next to it was the start of the new Victoria Ward Park which would eventually occupy what had been the center part of Ward Warehouse.

However, it wouldn’t be until 2025 that one of the familiar construction cranes would finally be erected on the rest of the former Ward Warehouse, signaling yet another of the Kaka‘ako condominiums to come: Kalae.

1 Ward ad 1 16x9

<title>Changing Kaka‘ako: Remembering Ward Warehouse</title>

Ward Warehouse was never meant to last — even the previous owners who built it, Victoria Ward Ltd, always intended for offices and high-rises to take its place. But it had a four-decade run from its 1975 opening to its 2017 demolition, featuring such businesses as Old Spaghetti Factory, Orson's, The Liquor Collection, Nohea Gallery and more. Here's a look back at the shopping center, including a glimpse of the neighborhood before Ward Warehouse came along and fishing, rather than shopping, was the area's industry.

Changing Kaka‘ako: Remembering Ward Warehouse

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Widely regarded as the best shooter in the history of the sport, Golden State Warriors star guard Steph Curry has drained an NBA record 4,248 career 3-pointers, making his shots behind the arc at an efficient 42.2% clip. His career free throw percentage of 91.2 is also the highest in league history. 

Curry, 38, took home NBA MVP honors in 2015 and 2016. He has spent his entire career with the Warriors, winning four rings with the franchise that took him seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. A two-year, $116 million extension he agreed to on Sept. 25 will take him through the 2028-2029 season, which will be his 20th season. 

Ahead of Year 18, Curry and the Warriors are stationed at BYU-Hawai‘i's Cannon Activities Center for training camp ahead of the upcoming 2026-2027 season. After a full week of practice, the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers will meet for an exhibition game at the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. 

During Golden State's first practice in the Islands on Tuesday, hundreds of fans lined up outside the team bus at BYU-Hawai‘i, many in Curry jerseys, hopeful to get a glimpse at the global hoops icon. 

Curry is certainly aware of the influence he has on fans worldwide, and he doesn't want to disappoint them. Two years ago, the Warriors held camp on the North Shore and also played an exhibition game at the Stan Sheriff Center. Curry mentioned wanting to hit a 3-pointer in front of Hawai‘i fans to show his appreciation. 

In the exhibition on Oct. 5, 2024, the most prolific shooter the game has ever seen went 0-for-4 in 14 minutes played. It's a fact he was reminded of after Tuesday's practice. Come Sunday, Curry hopes to make amends by doing what he does best. 

"I only played the first half, and I was out there chucking," Curry said. "I'll try to make up for it on Sunday. It's a cool vibe. We're here for a week, we get to play in front of a different fanbase, different arena and we appreciate the love we get out here for sure."

After Sunday's exhibition, the Warriors will return to the Bay Area and play an additional five preseason games. The 82-game regular season begins with a contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 21. 

The trip to the North Shore for a handful of days is a welcome reprieve for a team that won't have much downtime once the grind of the regular season gets underway in a few weeks. 

"We're locked in on basketball all day, and practice is pretty much over. I want all the guys to do whatever they want. Have fun, go to the beach, play some golf. I believe that finding that balance is just fine. This is not the 1950s," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says. "The North Shore is beautiful. It's kind of, for me, like old school Hawai‘i. I've got a bunch of incredible surfing photos in my hotel room, and I'm a bad surfer myself, but I do like to surf. It's wonderful. Hospitality everywhere we go. People are treating us so well. It's a wonderful place for us to visit."

Across town, the Clippers are holding training camp at UH-Mānoa's Gym II, the upstairs gym frequented by both University of Hawai‘i basketball teams in their own practices. In September, the Clippers were fined $30 million by the NBA and stripped of five first-round draft picks after an investigation found that the team circumvented salary cap rules by paying additional money to star forward Kawhi Leonard through falsified endorsement deals organized by the franchise. Team owner Steve Ballmer was also suspended for one year. 

Days after the NBA revealed their findings and handed down its ruling on the Clippers, Leonard was officially traded to the Toronto Raptors, marking a new era for the franchise as it headed to the Islands for camp. 

"I think our season is going to be surprising to a lot of people," Clippers guard Darius Garland said following the team's first practice in Mānoa. "I think we have a good chemistry so far. We haven't even hit the season yet, so I think that's going to take a little bit since everybody's been in the gym for at least two, three months now. We've been around each other, got the camaraderie going. ... We got a lot of competitors. We got a lot of dogs in this team that can really go."

The Clippers, who will be the de facto home team on Sunday, are also involved in a number of community activations in an effort to grow their Hawai‘i fanbase, including a team visit to a 

Kaiser Permanente clinic on the weekend. Throughout the week, members of the team also participated in a 

"Waking up, seeing the water in the morning, seeing the people here that are excited to have us, it's been a nice change of pace," Clippers guard Max Strus said. "It's beautiful out here, and I'm just excited to get it underway."

Steph Curry 100126

<title>Steph Curry vows to let it fly for Hawai‘i fans in Sunday exhibition</title>

Curry, the NBA's all-time 3-point leader, hopes to make his signature shot in front of the Islandsʻ supporters.

Steph Curry vows to let it fly for Hawai‘i fans in Sunday exhibition

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

The woman charged with murder after allegedly fatally shooting a man in Kailua last weekend was turned in by her father the day of the event, according to a Honolulu police report.

Hilinaikailimakualopali Keeno, 24, was charged on Sept. 30 with second-degree murder, carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony and improperly keeping a pistol or revolver. She is being held pending a $1 million bail.

An HPD document — which was submitted on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to the Honolulu Circuit Court to establish probable cause to detain Keeno without a warrant — states that Keeno’s father brought her to the Kailua Police Station less than an hour after 

was declared dead of a gunshot wound to the neck in the Kailua Target parking lot.

The report states that HPD special duty officers, who were working security at the Kailua Fall Festival that day, were called to assist with a group of festivalgoers involved in an argument at about 8:26 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Officers escorted the group out of the festival and watched them head toward the Target parking lot, only to hear another altercation begin among the group minutes later.

During this new altercation, a pop resembling a gunshot was heard, and officers saw two men — one of whom was Keeno’s brother — assaulting a third. Both assailants were placed under arrest for disorderly conduct, while officers discovered Malone on the ground, covered in blood.

[{"type":"text","text":"Malone was declared dead at the scene by 8:43 p.m."}]

At 9:39 p.m., Keeno was brought to the Kailua Police Station by her father, who told police she was involved in the incident and wanted to provide a statement in the presence of her attorney.

According to the HPD report, no interview was conducted with Keeno that night. Subsequently, HPD sought photographs and videos from the public to help piece together the event and identify the shooter.

On Sept. 28, another witness identified Keeno as the shooter, and HPD confirmed that Keeno has one firearm registered in her name, a Sig Sauer P365 handgun.

[{"type":"text","text":"Following this, Keeno was placed under arrest."}]

Keeno’s preliminary hearing, when she will plead guilty or not guilty to the charges, will take place Monday, Oct. 5. She remains in custody.

Hpd 16x9

<title>Woman charged in Kailua shooting turned in by father</title>

Hilinakailimakualopali Keeno faces a $1 million bail for a second-degree murder charge.

Woman charged in Kailua shooting turned in by father

The Washington man charged with throwing a rock at a Hawaiian monk seal earlier this year can travel somewhat more freely now.

 in May with violating the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act by allegedly hurling a rock at an endangered monk seal on a Maui beach, narrowly missing the animal’s head.

Lytvynchuk was released on a $25,000 bond with several conditions in May. Those conditions restricted his travel to only the Western District of Washington — which covers Washington west of the Cascade Mountains — and O‘ahu, although he was only permitted to travel to the island for court purposes, and was prohibited from accessing any beaches while in the state.

However, at a status conference last week — at which Lytvynchuk was not physically present — Lytvynchuk’s travel restrictions were loosened to allow for work-related travel within Washington.

An agreement signed by Magistrate Judge Rom Trader now allows Lytvynchuk to travel within the full state of Washington. While he is only allowed to travel to O‘ahu for court purposes, with any travel to the island to be approved in advance by the court’s probation office, the restrictions do not mention any requirement to avoid beaches or marine animals.

While the status conference also established a trial date of Nov. 16, Lytvynchuk’s attorneys filed a motion Monday requesting that date be postponed to an unspecified date in 2027 for multiple reasons.

In particular, Lytvynchuk’s attorney’s are seeking to subpoena evidence from Delta Airlines — the airline he used to travel from Seattle to Maui — about whether the airline made any announcements or advisories regarding Hawaiian monk seals, endangered species or any prohibited actions on Lytvynchuk’s flight.

In addition, Lytvynchuk’s attorneys have outstanding requests with the state Attorney General, Department of Land and Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regarding records of previous Hawaiian monk seal-related investigations.

Those records are intended to investigate “whether similarly situated persons accused of comparable conduct involving Hawaiian monk seals were treated differently from [Lytvynchuk]” and whether any differences in treatment indicate that Lytvynchuk’s right to equal protection is begin impeded, according to the motion filed Monday.

In any case, the subpoena and outstanding records requests are unlikely to be resolved in time for a November trial date, hence the request for a postponement.

Whether that request is granted will be determined at a hearing on Oct. 13. Lytvynchuk will also not appear in person at that hearing.

Screenshot 2026 05 13 at 3 19 31 PM 16x9

<title>Travel restrictions eased for man accused of throwing rock at monk seal</title>

Igor Lytvynchuk can travel throughout Washington state again, although is still barred from Hawai‘i save for court business.

Travel restrictions eased for man accused of throwing rock at monk seal

Business & Tourism

From the moment she opened her first cafe in Hilo three and a half years ago, business owner Savanica Johansen of 

“The vision (for my shops) was always just bigger — opening across the Islands, maybe even opening on the Mainland,” she says. “It was always just a big vision. This was always a matter of when (not if) — when we would open in Honolulu.”

Long before Coffee Girl came about, Johansen was a sales manager for Hilton. Part of her job including traveling; the first thing she would do in a different city was to look for cute coffee shops.

“I’ve always been a coffee girl,” Johansen says. “When I would travel (for work), I would just go to a different coffee shop every day. That was what I loved to do.”

At that time, Johansen recalls that coffee shops/cafes were not plentiful in Hilo.

“If I wanted to get coffee before work, the Starbucks line was so long,” she remembers. “It was so hard to get coffee; if I went on my lunch break, everyone was also there at the same time.”

During a trip to Australia, Johansen felt “really inspired” to start her own coffee business one day.

“There are beautiful coffee shops on every corner (there),” she says. “I kept saying, ‘I want to have a coffee shop.’”

Around 2018, Johansen left the hotel industry to pursue real estate, which she says “was her first dream.” She said her goal for the longest time was to be a luxury real estate agent. When the Covid-19 pandemic happened and life slowed down, Johansen remembers coffee was still a highlight in her life — specifically, in the form of white mochas from Starbucks.

“White mocha was my thing,” she laughs. “I asked my husband, ‘Can you please buy me one of those fancy, expensive coffee machines? It’ll save money.’”

For six months after getting a coffee machine, Johansen says she “dumped everything down the drain” and still went to get her fix at Starbucks because her coffee “was terrible.”

“I’m very, very picky with my coffee, so none of them tasted good (to me)," she says. "Finally, one day, I made something really good.

“My sister, who is a nurse at the hospital in Hilo, came over and tried it,” she adds. “She said, ‘Can you bring me a coffee for my night shift?’ I started bringing her coffee at work, and her coworkers wanted coffee, too, so I started delivering.”

Johansen credits her drink recipes to a lot of trial and error. The coffee deliveries were the catalyst to officially starting her business.

“It was still around 2021; they (my sister’s coworkers) said, ‘This is really good, but you should be charging us,’” Johansen says. “I was just making it for free; I started charging $3 for the drinks.

“I wanted something to do; I’m a very social person,” she adds, noting the struggles with social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. “I just wanted connection. I feel like it’s so fulfilling to give somebody a cup of coffee and for them to be so happy. This (coffee) brought me more fulfillment than real estate ever did.”

At first, Johansen didn’t know what to call her business, but “coffee girl” was a suggestion from her daughter.

“I didn’t like it at first because it was just (geared) to one market,” Johansen says. “But most of my drinks are to this market — the girls who want the fancy coffees, who want the aesthetic.

“At that time, I was working for a lawyer part-time and doing coffee deliveries,” she says. “My lawyer was like, ‘This is a genius idea; a lot of people can resonate with being a coffee girl.’”

With her business name and social media account set, word started to spread about Coffee Girl, and Johansen realized having a physical location for her business was the next step.

“My business got registered; I wanted to do this right — in line with the health department guidelines — and get a shop,” Johansen says. She ended up funding her first store, located at 2100 Kanoelehua Ave., with the money from her biggest real estate sale.

“I put every single penny into my shop and opened my first location in March 2023,” she says. “It did really well; I was so happy with the response that I got.

“It was my first shop, but I wanted more; I just felt like it was made for me,” she adds. “I ended up getting the opportunity for my second shop, which is in downtown Hilo (42 Waianuenue Ave.).”

While opening in Honolulu was always on her heart, everything came together quickly this year. Johansen says she was on O

ahu for vacation in June and didn’t want to leave.

“I went home and was like, ‘I want to be in Honolulu,’” she says. “I flew back the next week, looked at spaces, and put in an offer (for this one). By the time I got the keys, it was August. We started construction at the end of August; we finished in about four weeks.

“I believe in myself so much that sometimes, I’m like, ‘Wow, girl … you need to check yourself,’” she laughs. “But honestly, sometimes I don’t want to think about it (too much) because who opens a coffee shop in 60 days?”

Coffee Girl’s Honolulu location officially opened on Sept. 26. While all of her stores are slightly different, Johansen says there are common elements in each one.

“All of my shops have roses; I love roses, they are my favorite flower,” she says. “They’re (the stores) all different colors — my first shop is pink, my second shop is a lighter shade of green, like a sage green, and this one is white and gold. They’re the same vibe, but different; I want them all to be destination coffee shops. I want people to experience all the Coffee Girls.”

She says that while her Big Island stores are inspired by French cafes, her Honolulu store features a more modern look. She says her cafes usually feature mirrors and heart-shaped straws for the drinks.

The menus across all three stores a mostly the same, according to Johansen. The café

’s signature beverage is its pink macchiato, a layered drink with white chocolate, vanilla, strawberry milk and espresso shots. Other popular options include the banana bread latte and chocolate haupia pie latte.

Johansen says, referring to the menu selection. “A lot of my drinks are inspired by my favorite desserts. I’m a big dessert person; I love sweets. I made the chocolate haupia pie years ago because I love Ted’s Bakery’s chocolate haupia pie.”

She notes that many of the drinks are designed as iced lattes, but hot drinks are available as well. Besides coffee, the menu includes frappes (blended drinks), lemonade, matchas, teas and kid-friendly options like hot cocoa and chocolate milkshakes.

“Our strawberry matcha is made a little differently here,” 

Johansen notes. “There are different products that I can get here (in Honolulu) that aren’t as easily accessible in Hilo.” 

For her Honolulu store, Johansen collabs with local bakers to feature a rotating selection of treats. Coco’s Cravings 808 (cinnamon rolls), Aloha Loaf (brown butter chocolate chip banana bread cookies) and Lyman Lattes (mini croissants) are a few of the featured vendors so far.

“I was not about to put an oven and a whole bakery in here,” Johansen says. “I was like, ‘Let me get some local bakers who want to collab and I can sell their stuff here;' it’s a win. I love what everybody does, and the hard work they put in.”

Coffee Girl Honolulu does offer a café menu, comprising dishes like grilled cheese ($10.95), chicken pesto panini ($16.95) and build-your-own avocado toast (starting at $14.95).

“I never used to do food when I started,” Johansen says. “We started with the build-your-own avocado toast, which is popular on the Big Island.

“People want a one-stop shop — they want to come in and get their coffee, get their breakfast or lunch, and maybe get a sweet treat,” she adds.

ahu store came together quickly partially because she “gets things done quick,” but also because materials were more accessible.

“When I do things, I fully commit,” she says. “All of my orders came in faster (here) than they did in Hilo. Sometimes, that’s the biggest thing; just waiting on stuff to come in. When I finally opened last Saturday, it was surreal.

“I couldn’t do any of this without God, every space, every opportunity was because of Him. He’s opened every door at the right time,” she says. “It’s definitely a lot of hard work and sacrifice, too; my kids back home sacrifice a lot. But let this inspire people who have kids; they can definitely accomplish their dreams.”

Coffee Girl Honolulu’s grand opening is this Saturday, Oct. 3 at 8 a.m. The first 100 customers will get a free goodie bag; after grand opening, the biz will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“This location is just special because I always wanted to be on O

ahu,” Johansen says. “I love the city. Every time it’s Merrie Monarch (in Hilo), I get a lot of O

ahu customers. They’re like, ‘When are you going to open on O

“It’s finally here; it’s been talked about for years now, and it’s really been on my heart,” she adds. “I really felt like this is where I wanted to be. I made this for you guys; I made this for the O

Customer parking available at Azure Ala Moana (retail stalls available)

Open daily, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (open from 6 a.m. after Oct. 3)

Coffee Girl owner 092826

<title>Oʻahu has a new ‘Coffee Girl’</title>

The cafe with roots in Hilo — known for its coffee, matcha and aesthetic decor — just opened its first Honolulu location on Keʻeaumoku Street at Azure Ala Moana. Its grand opening is this Saturday at 8 a.m.; customers can look forward to specialty lattes like chocolate haupia pie, banana bread and white chocolate strawberry.