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Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi 

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Annabelle Le Jeune

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Corey Idleburg

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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Earlier this month, Saks Global Enterprises announced it will close three more Neiman Marcus stores (along with 12 Saks Fifth Avenue locations) across the U.S. — including the 

This location, along with its iconic Mariposa restaurant, opened in 1998. Since then, the restaurant has become a popular option for business power lunches, gatherings with friends, and a spot to relax and watch the Friday night fireworks over Waikīkī.

The Neiman Marcus Ala Moana store and Mariposa restaurant’s closure date has not been announced.

Aloha State Daily talked with several customers and former staff members about some of their favorite memories at the restaurant, as they prepare to say “a hui hou” to Mariposa.

Lance Kosaka, former executive chef at Mariposa

Aloha State Daily (ASD): What was a highlight of your time at the restaurant as executive chef?

: The best memories were (of) the people; the customers were really nice. We did so many events.

ASD: The eatery’s sunset lounge menu started while you were there, right?

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"italic"}],"text":"ASD: Do you have a favorite dish on the menu?"}]

: We ran some special things. For the sunset lounge, we did lemon pepper shrimp and we used to do arancini, like ochazuke arancini. That was one of my favorite things.

ASD: Do you have anything else you wanted to add?

: It was a lovely space, one of the most beautiful dining rooms, just how it was set (up).

Maria Kawananakoa, longtime Mariposa customer

ASD: Can you remember the first time you dined at Mariposa?

: Maybe when they first opened about 28 years ago. I can’t remember the first time, but I remember we had lots of great events there — birthday parties, sunsets and Friday night fireworks.

ASD: Do you have a go-to order or favorite dish?

: Their popovers are amazing. The dish I always order is the chopped salad with salmon. It’s healthy, clean and good.

ASD: What were some of your favorite memories there?

: There are so many — being at the bar with my husband, who has passed away; we had dinner there a lot. I had my girlfriend’s bridal shower there, lots of birthdays, lot of Friday evenings. Lots of lunches; I spend most lunches at Mariposa. It’s just a great place to connect with friends and enjoy that indoor/outdoor atmosphere. There’s always great service and beautiful smiles.

That’s the go-to place for many business lunches, and on Friday evenings, for live Hawaiian music and sunset. There’s nothing really like it — watching the sunsets and fireworks (on Fridays) shortly after, with good food and great company.

Lawrence Nakamoto, former executive chef at Neiman Marcus; current chef/owner of Tango Contemporary Café

ASD: How long were you the executive chef at Mariposa?

: About six years, but I was there previously as the sous chef and line cook. In total, I was there for 10 years.

ASD: What were some of your favorite memories during your time there?

: For us in the kitchen, we had a really good crew; it was a good place to work. It’s very hard to find that kind of job where you don’t mind going into work. We had a really fun time on the line working, even though it was busy.

As a sous chef, I had a lot of support from the former executive chef. That’s where I got my basis for what I’m doing now; getting feedback from customers and servers for what I’m doing now.

ASD: What were some of your responsibilities at executive chef?

: On top of Mariposa, I was responsible for making sure the events through the whole store were catered to. We would have some luncheons on different floors for the customers of that specific brand; we would have fashion shows and we would have to do passed appetizers. There were a lot of different events going on through that whole store.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"italic"}],"text":"ASD: What were some memorable ones for you?"}]

: Always the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival; we did the kick-off event at Mariposa. That was a fun one we used to do every year; all the chefs would come.

ASD: Did you have a favorite dish on the menu?

: The scallop with dashi butter and nori pesto; we served that with some risotto. That was one of my favorites we put on the menu.

ASD: Is there anything else you wanted to add?

: I owe a lot to my time there; that was really my first chef position. I owe my time there to the company for giving me that opportunity.

ASD: Do you remember your first visit to Mariposa?

: So (executive chef) Marc was still there; probably 2002 or 2003, in the early 2000s. We were from the Big Island, so here we were, in the “big city” (Honolulu). It was suggested that we go and try the restaurant out. My husband and I went in there and we just sat and stared; it was so beautiful and so big. We sat at the table close to where the glass divider to the outside lanai is. It was so wonderful; I can’t even remember what we ordered, except that I loved the popovers. At that time, they had a liliko

i butter; it wasn’t like the other restaurants that had strawberry. I really liked it. We had the chicken broth, and we thought we had hit the jackpot.

I believe Yoon was our first server. We sat right there, right in front of Magic Island, and it was so nice. I remember, a few months later, being invited for a dinner that was given at Neiman Marcus for a pianist. It was such a treat to go there; we had never been there at night. It was unbelievable, it was so beautiful; I remember it was a full moon. Everybody was so gracious, and the food was spectacular.

ASD: Speaking of food, do you have a favorite dish at the restaurant?

: I would always get the ‘ahi salad, but I would say, “Don’t give me any greens.” Just give me a scoop of rice and the ‘ahi. That’s what I would have every single time I went; that was my favorite.

ASD: Any specific memories stand out from the times you went there?

: There’s a group of us that have done our birthdays at Mariposa for many years; we’re called “The Darling Dozen” — there’s 12 of us — and we always celebrate everybody’s birthdays throughout the year. Once a month, we all get together. (When the news came out about the store’s closure), we were all looking at each other, going, “Where are we going to go? Where are we going to celebrate our birthdays?” Every month we would all get together, and it means so much to us. 

ASD: Do you have anything else you would like to share?

: It has the best view and the most wonderful people working there. One special lady is Yoon; she’s been there for a long time. She’s always been a wonderful lady. I’ve been there long enough to see her daughter grow. There are a lot of people that have worked there for years. All the chefs have been wonderful, the food has always been great, and the service has always been fabulous. It’s just the most wonderful place to meet and be with your friends.

We’re going to miss the oxtail soup special down at the café on Thursdays — the line was always long — and just every aspect of Neiman Marcus and the restaurants, the memories that it holds for all of us. It’s becoming a reality and it’s becoming very sad to think about not being able to come there. Neiman Marcus in and of itself was such a wonderful place; you would always know somebody when you were there walking around.

[{"type":"text","text":"I’m very sad that it’s closing; it’s the closing of an era."}]

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Mariposa interior 033026

<title>Memories of Mariposa</title>

Aloha State Daily talks with several customers and former staff members about their favorite memories of the iconic Ala Moana Center eatery, as they prepare to say “A hui hou” to Neiman Marcus and Mariposa.

Memories of Mariposa

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Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines are approaching the next major step in their combination — the rollout of a shared passenger service system on April 22 — but ahead of that milestone, passengers should take note of a few other changes underway now.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Tag your bag"}]

New self-service bag-tag software on kiosks in Hawaiian’s airport lobbies will enable guests to use kiosks to print and attach baggage destination tags, or bag tags, before proceeding to the bag drop areas, a recent 

. Meanwhile, the airline will shift to mobile and web check-in as the main way for guests to get their boarding passes.

“The upgrade is designed to reduce lobby wait times and congestion, making it easier for all guests to get to their departure gate, as well as reduce waste by discontinuing printed boarding passes,” the post states.

Airline spokesperson Tara Shimooka told Aloha State Daily on Friday that Hawaiian was already making the transition at its Mainland stations, with plans to start at Hawai‘i airports this week and into early April. The kiosks will be solely for printing bag tags, she says.

[{"type":"text","text":"This move aligns Hawaiian with Alaska’s check-in process."}]

“Whether you’re flying Alaska or Hawaiian, the check-in process is the same,” says Shimooka. She did, however, add that guests who may not be tech savvy or aren’t ready to make that change, can still check in with an agent to receive their boarding pass.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"One app to rule them all"}]

Starting Monday, you’ll find a single unified Alaska Hawaiian mobile app in your app store.

, the airline noted that as part of the transition to a single mobile platform, the current Alaska Airlines app will update automatically for most guests starting Monday, March 30. Meanwhile, the legacy Hawaiian Airlines app will remain available through April 21.

Anyone who’s booked on a Hawaiian Airlines flight through that date should continue to use the legacy Hawaiian mobile app for check-in and day-of travel updates, the airline says.

Shimooka told ASD that the full functionality of the single app won’t kick in for Hawaiian app users until the PSS rolls out April 22.

According to the blog, beginning on April 22, Hawaiian app users will be able to change or cancel flights directly in the app, share boarding passes and book flights with more than 30 

, including oneworld alliance members, using cash or points. There also will be Apple Pay integration.

You’ll still be able to manage existing travel, and Atmos Rewards benefits, login and passwords will remain unchanged, the post notes.

And although the single app supports both airlines, users can choose between an Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines theme.

“The unified app is a key milestone in Alaska and Hawaiian's ongoing investments to deliver a seamless guest experience across its combined global network,” the airlines said. “Today, guests benefit from shared lobby spaces, reduced lobby lines with modern bag-tag stations and a best-in-class loyalty program.

“By bringing both airlines into one app and the same passenger service system on April 22, guests will enjoy simplified trip management and self-service features across Alaska and Hawaiian airlines, and consistent performance improvements to our technology.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Coming soon"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"What is a passenger service system?"}]

"It means that instead of having two separate systems where tickets are housed, [it's] all in one," Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow told ASD following a pau hana hosted by Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i earlier this month, where she shared updates about the company. "So one confirmation code, any employee can help you with your ticket, it just makes the travel experience more seamless across the brands."

Spokesperson Alex Da Silva says it’s usually referred to as the central nervous system of IT for an airline, with every piece of passenger information connected to the PSS — when you book, when you’re issued your record locator, day-of travel updates, post-trip emails and even the information on the baggage tag system, on the app and loyalty information.

“That’s why we launched things in sequence and in phases,” he explained. “The Atmos Rewards program came first, the baggage tag system came next, and now we’re rolling out the app right as we get ready to join PSS, so that by the time we all join, all of the systems [are] up and running, they’re online and it allows our employees … to service every guest, whether they’re flying Hawaiian or Alaska, which we know has been sort of a frustrating limitation of the combination so far. That’s why we’re super excited to be on the same PSS, because it’s going to make lives easier for our guests, but also our employees.”

Alaska Air Group Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings Inc. 

 that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal that was valued at approximately $1.9 billion, including $900 million of Hawaiian’s net debt, according to an announcement at that time. The acquisition was 

There were four major integration milestones, Da Silva said: the launch of a single loyalty program, 

 from the Federal Aviation Administration; the single passenger service system; and the joint collective bargaining agreements for the airlines’ various unions.

, the same day that Alaska Airlines received its 

Earlier this year, Hawaiian Airlines and state officials announced the 

, which includes investments of more than $600 million over the next five years “to modernize airport spaces, aircraft cabins and technology for both guests and employees, expanding loyalty benefits for Hawai‘i residents and continuing our deep investment in community and sustainability statewide,” Birkett Rakow said at that time.

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<title>Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines approaching the next milestone in their combination</title>

Changes leading up to the launch of a shared passenger service system include the launch of a single app for both airlines.

Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines approaching the next milestone in their combination

 is set to open on Thursday, April 2, at 6:30 a.m. The store — located at 1837 Kapiʻolani Blvd. — is Chick-fil-A’s largest restaurant to date in Hawai‘i.

 will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays for dine-in, take-out, catering and third-party delivery.

To celebrate the new location, customers are encouraged to dress in cow print — ranging from cow-spotted accessories to full-on cow costumes — on opening day to receive a free entree or kids’ meal.

Breakfast offer options include the Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit, egg white grill or four-count Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis; lunch and dinner offer options include Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, spicy chicken sandwich, 8-count grilled nuggets, 8-count original nuggets or 5-count nugget kid’s meal. The free entree offer is limited to one person in cow attire per day, while supplies last (no purchase necessary).

“Opening my second Chick-fil-A fills me with excitement for what’s ahead,” states Kurt Milne, current owner-operator of Chick-fil-A Ala Moana Center. “My hope is that Chick-fil-A Kapiʻolani & Kalākaua becomes more than a restaurant, but a gathering place where neighbors connect, families celebrate and our team members can grow and serve with purpose.”

Milne will serve as the independent franchised owner-operator of Chick-fil-A Kapiʻolani & Kalākaua. He graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and has more than two decades of business experience on Oʻahu.

The new store is also celebrating its opening by donating $25,000 from Chick-fil-A Inc. to Feeding America. The eatery will also participate in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, which redirects surplus food to local nonprofit organizations. Chick-fil-A Kapiʻolani & Kalākaua will specifically donate to Aloha Harvest.

The new location’s dining room offers seating for up to 260 customers and also features a dedicated event space for community gatherings.

Open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays

Chick fil A Kapiolani 033026

<title>Largest Chick-fil-A in Hawai‘i to open April 2</title>

The restaurant — located at Kapiʻolani Boulevard and Kalākaua Avenue — will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays for dine-in, takeout, catering and third-party delivery. Guests who show up dressed in cow print on opening day will receive a free entree or kid’s meal.

Largest Chick-fil-A in Hawai‘i to open April 2

Ala Moana Center is losing a longtime anchor tenant.

 it will close three more Neiman Marcus stores and 12 Saks Fifth Avenue locations across the U.S. — including the Neiman Marcus location in Ala Moana Center, which opened in 1998.

In January, Saks Global, which operates brands that include Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks OFF 5th, 

, the company said it is “refining the Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus store footprint to focus on profitable locations with the highest growth potential.” At that time, it was announced that eight Saks Fifth Avenue locations and one Neiman Marcus location would close.

In a statement provided to media on Friday, 

 said the organization — a statewide, membership-based, not-for-profit trade organization that advocates for and supports Hawai‘i’s retail industry

was “deeply saddened” by the pending closure.

“Since opening its doors in 1998, Neiman Marcus has played an important and meaningful role in Hawaiʻi’s retail community and in the lives of residents and visitors who have made the store part of their traditions and special,” the statement reads. “While we understand that this decision reflects broader strategic changes by Saks Global Enterprises, which has indicated a reduction in its physical store count and a focus on specific major markets and demographics within its luxury retail portfolio, the loss of the Honolulu store is significant for Hawai‘i. Neiman Marcus has long been a leader in luxury retailing here, helping to elevate Hawai‘i’s position as an international shopping destination.”

Lindsay Kahn, senior director of public relations for Ala Moana Center owner GGP, said in an email to Aloha State Daily that Friday's news "presents our team with an exciting opportunity.”

“This is extremely valuable real estate with coveted water views and opportunities to repurpose space of this scale are rare,” she says. “Ala Moana Center remains one of the most iconic retail destinations in North America, and we have proactively been working behind the scenes on future plans to further enhance this global center to our local community and visitors.”

, citing company officials, have reported that Neiman Marcus will remain open through the end of May. The exact closing date for Mariposa, a restaurant located within Neiman Marcus, had not yet been confirmed as of Friday, according to sources close to the retailer.

Ala Moana Center opened in 1959 and is the world's largest open-air shopping center with more than 2.4 million square feet of retail space. It offers more than 350 stores and restaurants and 160 dining options.

 In addition to Neiman Marcus, other anchor stores include Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy’s and Target.

 in 1907, founded by Herbert Marcus, his sister Carrie Marcus Neiman and her husband, A.L. Neiman. They were torn between starting their own company that would bring "world-acclaimed fashion design home to Texas," or investing in an emerging beverage company — Coca-Cola. 

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<title>Neiman Marcus to close at Ala Moana Center</title>

Last month, parent company Saks Global Enterprises said it is “refining the Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus store footprint to focus on profitable locations with the highest growth potential.”

Neiman Marcus to close at Ala Moana Center

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ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"When your dogs really don't want you to leave..."}]

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<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, February 12, 2026</title>

When your dogs really don't want you to leave...

Daily Smile: Thursday, February 12, 2026

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Daniel Farr

Government & Politics

Hawaiian Electric is projecting nearly $500 million in wildfire mitigation spending over the next three years after state regulators approved the utility’s 2025–2027 wildfire mitigation plan, a decision that also clears the way for the company to seek recovery of those costs from customers.

The Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission approved the plan this week, finding it substantially complies with state wildfire mitigation guidelines, while cautioning that any future cost recovery requests will face separate review.

After accounting for about $52 million in anticipated federal and state grant funding, Hawaiian Electric estimates its net wildfire mitigation spending at approximately $483 million from 2025 through 2027.

The PUC has required such two-year plans from Hawaiian Electric since the Maui wildfires, which killed 102 people and destroyed much of Lahaina.

The spending plan includes several major cost drivers. Hawaiian Electric projects about $60 million to install covered conductors on roughly 56 miles of overhead lines on Oʻahu, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island by the end of 2027, at an average cost of about $1.07 million per mile. More than half of that work is concentrated on Maui, reflecting higher wildfire risk.

Vegetation management and inspections account for another $41.5 million, while asset inspections and repairs total about $54.7 million over the three-year period. The company also forecasts $28 million for situational awareness tools, including weather stations, cameras and monitoring systems.

Grid modernization tied to wildfire mitigation represents another major investment. Hawaiian Electric estimates $89.1 million in grid modernization costs associated with the wildfire plan from 2025 to 2027, though those costs are being pursued through a separate regulatory docket under the utility’s extraordinary project recovery mechanism.

Smaller allocations include funding for community outreach and communications, public safety power shutoff notifications, management and governance, and about $1.5 million to establish an Ignition Management Office to oversee wildfire risk reduction.

Any customer rate impacts tied to wildfire mitigation spending would require separate commission approval. Hawaiian Electric has filed a cost recovery request related to its wildfire mitigation plan that is currently under review in a separate proceeding, according to Deborah Kwan, communications officer for the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission, who provided details to Aloha State Daily.

Kwan said Hawaiian Electric may also seek to finance some wildfire mitigation investments through securitization, a mechanism authorized under Act 258 passed during the 2024 legislative session. The commission is awaiting Hawaiian Electric’s application seeking approval of that financing method, she said, adding that regardless of the approach, any costs the utility seeks to recover will be reviewed to ensure they were prudently incurred.

Hawaiian Electric has estimated potential monthly bill impacts if the costs are approved. “For typical residential customers on Oʻahu the estimated monthly bill impact is $1. For Hawaiʻi Island it’s $3 and for Maui it’s $5,” Darren Pai, senior communications consultant for Hawaiian Electric, told ASD. “That still has to be reviewed and approved by the PUC before it can actually happen.”

In approving the wildfire mitigation plan, the commission adopted progress metrics to track Hawaiian Electric’s compliance and identified areas where the utility must continue to improve, including wildfire risk modeling, project timelines, workforce planning and protections for vulnerable populations and critical facilities.

Kwan told ASD the commission is also in the early stages of establishing a rulemaking proceeding to determine a utility liability cap, a step regulators say is required before the state can consider creating a wildfire recovery fund. The rulemaking process will include opportunities for public input, she said.

A separate actuarial study referenced in the commission’s wildfire recovery fund analysis would require legislative authorization, Kwan said. The study cited modeling by Hawaiian Electric estimating potential wildfire damages of roughly $300 million per year.

The commission also held two public meetings in April to gather community input on the wildfire mitigation plan and recovery fund study. Kwan said regulators have closely monitored Hawaiian Electric’s public engagement efforts since the Maui wildfires and noted improvements to the utility’s public safety power shutoff program based on community feedback.

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<title>Hawaiian Electric projects nearly $500M in wildfire mitigation costs through 2027</title>

State regulators approved the utility’s wildfire mitigation plan, while emphasizing oversight of cost recovery and customer rate impacts.

Hawaiian Electric projects nearly $500M in wildfire mitigation costs through 2027

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Puanani Fernandez-Akamine is the editor of 

 newspaper and a multiple award-winning writer. Before joining OHA in 2019, she worked for Kamehameha Schools. She is passionate about helping our lāhui tell their stories in their own words to inform, uplift and inspire. She cares deeply about social justice, Indigenous sovereignty, aloha ʻāina and animal welfare. Puanani lives in the ʻāina momona of Kahaluʻu, Oʻahu, with her extended ʻohana and lots of dogs.

<title>Puanani Fernandez-Akamine</title>

Puanani Fernandez-Akamine

Hawaii History

It was not until the 1921 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was passed by the U.S. Congress, with language defining “natives” as those individuals having 50% or more Hawaiian blood, that the idea of “blood quantum” to determine our Hawaiian-ness was introduced into the consciousness of our people.

Understanding Blood Quantum 16x9

Community Voices: Understanding Blood Quantum

Aloha Spirit

Tom Pōhaku Stone, a waterman, cultural practitioner and educator, brought back heʻe hōlua, or land sledding, and is considered to be Hawaiʻi’s foremost expert in the sport. For the last 30 years, Stone has ridden his papa hōlua (sled) on ancient hōlua slides and grassy hills across the pae‘āina.

Ka Hee Holua 15

Community Voices: Reviving Hawaiʻi’s extreme sport

Remembering Louis "Lui" Hao (Jan. 2, 1935 – June 20, 2025), a lifelong community servant, social justice advocate, and two-term OHA trustee.

Puanani Fernandez-Akamine

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