In 1987 many things about this famous beach was still not in place. The broader sidewalk you see now on the main Kalakaua Avenue was not there. Population in Waikiki alone was 93,000 people. 17,000 residents living in Waikiki. 43,000 visitors and
33,000 employees working in this area in 1987. (The Peopling Of Hawai'i, Eleanor C. Nordyke, 2nd edition)
Hilton Hawaiian Village was smaller and renovations to the hotel was to accommodate smaller amounts of guest for the hotel. In 2010 the hotel added a new wing and made several other changes to the hotel. The 3rd floor of the newly winged hotel was added for local and mainland guest for catering conventions and party and other activities the hotel might accept and in use for the locals to patronize. They also have a hula show on the 4th floor of the west wing of the hotel. It features a buffet and a hula show for anyone staying at the hotel to get a glimpse of the polynesian experiences.
Pacific Beach Hotel was the same as it is today, no new changes. Other than it burned down, and had to be rebuilt. They also have a fish tank show with lots of water in the hotel and a diver fishing the fish in a big tank. It's a not bad show, but very much not there if you wanted to be at awe of the amount of water in a hotel. On the second floor, if you wanted finer dining area, they have a
Shogun restaurant area for Japanese cuisine and teriyaki style chicken and fish all for an inflated price with Japanese style waiting on you. Suppose to be the best style of service. They serve many delicious food. One of them is Yakitori style "yummy" tasting chicken. They have nice uniforms for the waiters and bushelp at this restaurants. A few things you might know about the Japanese food cuisine tradition. 1868 King Kalakaua visited the emperor of Japan, the Meji Dynasty and decided to better relations with Japan. 20,000 Japanese migrated to Hawai'i and worked for the Old sugar plantations in Hawai'i under the old Hawaiian Kingdom in about 1887 was the year. They called these people the First Year People, or from Yokohama, Japan. I am still not sure, food is food. The waiters there, if I am not mistaking some have been there for 15 to 20 years and it has become a career for them. The other restaurant with the fish tank is called
Oceanarium. This restaurant is an average american diet and the employment comes and goes. Meaning they change everytime new management come into the hotel and takes over the daily business operation.
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel was without the newly opened Kai's restaurant and the newly opened bar they have there called Rum Fire. Renovations to the room was done after 1982 during Hurricane Ewa when it hit Kaua'i and some parts of Honolulu.
Moana Surfrider was still the main hotel and no changes were made since it opened it up in 1961 with the look they have today. There is also the
Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel of which was renovated since 1982 when parts of the Hurricane hit O'hau and the main part of it hit Kaua'i head on. They have a lounge and a restaurant there called Pikake Terrace and they also have a hula show there for the polynesian experience called,
Creations. The show is called
Waikiki Starlight and it is a luau show. It seats about 400 people in one room alone. It is the show as Hilton Hawaiian Village have but only this show, they have it on the 2nd floor of the hotel and the lounge area is clearly seen where you can meet all the dancers after the show and where waiting in line for the show starts. There were several night clubs for teens during this time, one of them was called Masquerades in Waikiki and the other was the Wave, which was almost on its way out by then, as it had been there since 1970s and 1980s when they tried to make it a go for club goers and surfers in Waikiki. Royal Hawaiian Hotel was still there, after years of business renovations and patch ups to the hotel kept this hotel going for years on after. Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel was there also in the heart of it all with Don Ho lighting up peoples' lives with his songs, Tiny bubbles. Today the hotel is named Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Resort. Don Ho has since passed away, and his legendary stories also have faded away in the sunset with him. John Hirokawa is here with their show and the
Magic Of Polynesia. It is a magic show and mix with the polynesian experiences of
old Hawaiian Kingdom. (1758-1893 Old Hawaiian Kingdom) The showroom is on the 4th floor of the building and it seats about 700 people in one location of the building. The whole idea of the show is illusions done by this man John Hirokawa. They have many illusions. One of the tricks you'll see is they disappear on stage entering into a hut. If I may point out, certain parts of the trick is evident. Like when they wheel off the side stairwell off the hut with the people still in it. There are lots of locals working at this show, and may I add that whoever works at this show will also get a treat to see this man John Hirokawa do many other tricks. Personally, I just thought an employment as this was for the lose and not win. But if you don't mind, it is a casual environment and where everyone wins if you know your way around Waikiki and some employee relations to go along with it is very helpful. This showroom was made specifically for this show, magic. It was renovated in the 1970s when they decided to draft up a show as this one. And
BENISE'S Of Fire, Hawai'i, Nightly 9:30 p.m. Just as on TV dancing with the Stars. BENISE.com. A stage show featured in Los Angeles, California and now in Hawai'i with the theme of the play being mostly fire and dancing and LA looks, which would mean the whole attraction to the show. Featuring on some nights here is Michael Viloria as the magician. Nick's Fish Market in Waikiki was there also since 1972 and it closed down a few times, today it is still there but business has slowed considerably since those days, but still very much open for business.
Waikiki Food Court or International Market place was placed in 1981 and today it is still serving up lunches and dinners for employees and tourist there. Every now and then they have a hula show nightly for the tourist to view and everyone can join in the fun.
Marriott Resort and hotels was there, but few changes have been added, new additions were accommodated for University Of Hawaii athletics in 2000 when they were for the University Of Hawaii and the tourist industry to forefront of businesses in the day to day operations and advertising of the hotel. The
Ilikai Hotel on Ala Moana Blvd. have been opened since the 1970s and during the original Hawai'i Five 0 with Jack Lord as Steve Maggarrett. The scenery in the show is where this hotel is featured on. Today some rooms are used as condominiums for guest and locals to purchase and stay in and to dwell on. Since 2008 and 2009 new shops have been added with renovations to the hotel, but the basic guest and occupancy rates have remained same or in need of people to fill those empty rooms.
Wailana Coffee House on Ala Moana Blvd. have been serving up meals for all occasions for tourist and locals since 1974. Some waiters have gone, but the true in heart have been there since 1980s when they came back, and is still there today serving up lunches and dinner as a career waiters or waitresses and many know them by name are the very ones who go back for more to dine and eat and just drink in the small bar they have there also.
Halekulani was renovated in 1980 and 1987, it is a military stop over and new management, also they have a restaurant opened for their guest and they also have a magic show they do every Thursday nights under another magician in town, besides John Hirokawa in Waikiki.
Outrigger East and West hotel was also there. The Outrigger east hotel located on Kuhio avenue and the west on Kalakaua avenue. The east portion of the hotel was renovated in 1994 and their human resources and departments was renovated for new businesses and for better procedures for everyone wanting a part of the hotel. It made it more accessible to everyone to be a part of the hotel. This was the idea behind the newly renovated complex at the east location. The president and CEO of Outrigger is David Carey, third generation of the Kelley family. The restaurant at the hotel is called
Kaeo's and it serves light lunches to regular price dinners. They also have a
sports bar next to it and it goes unto to 1:00 a.m in the morning or until it closes when everyone leaves on a Saturday night. Reservations may be required.
The Hyatt Regency Waikiki was renovated in 1988 with the 3rd floor being the main floor and lobby area and guest check area. They have had many shops since then. Then there is the statue of Duke Kahanamoku, in 1921 he was Hawa'i'i's ambassador of sports and took part in the Olympic games and the first Hawaiian to be part of the Olympic games. As you can see he used to surf and do all other outdoor activities. Every year they have an event honoring this man, with the advertised restaurant in Duke's Bar and Grill. They called this
Duke's Canoe Club in the Outrigger on Kalakaua Avenue. They sell this T-shirt on the side of the streets with his face on the t-shirt remembering the past and the love of it and how it was then in 1921 for Waikiki. G-shock and Town and Country and Rip Curl are some of the main sponsors of the big board wave riding contest in Waikiki. This event is held every year in April and it also is a community event, where they sell t-shirts remembering one man and Waikiki and how it was then in 1921. It has been revived since 1987, and they chosen this man to showcase Waikiki and the way it was in the Olympic years for one man, Duke Kahanamoku. The year is 2013, today it is a yearly event for Waikiki. There were few main restaurants and shops in 1987 that have remained open. One notable local and tourist drop by spot,
Moose McGiddyCulley's on Lewers St. Perpendicular to Kalakaua Avenue. It serves up American food and drinks to anyone going into the wee hours of the night. Since 1988 also in the building of Pacific Beach Hotel on Kalakaua Avenue there was Gold's Gym, which was world famous. It was replaced by 24 hour fitness health club and over looking the beautiful Waikiki beach every time people drop by and exercise there in the morning or at night. Too elegant to not remember. All the way at the end of Waikiki beach there is a cement pier where surfers jump off from to get back in the water and on their boards to surf again. There are many life guard post to watch from and so life guard duties on have always been part of the swimming experiences. If you can't swim very well, don't go in the water. The life guards are very busy, and so chances of they bypassing your signals for help is very likely and you will not be seen from 100 yards out in knee high water. There were two theatres open in 1987, one was on Seaside Avenue and the other was on Kalakaua Avenue near
Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Resort is today. Two theatres have been closed since 1987 and never reopened. Seaside Avenue location, there is a store called Ross's. And the theatre on Kalakaua Avenue the store name there is Coco Cove shops and they sell some hot foods at this location.
June 11, is a state holiday that honors King Kamehameha I. On saturday it is the
97th annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade. This year they will be honoring senator
Daniel Inouye and
Dan Akaka for their service in government. One hundred twenty six years of legacy in Hawaii. Every year the town and the hotel put their heads together and come up with unique events for the town and visitors to enjoy.
Ho'olaule'a have been around since 1988 and in Waikiki, this is a block party for the locals and visitors to come and join in the fun. This event is held every year by some of the businesses in Waikiki organizing this event and it is a town wide event and also an island wide event, should anyone decide to drop in the fun. This year in 2013 this event is
Ho'olaule'a block party on Kalakaua Avenue
June 7, 2013 and
June 9, 2013 in Waikiki.
7:00 p.m. - 10 p.m. sponsored by
Pan Pacific Festivals. There will also be a
parade on Kalakaua Avenue 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. starting on Ft. DeRussey to Kapiolani Park. (King David Kalakaua 1836-1891) This event is held every year on Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i.
On April 27, 2013 they're having an event for the town, its 11th annual
SPAM JAM block party and there will be entertainment and foods on the streets of Kalakaua and the roads will be blocked. It is not the Ho'olaule'a block party, but instead a block party mainly foods on spam and how many people can eat spam and enjoy it. Today is
May 11th, 2013 and there is a parade in
Waikiki, Kalakaua Avenue, Filopino Fiesta and the roads will be blocked. A lot of people will be watching and just for the spectators also, it will be a big event or is a big event every year. 2nd annual event is this event.
If you wanted a religious experience, there were several churches around town that was noted. One was the Baptist church on the side roads of Kalakaua Avenue, near ABC store. It is the same building they had then since 1970. The other locations they have now since 1970 and 1987, was the "Christ Is Alive Indeed" church, service which is held on the Queen's beach in Waikiki every Sunday Morning and they did this for the locals to come and have service on the beach local style with out any apparels, just come as you are was their motto. There is also a church on Kalakaua Avenue next to Egbert's Restaurant is located on Kalakaua Avenue. It is called St. Peter's Church.
The whole idea of Waikiki being a tourist attraction for tourist have been around since 1920s when Waikiki was yet not well known. It wasn't until 1960s that Waikiki and TV began to advertise Elvis Pressley in the commercials and would showcase Waikiki and outer islands as a fun destination spot for tourist to come and enjoy. Waikiki was a place to visit because of the hula dancers you would see and everyone would be included in the show, not just the show. Not much was known then about Waikiki, just a place they called paradise with few hussle and bussle and where coconut trees were everywhere. In case you are wondering how did people get here, they flew by a small airplane from LA, of which took 10 hours to get here and carried only 10 people in 1939. Hawaiian Airlines was the main air cargo then, and have gone through many changes. If you must know, they also came here by barge or boat, such as Matson Navigation Company and other personal boats from all over U.S.A. and the world to stop over to Honolulu, Hawai'i's main harbor stop. In the old Hawaiian Kingdom days, England, Great Britain had man made boats to transport people to Hawai'i, of which other things followed. Such as diseases and viruses into Hawai'i also was a problem.
You might be wondering since 1987, who owned these properties in Waikiki? There are two main banks in Hawai'i, Bank Of Hawai'i and First Hawaiian Bank. In 1987 to 1989 there were few people from Japan and Mainland U.S.A investing in Waikiki. CEO of FHB Frank Arnold who runs FHB from Puahahi Bishop in downtown on the nth floor and overlooking Honolulu. One point to make is Japan were bringing in many tourist into Hawaii and Kyoka Company, along with other Japanese travel companies as JTB, Kintetsu, Nippon Express have been bringing the tourist from Japan and into Hawai'i ever since. At one point it was said that Japanese investors held 60% of the ownership in Waikiki and the other 40% came from somewhere else. Big TV names such as Sukarmen Sukampto was said to be with the likes of Donald Trump, although it was never revealed if ever how much and with who they did their business with on a one to one personal basis from within Waikiki. The main businesses into Waikiki are tourist visiting the islands of Hawai'i and staying on O'ahu before leaving to their original destination spot, where ever they're from around the globe. The main point is big businesses such as Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Hyatt Regency Waikiki are owned and run by real owners who invest in the business and hire top line managers to run the place. On TV and if you wanted to see, GM of Sheraton Waikiki Hotel is Kelly Sanders. One of the main developers who was with the 1960s and 1970s era on the outer island was a man named Hasegawa Komuten. This was during the Vietnam War era. Here was a rich Japanese investor in Hawai'i on another island, willing to invest in a small portion of that island and become part of the ever growing economy and culture, even then. It was like locals vs. mainlanders and the struggle between ownership of land and power. This was seen in Waikiki and also on the outer island. From one source out of University Of Hawai'i press. If you read other books as Robert Kyosaki, he tells you that his rich dad taught him everything and how to read the WallStreet and business climate in Hawaii. He explains that investment is a long term business of which you let the economy and other business in town bring in the profits for you. (Scott Rita & Tommy Rita) If you go to a popular magazine for Business Hawaii, March 2011 issue, you may find several familiar names down this line of work. Grove Farm Inc. which owns coffee lands and grows and harvest coffee on Kaua'i. Kaua'i have been competing with other coffee beans around the world, central America is one place, California, Europe, and anywhere they're grown. Who owns the land there? The company owns the land there. According to dedicated sources of information as Hawaii Business, UH football is getting into the picture and wanting in on these land investments. A man by the name of Bernard Carvalho Jr. now owns Kaua'i out of his office at the County building and according to the article all transactions or imports must pass his signature before any company on Kaua'i can buy it. Because the county owns it, the mayor signs the bills because of procurement laws. Government must only buy local, U.S.A. made only from California or Hawai'i made. I am suggesting that if you wanted to see who owns the land in Hawai'i, your local politicians would be a good place to start, seeing how they are the ones overlooking the islands government functions. For Kaua'i, they like Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Ross Kagawa, 2 once lowly man, and it was written on The Garden Island, the mayor now makes $114,000 dollars per year. Not bad from a labor employee and now to a salary pay as one of the main players in Waikiki or Grove Farm Inc. makes annually and maybe more. This man Bernard has a UH football playing history. He played at UH football all the awhile learning politics on Kaua'i through parks and recreation department. A book by Noel J. Kent, UH press, In 1981, 60% of the vegetables were imported, 72% fruits were imported, and 60% of the poultry and other meats were also imported into Hawai'i. Since we buy 60% of the vegetables overseas, not much can be said of local producers in Hawai'i, and free trade to other parts of the world have stifled local production to a halt. Where can we invest in agriculture and land? If not in the tourist based industry?
The travel industry charity walk was also in place in 1988. On the outer island, the 1st annual T-shirt was in 1986
Travel Industry Charity Walk and it was a beige T-shirt with a design logo on it. On O'ahu, I am not sure what the T-shirt looked like, but I'll try to find it and see if I can place it on here. 2012 the T-shirt cost $35.00 dollars. 2013 the T-shirts may have gone up.
May 18, 2013 7:00 a.m. Saturday. There are many participants every year. This year it was expected to be about 10,000 participants in this walk for charity. The walk will start and end from Ala Moana Beach Park and it is a 6 mile walk going into Waikiki on Kalakaua Avenue and then ending at Ala Moana Beach Park. The event earnings is given to charity every year and it is a non profit event they have every year. Just for informational purposes, if you will notice on the top of some buildings near Kalakaua Avenue is a beacon that only goes beep, beep, beep. It is a red flashing light continues on throughout the night. This is for the Airplanes that fly above Waikiki from Maui or the Big Island. The airplane flies right over the outer maker of Honolulu International Airport, which is about 8 to 10 miles away from this point above the outer marker.
If you wanted to know who worked in the tourist industry or is still working in the tourist industry, the names are very long and I could not possibly cover all of the names here. There are other names also that participated in this event, not associated with the travel industry and tourism.
Endnotes;
- Hawaii Travel Guide 2013
- The Peopling Of Hawai'i, Eleanor C. Nordyke, 2nd edition
- Travel magazine
- Hanahou magazine, Hawaiian Airlines travel magazine
- The Garden Island, newspaper and their website
- Spotlight's O'ahu Gold
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