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Nimitz
is more than just a highway. It's also Honolulu's largest mall—of
sorts. For homeowners and builders who are looking for quality goods
and services at fair prices, the 3-mile stretch between Honolulu's
piers and airport is a comparative shopper's dream.
Nimitz
wasn't always a shopping stop. During World War II, Kamehameha and
Nimitz Highways (state routes 90 and 92) were built to carry the added
traffic from new military facilities along the waterfront. The parallel
roads also separated military from civilian traffic. These two highways
were ultimately combined into a widened, divided highway. Nimitz was
named after Adm. Chester Nimitz, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific
Fleet, who signed for the U.S. when Japan formally surrendered in Tokyo
Bay on Sept. 1, 1945.
Since
then, the highway has been flanked by every type of business, from
tourist traps and restaurants to Fisherman's Village and major
home-improvement centers. Admittedly, there is a seedy side to Nimitz.
But, if you're willing to look beyond its tough, industrial exterior,
Nimitz is a diamond in the rough.
Inside
this story, you'll find more than 25 successful businesses (some new,
some old) that call Nimitz home Ão/oo and invite you to see what they do
best.
These are the people in your neighborhood.
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Living History
City Mill
City Mill cashier, Donna Laxa. |
To a business founded in 1899, the City Mill building,
erected in 1950 on Old Prison Road (now Nimitz Highway), is a relative
newcomer. As Hawaii's first hardware store, City Mill also served as
Hawaii's only rice mill, it received imported lumber from the Pacific's
largest five-masted schooner, suffered destruction by fire twice—once
by out-of-control flames intended to halt the spread of the bubonic
plague—and it provided construction materials for the military during
World War II.
Relics
of times past are still visible at the Nimitz store, like the art deco
street sign, the nearby plaque dedicated to founder C.K. Ai's mentor
and one of the namesake millstones in the corner of the parking lot.
Today, City Mill thrives among big-box interlopers, holding firm as the
comprehensive yet convenient neighborhood place to shop for home and
office improvements.
"Of
course, knowledgeable and friendly customer service is another City
Mill mainstay," says vice president, Carol Ai May. She ought to know:
She's the founder's granddaughter. ÃDA
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If you've ever envisioned the luxury of beautiful stone
surroundings in your home, come to Bella Pietra, A Natural Stone Design
Center. This is the birthplace of the brushed travertine and glass-tile
mosaics, hulking stone sinks and gleaming marble floors that add
opulence to Hawaii's premier homes.
Bella
Pietra's indoor warehouse comprises an extensive, in-stock collection
of stone tile and slab in an almost intimidating variety of colors,
materials and treatments. The user-friendly showroom allows architects
and designers to get in and get out quickly, while novice homeowners,
who know that they want "something nice," can sit down with an interior
designer, flip through binders full of inspirational ideas and get an
education in Stone 101.
"We
tailor our approach to customer needs," says Layla Dedrick, who urges
first-time visitors to enjoy a cup of coffee and a tour. ÃDA
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Rock Star, Bella Pietra, A Natural Stone Design Center
Tile installer Brett Hatch arranges a cut stone medallion with interlacing glass tiles. |
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Neighborly Nest
Hardware Hawaii |
A trip to Hardware Hawaii's Mapunapuna location
is like a visit with a familiar friend—smiles all around, undivided
attention to each request and a hot cup of coffee on hand. Luckily, for
Hawaii's contractors, developers and homeowners, this friend also
boasts the state's largest selection of lumber and has 52 years of
experience in the home-building industry.
In
Hardware Hawaii's lumber nest, the efficient Auto-Stack system stores a
huge variety and quantity of lumber. Douglas fir planks, redwood
two-by-fours and poplar trim, as well as 10 types of tropical woods and
more, are organized in gridlike compartments on towering racks. While
skilled forklift drivers retrieve and load wood onto pickups, customers
can peruse the wide selection of tools and materials.
"We
believe that coming to Hardware Hawaii should be a pleasant
experience," says Larry Lanning, Hardware Hawaii's marketing director.
This is accomplished because its No. 1 focus is the customer, he says.
"A contractor can come in for supplies and be in an out in 10 minutes,
thanks to our excellent customer service." ÃMK
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Under the Designer Sun
Gentry Pacific Design Center |
If Nimitz Highway is a three-mile mall,
then the Gentry Pacific Design Center is the upscale department-store
anchor for one-stop shopping. Or, with all of the blockbuster
showrooms, it might just be the multiplex Ão/oo Either way, Oahu's
unofficial headquarters for home construction, renovation and
furnishings has enough to see and do to take up an entire afternoon.
The
17,500-square-foot space, built in 1934, was formerly the American Can
Co. building, which made cans for Coca Cola and Del Monte until the
'70s. After careful renovations and some eclectic tenants, today's
design powerhouse emerged in 1992, when developer Tom Gentry decided to
lure the gamut of home and remodeling stores that make it the design
hot spot it is today.
Whether
you're after lighting, flooring, kitchens, furnishings, rugs, home
theaters, reupholsterers or even pianos, you can find everything you
need under one roof. With cutting-edge new stores joining the pantheon
all the time, such as designer-friendly IDS International Design
Sources, Johnny Mango fabric and Bella Pietra's new stone library,
there is always something fresh at the GPDC. ÃDA
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Marble Marketplace
Marblehaus Hawaii
Marblehaus sales representative Ron Okumura. |
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"I used to do that, you know," says Kevin Nip,
of Marblehaus Hawaii, as he warily eyes my voice recorder. A
criminologist by training, Nip was a stockbroker in Malaysia in the
early '80s, until he decided it was time to change direction and come
home to Honolulu.
A
Waikiki project made his transition easy. The Maharaja, now the
Zanzabar Night Club, required a type of marble that could only be found
in the Philippines, where Nip was attending a conference. A friend of
his called on him to procure the Southeast Asian stone. It turned out
to be a lucrative deal and a new livelihood.
"I've
always looked at where to be in the marketplace," says Nip. Sourcing
materials from "all over the universe," he has been in the
natural-stone market for almost 20 years. He brings in travertine from
Turkey, marble from China and other stone products from Europe,
Indonesia and beyond. Because of this extensive network, Marblehaus
Hawaii is one of Hawaii's premier natural stone suppliers, working with
residential projects, as well as large, commercial endeavors.
Nip's
keen market sense forms Marblehaus' business philosophy. "Everyone is
concerned about their budget, but they still want quality," Nip says.
His compromise? Find the middle ground: quality stone at attractive
prices. ÃMK
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Clever Combination
Island Home Building Materials |
What do you get when you combine four kitchen designers,
three window and door experts and one appliance specialist? The answer
is Island Home Building Materials, Nimitz's one-stop shop for home
building and remodeling.
"What
is unique about our facility is that customers can sit down with their
plans and talk to someone about each phase of the project," says Jon
Ashton, of Island Home.
In
addition to a large, helpful staff, Island Home's showroom is an
immense display of home-design options. Begin on the first floor
showroom, where Andersen Windows and Patio Doors are on display, then,
head upstairs to nine kitchen vignettes that run the gamut from
traditional Island to modern to French. Appliances by Sub-Zero/Wolf,
Viking, Gaggenau and Thermador are integrated into cabinetry by DeWils,
Aristocrat and Kamaaina Cabinetry. Countertop materials by Corian,
Staron and Formica complete the vignettes to offer inspiration while
presenting the newest trends and options in kitchen design.
Island
Home's amalgamation of several home building and remodeling companies
and materials lends itself to family projects as well as large
commercial and residential tracts. ÃMK
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Unset in Stone
Marmol HI,
Natural Stones Ltd.
Luiz Oliveira with orange Ecstasy quartzite. |
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Movement. Flow. Versatility.
These words are often used to describe the quality of natural stone.
Like the stone it sells, Marmol HI, Natural Stones Ltd., possesses some
of the same characteristics. "Our showroom needs to have movement, as
does the business," says Vini Freitas, marketing director. For Marmol,
this means regularly rearranging its gallery displays to incorporate
sculptures, paintings and plants, with the company's influx of new
natural stone products. "The artwork and plants create flow and harmony
in our stone galleries," Freitas says.
For
residential and commercial products, Marmol searches the globe for
quality natural stone, with fresh colors and variations. It also relies
on a close partnership between owner Adriano Ferraz and Brazilian
quarries to bring the newest natural stone directly to Hawaii.
"Our
slogan is from the source," Freitas says. While Marmol has been in
Hawaii for 14 years, the Ferraz family has been in the international
stone market for more than 50. Marmol has showrooms in Honolulu and
Kona, and hopes to expand to other Neighbor Island locations as well. ÃMK
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"We've got the flooring you need here on the island
when you need it," says Shirley Pai Hilton, of Pacific Imports
International. The factory-direct importer of hardwood, engineered and
bamboo flooring stocks one of the largest inventories in the state—more
than 400,000 square feet of flooring is ready to go. Because Pacific
Imports saves by utilizing its own mills around the globe, the company
can afford to offer competitive variety, quality and prices.
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Completely Floored, Pacific Imports International
Pacific Imports' Angela Landers (left) and Shirley Pai Hilton. |
While
its wide range of exotic hardwoods remains popular, Hilton predicts
that Pacific Imports International's distressed flooring will be the
hottest new trend in the market. "Distressed flooring has a rustic
feel—there are more undulations in the finish, and it doesn't appear to
have such a machine finish as conventional flooring," she says.
Although
Pacific Imports International tailors to these unique style elements,
it also has plenty of oak and maple—not to mention Brazilian cherry and
ipe—in stock, too. ÃDA
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Beam Me Up
Pacific Stone Center
Pacific Stone Center's Brian Brown wielding a polishing wheel. |
First things first: Pacific Stone Center is getting a sweet laser.
The full-service counter and tabletop specialist is extending its
custom stone capabilities with a huge, fantastically-cool laser etching
machine set to arrive this month. The six-by-10-foot behemoth can etch
any photograph onto the surface of Pacific Stone Center's large variety
of marble and granite slabs. "If you want a marble backsplash etched
with a photograph of Diamond Head, we could do it," says sales
associate Selena Willard. The laser can be applied to small jobs, such
as shower tiles etched with an intricate motif to a full slab-sized
wall mural. "You can tour the warehouse, buy your slab, get it
fabricated and installed—just come in with a layout or floor plans, and
we'll take it from there," Willard says. ÃDA |
Peruvian travertine is the world's travertine king.
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Travertine Empire
Andean Stone/a3 Elements |
"It's
the hardest, least-pitting, most diverse travertine in the world," says
Alice Newman, of Andean Stone, Hawaii's exclusive carrier of Gallos
Peruvian travertine.
Travertine
from other locales is available in fewer than half-a-dozen shades, but
Peruvian travertine is available in 33 unique colors, all showcased in
Andean Stone's spacious showroom. "Having so many different color
options makes it easy for designers and homeowners to pair our
travertine with other elements of their design," Newman points out.
Peruvian
is also the only variety of the stone available in a 3/8-inch thickness
in a large format, easing border transitions into a thinner material.
"That feature makes us popular among top designers," says Newman. For
non-designers, she adds that Andean Stone's experienced staff is eager
to explain the entire process to novice shoppers, from helping with
design issues to recommending a reputable installer.
Sister
company a3 Elements is a complete millwork company specializing in
exotic hardwood doors, window frames and accents, which are imported
from its exclusive factory in Vietnam.ÃDA
Servco's newly renovated showroom is big in size and huge on inspiration.
The
7,000-square-foot showroom's 22 kitchen vignettes showcase premiere
lines of kitchen appliances, such as GE Monogram, Bosch, Thermador and
Gaggenau.
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| Turned On, Servco Home & Appliance Showroom |
What's
really fun at the Servco showroom is that some of the kitchens and
appliances are plugged in and live. Listen to the quietest dishwasher
made in this country. Experience the marvel of induction cooking. See
aerodynamic-looking hoods designed by Porsche. Consider the
possibilities of a countertop teppanyaki burner. Or, develop an
immediate need for an extractor fan that rises silently from its hiding
place in the counter.
"If
you like to cook, there are more options available than ever before,"
says showroom general manager Craig Washofsky. Servco is also working
on a new program for live cooking demonstrations.
Servco
is a wholesaler, but the showroom doors are open to the public. (Staff
will direct you to the right retailer to purchase appliances.) Walk-ins
are welcome, but calling ahead to schedule an appointment will
guarantee you the time and attention of staff. ÃAK
For new and remodeled homes, the honeymoon's over when the grout gets ugly.
"Because
tile and grout surfaces are porous, cleanliness is simply impossible to
maintain," says Tile & Grout Solutions' Michael Reeves. Even with
the best sealant, moisture, contaminants, mold and dirty mop water
penetrate beneath the surface, leading to unsanitary and unsightly
black grout, he says.
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Mildew Meets Its Match Tile & Grout Solutions
Michael Reeves, the local licensed provider of SaniGlaze. |
Tile
& Grout Solutions, a licensed provider of SaniGLAZE, uses a
multistep restoration process that extracts embedded contamination from
within the tile and grout. Then, the grout is glazed with a nonporous
coating that shields the entire surface from recontamination. For a
fraction of the cost of a new surface (which is subject to
contamination all over again), SaniGLAZE makes surfaces gleam like new,
permanently.
Visit
Tile & Grout Solutions to learn more and check out the variety of
designer grout colors available; or, schedule a free demonstration
right in your home. Just pick an inconspicuous spot, advises Reeves,
"because my spot is going to look like new, and the rest is not." ÃDA |
