Beach Walk will have sweet spot
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
Beard Papa's Cream Puffs and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf are among the establishments that will open next year in Outrigger Enterprises' Waikiki Beach Walk retail and entertainment complex, Outrigger said yesterday.
The two shops, ventures of the Sullivan Family of Cos., are included in the second group of tenants that Outrigger said will be part of its $460 million, 7.9-acre redevelopment project along Lewers Street, Beach Walk, and Kalia and Saratoga roads.
Another tenant, Holokai Grill, will occupy a 6,000-square-foot location on the second floor of the complex overlooking a new open-air plaza. The ocean-themed restaurant will be owned and operated by Hawai'i restaurateurs Bill Tobin, Kelly McGill and Greg Montgomery, who also operate Tiki's Grill & Bar in Waikiki.
"We want to emphasize local flavors, local retail products," said Barbara Campbell, vice president of retail leasing for Outrigger. "Kama'aina companies are one of our objectives in refining the tenant mix at Waikiki Beach Walk. ... We'll have a few national or international brands. I think it's shaping up to be a really solid mix of local retailers, and with Holokai Grill being based here locally, we're really pleased with that concept."
Other tenants include: bar and grill Coconut Willy's, Sunshine Swimwear, Head to Toe, Na Hoku, Tabora's Diamond Head Gallery, King Jewelry, Marco Polo Watch Collection, Peony Arts and international retailer Folli Follie.
Crazy Shirts also signed leases for two shops: Crazy Shirts and Maui Surf Co. Maui Divers will open an Island Pearls shop in the Waikiki Beach Walk complex as well.
"Our goal is to keep Waikiki Beach Walk dynamic and diverse," said David Carey, president and CEO of Outrigger Enterprises. "While we are working to bring in premium national establishments, we also want to make it our priority to preserve the spirit of aloha through retaining a good mix of the top island restaurants and retailers."
Outrigger began its Waikiki Beach Walk project in April and has completed the demolition of three hotels in the project area.
The planned 90,000-square-foot low-rise retail entertainment center will include 40 retail shops, six restaurants and bars, and a plaza among four new and renovated hotel and time-share properties.
The retail portion and the new Embassy Suites Hotel's Hula Tower (the former Ohana Waikiki Tower) are scheduled to open in October 2006. The Embassy Suites' Aloha Tower (the former Ohana Waikiki Village) will open Jan. 15, 2007.
The renovation and conversion of the former Ohana Reef Towers into the Fairfield Hawaii at Waikiki Beach Walk time-share is expected to be completed by late summer next year, with sales beginning by the end of this year.
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.