JOHN FUJIEKI SR. /
STAR MARKETS FOUNDER

Family store grew
into islandwide business

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Star-Bulletin staff

John Fujieki Sr. -- who turned a mom-and-pop Kakaako grocery store into the islandwide Star Markets chain -- died Monday. He was 84.

Services will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hosoi Mortuary. Aloha attire is suggested. Donations may be made to Star Markets, the Fujieki Family Foundations, Kuakini Foundation or the American Diabetes Association of Hawaii.

Fujieki was born in Honolulu on Jan. 18, 1917. In 1929, his parents, Tsunejiro and Mika Fujieki. opened Kakaako Meat Market. Fujieki and his brothers, Richard and George, expanded it into a general grocery store and after World War II, the business grew to include four stores.

The first Star Market opened its doors in Moiliili in 1954. The chain now has six stores on Oahu, three on Maui and one on Kauai.

Fujieki also was the owner of Kenny's Burgerhouse and Kenny's Coffeehouse in Kalihi's Kamehameha Shopping Center.

Besides being president, chairman of the board and executive officer of Star Markets, Fujieki served on the board of Kuakini Health Systems and the Fujieki Family Foundation Fund.

Survivors include his wife, Ethel; son, John Jr., who is the chief operating officer of Star Markets; brother, Raymond; sister, Suyeko; daughters, Linda Matsunaga and Cheryl Kayano; nine grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.