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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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Can it be? Windward Mall IHOP is now supposed to open by April
THE long-awaited Windward Mall IHOP will open "in March or April," confirmed Sarah Espino, franchisee of the Waikiki IHOP and president of Hawaii-based
Union MAK Corp.
"Everybody will be happy we're working on that," Espino said. She said she wishes development were under way right now, but the company's Hilo location is in the pipeline first and "we can't do both at the same time."
The Hilo IHOP will open before the end of this year in vacant space that used to house Dotty's Coffee Shop and Restaurant, across from Macy's in Prince Kuhio Plaza. The space is about the same size as the Waikiki location and will seat 185, she said.
Espino is looking for experienced managers for the Hilo store and hopes the labor pool is deep enough to find good candidates. Those hired will go to the mainland for six weeks of training, and with the opening looming, "I actually need them ASAP," she said. Resumes can be faxed to 664-0023 or e-mailed to sarah.espino@ihopaloha.com.
Union MAK has exclusive development rights for a total of six IHOPs in Hawaii, and some scouting has been done for a Kauai store. Espino said she believes Maui can support a second IHOP.
The one at Maui Mall is run by James and Rennie West, who, after two years of negotiations, had secured the original deal to expand IHOP to Windward Mall last year. It was to open by the end of last year, but a series of problems led the Wests to withdraw from the development agreement.
Meanwhile, back in Waikiki, IHOP had "a very soft opening" in June, with no charity-fundraiser-type grand-opening gala, Espino said.
With three months of operation under its belt, the company now plans a community week in which it will donate a portion of its Oct. 2-6 sales to the Waikiki Community Center and Children's Miracle Network at Kapiolani Medical Center.
"It's our way of saying 'thank you' to the community," she said.
Also starting Monday, the restaurant will stay open until midnight, seven days a week. "There has been a demand for it, and this is the best time to do it, when we have a community week," Espino said.
Network Media sold
Network Media Inc., a Hawaii-based publishing and visitor television company, has been sold to Morris Visitor Publications, a division of Georgia-based
Morris Communications Co. Terms were not disclosed.
Network Media's team of a dozen people is being retained, along with President Peter Gellatly.
The company's publications and in-room hotel television service has been racking up local and national media awards. It provides private-label visitor guides, private-label in-room publications and guides for mass distribution. Its visitor television programming is available in thousands of local hotel rooms including Outrigger, Ohana, Sheraton and HTH properties.
Gellatly's interest in Convention Television, which operates in Honolulu and San Francisco, was not part of the deal.
Morris first entered the Hawaii market in 2003, when it purchased Guest Informant, a publisher of hard-bound, visitor-geared books placed in hotel rooms. In addition to visitor publications, Morris is also involved in newspaper publishing, commercial printing, radio broadcasting, outdoor advertising and online services.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com