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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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'Ivan' of the dreaded Others in 'Lost' opens smoothie shop
KHON-TV may be losing anchor Leslie Wilcox to PBS Hawaii, but in mid-March it will gain a new tenant with at least a bit of television exposure.
"Lost" actor and restaurant industry veteran Teddy Wells and his business partners will open Oahu's first Tropical Smoothie Cafe -- a smoothie, espresso, breakfast, soup, salad, sandwich and wrap joint -- in 3,000 square feet at the street level of Hawaiki Tower at 88 Piikoi Street.
The hit-TV "Lost" is on ABC-affiliate KITV, while KHON is a Fox affiliate that also airs the CW network on a secondary channel.
But that's TV. In business, they have one store open already in Kona, the Piikoi store opening and would welcome contacts from hopeful franchisees.
Wells and business partner John Griffis, a professor in the UH-Manoa Tropical Plant and Soil Science Department, are area developers for the Florida-based Tropical Smoothie Development Corp. who set up their first shop in Kona about 7 months ago.
That shop, in a food court, is about 800 square feet. The new, larger store will make smoothies in a sound-proofed area to allow for business meetings, viewing of two plasma-screen televisions and Wi-Fi online access. Wells also sees it as an alcohol-free venue where young people can hang out.
He has played "Ivan" of the dreaded Others in four episodes of "Lost." His start in the film industry came shortly after moving to Hawaii with a role in the movie "Krippendorf's Tribe" under the name Timothy Wells. He played a guide to Ruth, Lily Tomlin's character.
Wells came to Hawaii 10 years ago and worked his way onto the restaurant management track. He became assistant director for food and beverage at Morton's Steakhouse and then, assistant manager of Kahuna's, a nightclub at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe.
Now that he's his own boss with an assistant manager, it's easier to juggle the show-biz career with his day-job.
"If I have to be on the show more in the future, I have somebody that can play my role here at the restaurant," said Wells.
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