FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COMGarden House, a landmark Honolulu garden supply store, is closing after operating for more than 60 years. Store owner Carol Oda, left, talked yesterday with longtime customer Ethel Kawakami, who stopped by with food and gifts. CLICK FOR LARGE |
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An emotional goodbye to Garden House
The landmark Garden House closes its doors after 60 years of business
ALTHOUGH there was a lot to be done on the Garden House's final day of official business yesterday, owner Carol Oda couldn't help but weep as she looked around at the nearly empty store where she and her late husband and son once worked together.
"(I'm) not too well," the 91-year-old Oda said. "It's a sad day."
Oda, in a plain blue shirt and jeans, wore a single lei yesterday and tried to head the cleanup of the shop as customers stopped by to make their last purchase of whatever was left at the Garden House. There was some merchandise and plants left to be sold near the front of the store, but for the most part it was empty.
Garden House, a landmark garden supply store, has been serving Hawaii for more than 60 years and has stood at Piikoi and South Beretania streets since 1955. Stanley Oda, Carol Oda's husband, opened the original Garden House in 1947 where the Honolulu Police Department now stands and then moved to Sheridan Street before finding a permanent home where it is today.
"I'm just not prepared to perpetuate this," Oda said. "This wouldn't have happened if Stephen didn't have cancer."
Oda's only son, Stephen, who was the manager, president and chief executive officer of the store, died of esophageal cancer last April. He was 62. That is when she decided to sell the business.
"I saw visions of my son carrying this place on," Oda said, wiping away her tears. "It's very difficult. When I'm waiting for my cab in the afternoon I cry and call out his name in this empty building. Stevie!"
The 13,000-square-foot property was sold to local businessman Tony Young Ho Kim, and according to Oda, he is not sure what he will do with the property.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COMThe Piikoi Street landmark Garden House closes after more than 60 years. Store manager Al Agcaoili organized the store's remaining stock yesterday. CLICK FOR LARGE |
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Benjamin Tabarejo, 73, has been a loyal customer since the 1960s, coming to the store at least once a month to pick up fertilizer and other gardening supplies.
"It's too bad," he said. "Cannot help it."
Tabarejo, who lives right down the street, stopped in on the store's final day to pick up a couple more gardening items.
Longtime employee Albert Agcaoili kept himself occupied by cleaning out the store to deter any feelings of sadness.
"It's a sad day for each and every one of us, especially for us longtimers," he said. "We still have our regulars coming in to say thank you."
Agcaoili, who has been working at Garden House for 26 years, said the customers really appreciate the kind of specialty mom and pop shop that they are because they educate their customers about the product and how to use it.
"He's doing all the work," the fragile Oda said of Agcaoili. "I'm really depending on him."
Oda said the store will remain open for a few more days because they still have some merchandise to sell and they want to allow time for customers to pick up their serviced equipment. Whatever Garden House doesn't sell will be donated.
"I wish God took me and not Stephen. He was the 'plant doctor' and the equipment specialist," Oda said. "This store is his legacy."