Plate lunch eaters,
don’t worry -- your
favorite places
will be open
Honolulu will be an open
city as the new millennium
comes our wayChart: What's open, what's closed By Heather Tang
Star-BulletinIt's not as if Year 2000 will sneak up on you. It has, after all, been on the calendar since Day One.
Still, procrastinators abound.
So whether your millennial celebration includes a mix of old or new, be mellow or elegant, Hawaii's service establishments will be open to provide last-minute stand-bys - be it chicken katsu, Dom Perignon, or party platters.
For budget and non-fussy eaters - or maybe those just wanting to stay away from the pomp and circumstance of fancy holiday meals - local faves such as Zippy's or Grace's Inn may, indeed, be your best bet.
Zippy's at Ala Moana Center, for example, has three types of mainstay customers: the retirees, tourists and shoppers.
For many, it's a habit: Some enjoy drinking their morning coffee with a pastry, religiously ordering the same thing day in and day out. Others stop by after work to pick up a meal-on-the-go.Whatever your purpose or lifestyle, such local hangouts will be open during the holidays to accommodate you, says Charlene Kim, director of information systems at Zippy's Restaurants.
Zippy's at the Ala Moana and Pearlridge centers will be open on Jan. 1, in accordance with mall hours. All other Zippy's outlets will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 31 and re-open on Jan. 2.
Retired fire official Albert Paul, 79, hopes to be at Zippy's Ala Moana during the New Year for some rest and relaxation. The Hawaii Kai resident frequents the restaurant at least five times a week.
"Nobody bothers me here. It's accommodating and the lighting is good," said Paul, who has been ordering his stand-by of Zippy's coffee and cornbread for the past three years.
"During the course of time, I've gotten to know the regulars here. They're quite cordial, we don't know each others' names but we're still friendly," he said.
People with limited budgets such as retirees and tourists enjoy Zippy's relaxed atmosphere, said one patron.
"I practically own this place," said one 20-year regular of the restaurant. "There are a lot of old timers here. It's usually more crowded on holidays," she said.
Zippy's plans to close most of its restaurants on New Year's Eve because of concerns over employee safety. Last year, some employees were uncomfortable driving home through the heavy smoke from neighborhood fireworks."People were throwing fireworks in the streets," said Kim. "It'll probably be worse this year with the end of the millennium, so out of concern for employees, we won't be open."
Zippy's also asked its employees if they were willing to work during the holiday period. The general consensus was to close shop.
Other local favorites, such as Denny's restaurants, will be open both New Year's Eve and Day, said Bud Watson, manager of the restaurant's Kalakaua Avenue branch.
In fact, Denny's will staff more than its usual 22 employees to accommodate the expected holiday rush.
New Year's Eve is "a very busy late night and it's busy most of the day, being that there are only a few restaurants open," said Watson. "We're very busy in the mornings: from 8 to 10 a.m., there's usually a line outside and around the corner to get in."
For plate-lunch addicts, all Grace's Inn outlets will be open on New Year's Eve from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., said manager Michael Hasegawa, and will remain closed through Jan. 1."We usually close New Year's Eve but it seems like a lot of other restaurants are opening, so we thought we'd give it a try," he said.
Most of his holiday customers tend to be working people who come in for a quick bite to eat, Hasegawa said. "We get a lot of people who don't want to cook right before big holiday dinners."
Last-minute liquor
And what's a party without some bubbly?R. Field Wine Co. and R. Field Uncorked will be open on Dec. 31 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and open from 8 a.m. to midnight on Jan. 1. Company President Richard Field said extra staff will be at the Foodland Market City and Beretania locations to accommodate the holiday business.
"I think there'll be a lot of last-minute champagne sales. We're already bringing up awareness of champagne and sparkling wine at really good pricing and customers have been responding very well," he said, adding that numerous selections are available at every price point.
"For the most part, people usually buy a few bottles at a time, although some people have come in and spent $10,000 to $20,000 on one purchase," said Field.
He's been busy stocking his stores with a variety of low- and high-end champagnes. "More people try champagne at this time of year than any other time before," Field said.
And of course, perennial convenience store chain 7-Eleven will remain open during the New Year's holidays.
Last-minute shoppers traditionally drop by to pick up loose items such as snack chips and ice. But the store will also stock holiday merchandise including a greater number of party platters and supplies, said 7-Eleven spokesman Blake Yokotake.
As for grocery stores, Foodland outlets will be open during regular business hours on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, though hours vary according to location.
Safeway stores also will be open and will likely staff more employees than usual to handle needs of last-minute shoppers, said a store manager at the 24-hour Manoa Marketplace site.
Depending on store location, Longs Drug stores will be open during holiday hours on Dec. 31, closing on New Year's Day.
