Stores gear up Tracy Kaneshige, 7-Eleven operations chief, is hoping for a 300-customer increase at the Kapiolani Boulevard store from today's protest march against the Asian Development Bank meeting.
for ADB impact
Some are boarding up windows
while others prepare for a possible
increase in customersHawaii firms get taste of global pie
By Nelson Daranciang
Star-Bulletin"We've seen some increase already, but not as much as expected," Kaneshige said. The store, at 1695 Kapiolani Blvd., is across Atkinson Drive from the Hawaii Convention Center.
Participants in the March for Global Justice and Hawaiian Rights were to take part in an hourlong rally in front of the store before continuing onto Kapiolani Boulevard and Kalakaua Avenue.
Jinny Meksakul is also hoping today's protest march and rally will boost business.
"So far it's slower than expected. I thought it would be busier than this," said Meksakul, Dunkin' Donuts manager. The store at 1718 Kapiolani Blvd. is also across the street from the convention center.
She said regular customers are staying away and that the traffic from ADB delegates, police and security officers is not making up the difference.
Neither business is expecting vandalism from protesters and do not plan to put up wooden boards to protect their glass doors and windows.
"We're not going to board it up," Kaneshige said. "If it comes to that, we'll just evacuate the store."
Dunkin' Donuts, however, plans to remove the large umbrellas and the metal chairs and tables from in front of its store.
Other businesses are not taking any chances.
"The boards went up Sunday," said Sam Mokuahi of GCI Wireless. The store is next door to 7-Eleven. It closed Sunday and will remain closed until at least tomorrow.
Five O Custom Cycles next door is also closed today.
"We're going to board up the two big windows (and) leave the two small ones open," said owner Johnny Moreno. "Nobody's going to be able to come in anyway."
Labor Ready temporary service is open today. But workers boarded the windows and doors Monday and placed a security guard outside the front door.
"We just decided to put it up on our own ... just in case," said Babette Kamanu, customer service representative.
You Hungry restaurant is the other business in the complex. Owner Ipo Cullen plans to open today.
She said business is up 30 percent since Monday, thanks in large part to police officers, state deputy sheriffs and others providing security for the ADB meeting.
"I'm just gonna play it by ear, wait and see," she said. "If it gets pretty rowdy then I'll probably close my doors during the hour that they're going to have the march."
Cullen said she has boards to replace windows, not to protect them.
Catch of the Day Sushi, next to Dunkin' Donuts, has also seen an increase in business from people attending the ADB meeting.
"I got slammed (full house) a couple of times," said manager Rick Miller.
In contrast, business at Da Hui Store, 1724 Kalauokalani Way, has dropped more than 50 percent since the start of the week. Manager Carson Soares feels the increased police presence is scaring customers away.
"The cop cars, they park in here, in our customer parking space," Cullen said.
"They take up like two stalls. I don't want to really tell them anything because they're doing their jobs."
At least the police ordered the pot holes in front of the surf shop filled, Soares said.
Asian Development Bank