Shoppers scramble John Lee doesn't know what his family is getting him for Father's Day, but at least he knows that it will be from his favorite gadgets store.
for perfect Father’s
Day gifts
Utility and love fill presents
for the men they cherish the mostBy Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.comLee was hiding out yesterday at The Sharper Image in Ala Moana Center while Sandi, his wife of 30 years, was buying his present at the other end of the store.
The gift had to be from the gift store because if it's something he has to use everyday, it's not special, Sandi said, "No underwear, no shirts ..."
"No ties," he added.
The Lees were heading up to Alan Wong's Pineapple Room for an early Father's Day dinner, but Lee would have to wait one more day to discover what the package held. He had no clue what to expect, but joked that it better not be nose-hair trimmers.
While people today are celebrating dads with brunches, dinners, and get-togethers, for some shoppers yesterday at the mall, there was still one thing left to do: Buy a gift.
Sweethearts Sheri-Lyn Baclig and Conrad Takenami had their shopping list half complete at 6 p.m. They had already found a cell phone for Baclig's father, to replace one that had been stolen.
"It's so hard to get in touch with him," she said.
Browsing for Takenami's father, they stopped to examine the watercolor prints at Martin & MacArthur, which specializes in koa furniture and handcrafted wood products.
Takenami said he wanted to expand his gift-giving choices for his father, a "weekend warrior" out on the links.
"Every year we get him polo shirts or golf clubs," he said. "I kind of want to get away from that."
This year he had something more sentimental and Polynesian in mind.
"We'll find something," he said, unfazed that the stores would close in three hours.
At the other end of the mall, Alejandro De Los Santos and Charles Caday had six shopping bags between them, but just one was a gift for Father's Day.
De Los Santos bought his father Nautica swim shorts and a tank top that he could wear around the house while watching television and relaxing.
Caday, meanwhile, was looking for two presents, one for his dad and one for his girlfriend's dad.
He said he had no idea what to get for the latter, but was contemplating buying a watch for his father.
"Last time I got him a watch, but he lost it so I'm thinking of getting him another one," he said.