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TheBuzz

BY ERIKA ENGLE

Wednesday, December 12, 2001



Country star builds
Maui restaurant


It's all over Paia. Perhaps it had something to do with the braids, beard, mustache and bandanna somebody added to the happy face on the previous occupant's sign.

The new restaurant being built where Larry's and then Kihata's used to be is partly owned by recording artist and part-time Maui resident Willie Nelson and is to be called "Willie's Joint." His partners are Jim Fuller and Daniel Goodfellow.

"People are already applying," Fuller said.

Goodfellow is an officer with site work contracting company Goodfellow Bros. Inc. and describes himself as a friend and investor.

"This is meant to be a lot of fun for the people, a fun atmosphere where we play some music and they can sit back and relax," he said.

The restaurant will offer local style and southern-style food, Fuller said, as well as some vegetarian alternatives. What, collard greens without the fatback? "Well, that might be hard to do," he said.

Fuller owns Charley's restaurant in Paia where Willie N. met up with local entertainer Willie K. and agreed to appear on the latter's Christmas CD, "Willie Kalikimaka," at least according to record company lore.

Nelson has been a regular diner and performer at Charley's for many years. His musical appearances are not promoted. That was a lesson learned the hard way 15 years ago when publicity drew 800 people to a venue seating 100. "The liquor department let us move it to our huge outdoor area," Fuller said.

The inside will feature a stage and an "island" type bar that customers can sit all the way around, according to interior designer Kim McEvoy. The de rigeur logo shop will be included, and Fuller has commissioned a giant guitar, "A duplicate of Willie's 'Trigger' with all the signatures and the hole in it that he's been playing for 50 years," he said. It will be part of the overhang in front of the restaurant, which is to open this spring.

Fuller is also planning another restaurant with Dallas Mavericks General Manager and Head Coach Don Nelson, who is also a part-time Maui resident. The two have formed FullNelson LLC for the venture, which will likely be an upscale seafood restaurant. "We do have a nice property, right on the ocean at Paia Bay."

Crossing the street ...

MidWeek Publisher Ken Berry yesterday announced his resignation from Black Press Ltd., parent company of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and MidWeek. He has accepted a job as sales director for special projects at the Honolulu Advertiser.

The Gannett-owned paper will also be regaining an investigative reporter. The upcoming departure of Jim Dooley was announced yesterday at KITV, a day after new News Director Tod Pritchard joined the station.





Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, 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




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