Isle Domino’s A mainland investor is purchasing all 18 Domino's Pizza franchise stores on Oahu and Maui. The deal is scheduled to be completed by March 11.
Pizza outlets sold
A mainland investor
buys 18 franchises
on Oahu and Maui
By Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.comThe franchisee, Lili-Co, owned by Indianapolis-based Mike Schlater, already owns 107 Domino's Stores in the United States and 18 in Canada.
The Domino's Hawaii franchise had been owned and operated by Higa Industries of Hawaii since 1992. Company President Ernest Higa also operates more than 200 Domino's stores in Japan.
"It's been time consuming for him in Japan so that's how the opportunity here became available," Schlater said. "We were just honored that he sold it to us."
Schlater said he plans to add another 13 to 15 stores on the Big Island and Maui over the next four years.
Two existing Domino's stores on the Big Island, now owned under a separate sub-franchise, are not part of the deal, he said.
Doug Atkinson, new local company spokesman and one of the operating partners in the deal, said all 344 Domino's employees who would be terminated with the purchase will be rehired under the new management.
Schlater said he plans to offer partnerships to employees working within the Domino's system in Hawaii as the new stores are built out over the next few years.
"For the management team in Hawaii we will promote within the system. It gives people the chance to get into the ownership system as well," he said.
Schlater started with Domino's in 1977 and worked in a variety of capacities for the company, including cleaning stores, driving and training to be a supervisor.
He acquired his first franchise in Canada, the first outside the United States, in 1983.
Schlater said he plans to acquire a total of 250 Domino's stores in the United States within the next two years.