DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Aloha Tower.
Make your way to Aloha Tower this afternoon and discover what many downtown office workers have known about since February. "Happy Hour at the Tower" takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. throughout the marketplace. When the clock strikes 4
"Happy Hour at the Tower" offers
shopping, food and drink specials
to end the work dayBy Jason Genegabus
jason@starbulletin.com"It's a regular stop for us," laughed Alex Moore as she made her way towards Kapono's last week with a few coworkers. "We always come to eat, and there's less traffic to deal with when I go home."
Free parking, cheap eats and $2 drafts are only three of the reasons why people flock to Aloha Tower Marketplace on Wednesday afternoons. While the restaurants are the main draw, ATM marketing assistant Marisa Wong said that pau hana doesn't necessarily mean tossing back a few drinks and enjoying the live music.
"It's good for the family to enjoy," said Wong. "We also have local artists here that showcase their wares (and) we provide entertainment in the atrium for those who don't want to go to the restaurants.
"We have a lot going on down here ... everyone's welcome," she said.
If shopping is your preferred method of relaxing, more than 50 shops are located at the marketplace on two levels. Browse a while and you'll find discounts of up to 20 percent in some stores during happy hour.
Another option if you can get there early enough is a trip to the Aloha Tower observation deck, which reopened earlier this month with new operating hours and increased security. For reasons unknown except to tower management, the deck closes at 5 p.m. each day, so be sure to take a trip up there before settling in downstairs for pupus and drinks.
Walk around a bit and you'll see a wide variety of people enjoying themselves during "Happy Hour at the Tower." A group of industrial workers in matching company T-shirts sat together at Hooters, pounding draft beers and enjoying the scenery. At Don Ho's Island Grill, Byl Leonard played guitar on stage as a mix of locals and tourists occupied most of the tables. And over at Kapono's, Henry himself performed for the aloha shirt army as a local radio station took names for prize giveaways. Each restaurant draws a slightly different crowd, with the strongest tourist vibe at Hooters and Gordon Biersch Brewery.
If you're planning to drive over to Aloha Tower, be sure to get a validation stamp from one of the merchants; self-parking is free at Irwin Park and Piers Five and Six with a $5 purchase. Valet service is also available for three bucks -- definitely affordable if you're carpooling to the tower with friends from the office.
Today also marks the last chance for members of Honolulu's financial industry to fill out an entry blank at the marketplace's atrium for a free pupu party at Gordon Biersch Brewery.
The company with the most entries will get to sample Drunken Poke, Potstickers, Sweet Chili Chicken Wings and other happy hour specials offered during pau hana. And, next month, tourism industry members will have a chance to win a pupu party at Hong Kong Harbor View. It'll be the healthcare industry's turn in August.
With two more days of work to go until the weekend, "Happy Hour at the Tower" is a great chance to relax and unwind during the middle of the week without having to stay out really late. For more information, call 566-2337 or visit www.alohatower.com.
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