CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Young Jones, owner of the O! So Ono Diner on Dillingham Boulevard, has developed a reputation for tasty food like salmon stuffed with crab. But thousands of dollars behind in rent, the diner will close tomorrow.
When good food When Young Jones opened the O! So Ono Diner on Dillingham Boulevard three years ago, it was the fulfillment of a long-held dream.
isn’t good enough
The O! So Ono Diner
prepares tasty meals, but that
doesn't always pay the rentBy Lyn Danninger
But tomorrow the restaurant will close its doors.
Jones, a Korean immigrant, said she always loved cooking, even taking classes to improve her skills and learn how to add those special touches that can make good food look and taste better.
She also believed she had the necessary skills to run a successful business.
"I always loved cooking but didn't know if people would buy my food," she said.
Jones was able to get her start with a $20,000 small business loan from what was then called the Immigrant Center, now Pacific Gateway Center.
The restaurant, which she sublet from a previous owner who had failed to make a go of it, was located in a small space on the ground floor of the Yick Lung Building, not far from Dillingham's busy intersection with King Street.
But there were drawbacks: With only a few available spaces, parking was limited.
Still, Jones believed she could build enough of a following from local residents and businesspeople in the area.
She opened the O! So Ono Diner and began serving her own version of local food, complete with gourmet touches.
Her instincts were right.
With favorites such as barbecue pork ribs, salmon stuffed with crab, stuffed shrimp tempura and ahi katsu, it wasn't long before O! So Ono was living up to its name.
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
A patron is reflected in one of the knickknacks on the counter of the O! So Ono Diner in Kalihi.
As word spread about the quality of the food and reasonable prices -- $5 to $7 for a complete plate lunch -- the restaurant began to attract a loyal following. Soon, downtown workers, including city and state employees and officials, began showing up at lunchtime.
By 2000, Jones said both her banker and her landlord were pleased. The business was doing well and Jones now had four employees to help serve more than 100 lunches a day. In addition, her husband, Bob, handled take-out deliveries.
But by the middle of 2001, it was a different story.
Road construction along Dillingham was growing progressively worse and business began to drop off.
"Our parking was always a problem, but with all the construction, people then began to avoid Dillingham. Many of the government people we used to get from downtown quit coming, especially when they didn't know how long the trip would take," Bob Jones said.
Then after Sept. 11, it wasn't long before local folks in the Kalihi neighborhood, many of whom were employed by hotels, were not eating out as much.
Jones found that serving up good food at reasonable prices was not enough.
Meanwhile, she was getting further behind with the rent.
On advice from some of her patrons, Jones tried to publicize her restaurant and spread the word.
She participated in several of the City's "Sunset on the Beach" events and met with the city's Small Business Advocate to get help with ideas.
Manny Menendez, executive director of the city's Office of Economic Development, was one of those who encouraged Jones to keep going.
"We all tried to give her support," he said. "I was trying to help her with marketing strategies and ideas with an incentive program for folks in the area."
But finally good food and loyal customers were no match for the construction right outside the front door. As part of the work, a sign prohibiting left turns made it impossible for cars heading toward King Street to even turn into the small parking lot.
Jones' landlord, Rodney Tamamoto, president of Aala Ship Service, said he tried for some time to work out a payment plan.
But eventually, the amount owed to him became too great. Last month, he obtained a $15,000 judgment against the restaurant.
"We tried to work with her for a long time," said Tamamoto, who often ate at O! So Ono. "I know she tried hard to advertise and even went door to door.
"It's really sad. She has a lot of pride and I really admire that of her but at some point the writing is on the wall."
Jones' remaining customers say they hope someone will give her a chance somewhere else.
"If someone would help with a better location, her business would take off," said Robert Aona, a regular customer.
Jones believes so, too. She also thinks customers would follow her to a new location.
"My customers are like family," she said. "Because they know what's going on, people are genuinely upset."
Likewise Tim McMahon, used car manager at neighboring Pfleuger Automotive, wishes something could be worked out.
"I know it will be a big loss to the community," McMahon said. "It's been very convenient for us. We've often sent customers over here while they are thinking about a deal. We also work shifts so it's convenient having breakfast, lunch and dinner menus to choose from.
"But more importantly, we've become friends."
