Strawberry Connection
shuts doors this week

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Star-Bulletin staff

Strawberry Connection, once the island's primary source of gourmet groceries, is closing Wednesday, a victim of accumulated debt and the down economy.

The closure marks the end of a long adventure in upscale retail for co-owners Becky Choy and John Stoudt, who began their partnership in 1984 with a warehouse-like store in lower Kalihi. They moved the business to Dole Cannery in July 2001.

Choy said the decision to close was made about two weeks ago and that regular customers have been clearing the store of inventory. "Mostly everything's gone," she said.

Choy said a combination of debt carried over from the Kalihi store and the slowdown that has affected so many island businesses over the last two years, made it impossible to continue. "I just didn't want to go any deeper."

Choy and Stoudt, longtime friends, began their business as importers of premium strawberries for restaurants, then expanded into retail on Kahai Street, offering specialty produce and gourmet pantry items of all kinds.

They made the move to Dole, expecting that more parking and foot traffic from the nearby movie theaters would mesh with plans to expand. Choy said the new location did well, especially an expanded deli operation offering quick, upscale meals, but it wasn't enough.

She said she and Stoudt are considering what to do next, but was guarded in discussing it: "What emerges after -- there are possibilities."