Merriman to open
eatery at Waikoloa
Peter Merriman will open his second Big Island restaurant later this year in the King's Shops at Waikoloa Beach Resort. The chef is recognized as a pioneer in Hawaii regional cuisine and has operated Merriman's in Kamuela since 1988.
The new 3,000-square-foot Merriman's Market Cafe will seat about 100 in indoor and outdoor settings, Merriman said. He said he chose the location because "it's right in the middle of a big resort and the foot traffic down there is very, very good."
He said his deli concept should work well for the condominium owners along the Kohala Coast. The restaurant, which he hopes to open in October, will have a Mediterranean decor and menu, he said.
The lease to Merriman brought the center to 100 percent occupancy for the first time since it opened in 1992, according to the shops' owner, Waikoloa Land Co. It has 75,000 square feet of leasable space.
Debbie Parmley, Kings' Shops vice president of commercial real estate, said the center had been holding the space for Merriman for some time before the deal was signed. "We actually carved out that space for him. We knew it was the right venue and the right thing to with that space," she said.
Other restaurants in the complex include Roy's Waikoloa Bar & Grill and Big Island Steakhouse, as well as Chinese, Japanese and Mexican eateries. Shops include Crazy Shirts and other leisure wear businesses, Louis Vuitton and Macy's outlets, as well as gift shops.
There are two major hotels in the resort, the Hilton Waikoloa Village and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, as well as several timeshare and residential condominiums.