Big City Diner opening
in Victoria Ward
Big City Diner is expanding into the big city itself.
CORRECTION
Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003>> Big City Diner in Kailua has an outdoor lanai giving it 3,500 square feet of space. A story on Page C5 yesterday indicated that the Kailua store was larger than the Kaimuki location but incorrectly listed its square footage as 2,450.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.Leslie Brown, senior leasing manager for General Growth Properties, confirmed that Big City Diner is moving into Gaucho Grill's space. General Growth owns the Victoria Ward complex.
The entire lease did not transfer, as parts of it had to be renegotiated into a new deal, but Big City Diner Inc. closed on a long-term lease for the Auahi Street space last week, said President Lane Muraoka.
Rumors swirled about Gaucho's impending closure in August, but officials of the California-based company told the Star-Bulletin at the time the location was not planning to close, that it was not for sale and that it was performing well.
Big City has taken in some of Gaucho's employees and is training them at its Kaimuki and Kailua locations, Muraoka said.
Kitchen renovation is under way for the new eatery's breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night service, which will roll out gradually.
The plan is to open for breakfast and lunch by mid-January, extend hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights by mid-February and to be open each night of the week by spring break, he said.
That will require a staff of about 75 and hiring is under way.
Big City's first location in Kaimuki, at about 3,000 square feet, celebrated its 5-year anniversary in August.
The Kailua location, which will be 2 years old in April, has an outdoor lanai that gives the restaurant more space, at 2,450 square feet.
The Ward location will be much smaller at 700 square feet, but it may have the added feature of a special room for children. Muraoka is working on a partnership with a children's educational and entertainment company on the concept.
The Ward expansion won't be Big City's last as the company is location-hunting, looking toward central and leeward Oahu, he said.
