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Welcome to the Islands
debuts at Ward

CLARIFICATION Wednesday, May 18, 2005 » The Madden Corp.'s Welcome to the Islands store at Ward Centre sells products from Madden's Island Heritage Collection brand. Welcome to the Islands does not sell items under Madden's Island Heritage brand. A column on Page C1 Friday did not distinguish between the two brands. 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 corrections@starbulletin.com.

THE Madden Corp. has expanded its empire, establishing its first retail store, which opened this month at Ward Centre. The new shop, called Welcome to the Islands, sells the company's Island Heritage-branded items, from tropical home furnishings to bath and body products. Madden Corp.'s products had previously been sold through other retailers and online.

Victoria Ward Centers will soon welcome other new merchants, including noodle shop Goma Tei Ramen this fall; Sushi Boy, a restaurant at Ward Farmers Market, also this fall; and Bobbi & Guy Beauty Supply, selling discount skin- and hair-care products and accessories, is to open this month at Ward Warehouse. The company already operates a salon in Ward Warehouse.

More dough

The founders of California Pizza Kitchen, planning a new Waikiki location for the middle of next year, have again struck gold.

Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield have sold their remaining 75 percent stake in LA Food Show Inc. to CPK for $6 million. The pair had opened the comfort-food restaurant in Manhattan Beach, Calif., after leaving CPK as co-CEOs, in June 2003. CPK owned 25 percent of it at that time. Flax and Rosenfield were asked back to their CEO roles the next month and the board recently voted to purchase not just the stand-alone restaurant, but the concept.

LA Food Show is a single-location eatery that serves everything Flax and Rosenfield love but don't list on the menu at CPK, such as meat loaf, patty melts and Southern-fried chicken. Its nod to Hawaii comes in a poke martini, a salad of seasoned raw fish and other ingredients served in a martini glass.

Additional locations are being scouted. "If we found the right location in Hawaii we would not hesitate to do it," Rosenfield said.

Free Frosty Friday

Starting today, Wendy's restaurants will give away a meatless thank you to customers for supporting the chain during its recent travails with a woman who falsely claimed to have found a finger in a bowl of chili.

Wendy's expects to give away 14 million free Jr. Frosty desserts nationally between today and Sunday, at a cost of $11 million.

Hawaii's seven Wendy's locations are in Kapolei, the airport area, Waipahu and Wahiawa on Oahu, Kahului on Maui and in Kailua-Kona and Keauhou on the Big Island. The giveaway does not include chili.