Every day through year's end, the Star-Bulletin will recognize 10 who changed Hawaii this year. Some were controversial, others shunned the spotlight. But all made a difference.

Restaurateur among those who revived Chinatown

If you spent time carousing in Chinatown this year, chances are you patronized one of Dave Stewart's establishments.

Starting with Indigo in 1994, Stewart has had a front-row seat to most of the neighborhood's recent transformation. As the number of drug dealers and homeless people on the streets has decreased, more Oahu residents have discovered the area as a night-life hot spot.

"I always imagined that people would start arriving in Chinatown and do similar things because they could see how successful we were (with Indigo)," Stewart said. "But we're still lacking in bars and restaurants to make it a true destination."

In response, Stewart opened Bar 35 in 2005, followed by Du Vin in October. Those who visit for monthly First Friday celebrations are drawn to Du Vin by its extensive wine list, while beer drinkers gravitate toward Bar 35 and its selection of more than 100 brews.

The New Zealand native did not rely on market research when opening his Chinatown businesses. "Everything I do is for me. ... I wanted a bar that serves pizza and really cold beer, hence Bar 35," Stewart said. "And my other thing is I love French food and good wine, so (Du Vin) was a no-brainer."

Stewart's personal tastes have benefited the nocturnally inclined. Bar 35 capitalizes on pau hana traffic with daily beer specials. For those heading to the Hawaii Theatre, Du Vin's location right across Bethel Street means it is easy to pop in for a cheese platter and a glass of wine before a concert.

And Indigo offers entertainment and dining choices all week.

At the same time, the restaurant still has no long-term lease, which would allow Stewart to invest in structural upgrades and repairs. And he is worried about other landlords in the area who are apathetic toward any kind of change in the neighborhood.

"I won't be investing any more money in Chinatown until Indigo gets a lease and the homeless situation is addressed," Stewart said. "It affects everybody's business."

Instead, he plans to focus his future efforts on Waikiki, where redevelopment means new opportunities.

"We're really looking forward to being part of the revitalization of Waikiki," Stewart said. "It's long overdue, and I think I would be remiss in not being a part of it. I can see it's going to have a huge impact on the way people look at this city."