Hawaiian Style Home Brew changes hands
When Hawaiian Style Home Brew opened in Mapunapuna, novice beer maker Mike Smith was one of its first customers.
Brew your own
Hawaiian Style Home Brew, located at 2646 Kilihau St. in Mapunapuna, sells home brewing supplies for beer, wine and soda. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 834-2739.
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Seven years and dozens of batches of brew later, Smith is buying the only home brewery supply store on Oahu.
"We kind of grew together," said Smith, 57. "Just about the same time that they started brewing, I started brewing."
Smith, a military contractor with Science Applications International Corp., will take ownership of the store next month from current owner Gerald Mance. Smith said he will run the store full-time within six months.
"I thought this was an opportunity to do a career-path change," he said.
The store operated for six years as Oahu Homebrew Supply in Kakaako under two different owners. Mance renamed the store to Hawaiian Style Home Brew and moved it to the current 2,000-square-foot location near the Honolulu International Airport at the end of 2004.
"We had no knowledge of home brewing," said Mance, 46. "We copied the stores on the mainland. We expanded quite a bit. Our life savings have gone into here."
Military customers account for about 93 percent of Hawaiian Style's business, he said.
Mance, who works as a Navy contractor, said he is planning to leave the state next year. He declined to discuss terms of the purchase.
The store carries malted grains, yeast, hops, malt extract and equipment ranging from plastic buckets to kegerators for parties.
Smith said he plans to keep a similar selection and hours, but that he will change the store's name next year. His daughter will help him run the store.