When you think Waikiki, teddy bears probably don't spring to mind.

Nevertheless, they are what Waikiki's newest impending visitor attraction will be all about when it opens, possibly in November.

Teddy Bear World Hawaii will be built by Korea-based plush toy manufacturer JS & F in the two-story, 18,000-square-foot former Planet Hollywood restaurant in the Bank of Hawaii Center at 2155 Kalakaua Ave. Demolition and renovation are to begin this week.

JS & F was established in 1984, and it has since branched out into the resort, themed entertainment and retail industries.

“;We are very excited to bring a new and unique entertainment and educational attraction to Hawaii for the enjoyment of both residents and visitors,”; said Jung Soo “;Jesse”; Kim, founder and chief executive officer, in a statement.

“;Significant research and creativity goes into each of our teddy bear-themed attractions, museums and retail displays to accurately depict the historical and world-famous events, people and landmarks, and to do so in a fun and entertaining way,”; he said.

Kim and JS & F Museum Division Director Joon Kim participated in a private Hawaiian blessing at the site last week, joined by Teddy Bear World Hawaii President Douglas Lombardi and Jeffrey Bell, director of operations.

JS & F operates a teddy bear museum it claims is the world's largest, on Jeju Island in Korea. Opened in 2001, its more than 1,200 teddy bears, entertainment facilities, outdoor park, restaurant and souvenir shop draw nearly 700,000 visitors a year. Also on Jeju, the company oversees Teddy Valley Golf & Resort.

The company's second museum opened in 2008 at the N Seoul Tower. The 16,000-square-foot attraction draws more than 300,000 visitors annually.

JS & F also owns Teddy Bear Art Gallery, a collection of galleries formed by local artists in Heiri Village, seen by more than 50,000 annual visitors.

CIVIL BEAT LOSES TALENT

Locally based online news organization Honolulu Civil Beat, launched by billionaire eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, has lost two reporter-hosts within weeks of its May 4 official launch.

Katherine Nichols, previously with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and Treena Shapiro, formerly with the Honolulu Advertiser, have left their jobs with the experimental news organization. Their biographies were still posted on the website as of yesterday afternoon.

Nichols' last byline appeared May 18, while Shapiro's last was May 19.

Yesterday afternoon, neither was yet ready to comment on their departures, news of which was finally posted on the http://www.civilbeat.com/beats/peer-news/”;>Civil Beat company blog by Editor John Temple, who wished them well.

Randy Ching, president and co-founder of Civil Beat parent company Peer News LLC, declined to say much. “;In order to respect their privacy, I don't want to get into the specifics of their situations. We do wish them all the best,”; he said.

Civil Beat is looking to fill the vacancies and would be doing so “;even if there wasn't a large pool of journalists potentially coming available,”; he said, refering to the impending merger of the Star-Bulletin and Advertiser.

Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Reach her by e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).