Y. Hata aims store at chefs, restaurants

Y. Hata & Co. Ltd. will open a new store for restaurant operators at 2888 Ualena St., in the airport area, this summer.

The store will be called ChefZone and will employ about 50 people, most of them new, Y. Hata said in a news release.

The 45,000-square-foot store will be a membership store "open exclusively to food service business owners and nonprofit organizations."

The store will carry fresh food and restaurant equipment and offer business services for restaurant operators.

Y. Hata is a local, family-owned business, started in 1913 by Yoichi Hata.

Russell Hata is chief executive officer.