Wahoo’s Fish Taco Kahala will close Tuesday after a three-year run.
Franchise owners Stephanie Gambetta and Noel Pietsch Shaw have sold the leasehold interest in the space at 4614 Kilauea Ave. to Japanese-based Central Restaurant Group, which is planning its first Hawaii restaurant in the spot. Sellers Gambetta and Shaw "are not able to disclose (the) price," Shaw said.
"We love this location," however, sales volume was insufficient to sustain the restaurant, she said.
Most of the 23 employees at Wahoo’s Kahala will be offered employment at the Ward Avenue location, in the lunch wagon at Sandy Beach, the company’s catering operation or some combination thereof.
The Ward Wahoo’s will continue the most popular promotions customers enjoyed at the Kahala store, including Taco Tuesday and "Kids Eat Free — Family Night," Shaw said.
The restaurant’s Taco Tuesday promotion will begin at the Ward Avenue location Nov. 26 after the Kahala store closes.
"Wahoo’s is loosely looking at Haleiwa, Waikiki and Maui for other possible locations … and will be focusing on expanding the catering branch of our business." Shaw said.
Shaw said the buyer is from Kobe, Japan, and has four restaurants in the area called Central, though an online search for details proved fruitless.
The Hawaii location will be different from the restaurants in Japan, Shaw was told.
ON THE NET
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KISSATEN EXPANDING
Kissaten Cafe is growing. From its original location at 88 Piikoi St., which is open 24 hours, it will open its fourth venture at Waterfront Plaza, according to senior partner Neysa Taba, who was checking out the space with contractors Tuesday.
"Although we’ve started construction, we are currently still very early on in our brainstorming, planning (and) interviewing process as far as hours, decor concept, menu and staff," she said.
It will open in the space formerly occupied by several restaurants, including Tony Manzo’s, Jamaican Cuisine, Yosh and Stonegrill Restaurant, on the ground floor near Bonsai.
As with all restaurants, however, opening dates can be moving targets as build-out begins, so Taba was not able to provide an opening date.
TheBuzz will keep you posted.
Kissaten Cafe recently was named a People’s Choice winner in the annual Ilima Awards. It opened Kissaten Japanese Noodle Shop in Waikiki Shopping Plaza in March, and in August opened a minicafe in Island Club and Spa at 1177 Queen St. in Ko’olani tower.
ON THE NET
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Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com or on Twitter as @erikaengle.
