Question: There is a new vendor the last couple of months, with two Kuhio Beach concessions, that is leaving beach umbrellas and lounge chairs on the beach when not in use. They are taking up a considerable portion of the public beach area (much more than the prior vendor). I was under the belief that they could only put up umbrellas or place the lounge chairs out once they had been rented. Is anyone from the state monitoring these vendors?
Question: Star-Beachboys, a Waikiki beachboy concessionaire, has been putting up beach chairs and umbrellas on the sand in front of the police station. This deprives beachgoers of using those areas, especially when the chairs are sitting empty and not rented. They already have a heavy presence there and it seems to be spreading. Can something be done?
Answer: There actually are two concessionaires involved in these complaints.
The city Department of Enterprise Services, which oversees both, looked into the situation and warned the two vendors that they cannot put out chairs or umbrellas unless they have been rented, Deputy Director Randy Leong told us.
Both Star-Beachboys and Hawaiian Ocean’s Waikiki also were instructed to set up a system in which tags with expiration times are hung from the rented chairs and umbrellas so that when the city goes out to check or audit the concessions, "we’re going to look at the receipts and tags," he said.
The concessionaires are not restricted to a certain area; they can set up the umbrellas and chaise lounges for their customers anywhere on the beach, Leong said.
Nor are they restricted to a certain time.
However, they must store unrented items within 20 feet of the concession stand, Leong said.
Both concessionaires have now been given two warnings about not staking out spots on the beach with unrented equipment, he said.
A third violation will warrant a fine.
Leong explained that his department only oversees the two concessions: Star-Beachboys with its umbrellas clearly marked with its name and Hawaiian Ocean’s having red-and-yellow umbrellas.
If anyone sees a possible violation involving either, call Enterprise Services at 768-5400.
Any other activity, commercial or otherwise, should be directed to either the state Department of Land and Natural Resources or the city Department of Parks and Recreation, Leong said.
Information about another company that placed umbrellas on Kuhio Beach was forwarded to the parks department to look into.
It should be noted that hotels also may have concessions on their private properties fronting Waikiki Beach.
MAHALO
To a man named Mike. On the evening of Aug. 24, I ran some errands at Kamehameha Shopping Center, then went home and discovered that my wallet was missing. I was worried about all the personal information in my wallet and immediately drove back to search for it. No luck at the store or parking lot. I went to the security office, but no one had turned it in. Then my phone rang and my son told me someone had found it and dropped it off at home. Thank God! My son handed the phone to this person. I thanked him and asked his name, but he only said it was Mike. My son noticed that he had a Department of Justice sticker on his SUV. Mike refused any compensation from my husband. He said he called police to report finding the wallet and waited for them for half an hour. Since they did not come, he Googled my address and dropped it off. I was so relieved. Mike, thank you so much for your kindness and your time. — K. Ito
Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
