Bragging rights drive beer battle

Locally brewed beer may be tasty and keep money circulating in the islands, but some wonder how much of the "local" product is made on the mainland.

Bills in the Senate and House would require beer packaging to answer that question, just as coffee producers include the origin of their product on their packages.

Maui Brewing Co., for one, prides itself on creating and canning its beer in Hawaii. Kona Brewing Inc., on the other hand, outsources most of its creation, canning and bottling to mainland breweries; all four brewing sites — Kona, Hawaii and three on the mainland — are printed on its label.

Should legislators undergo extensive taste-testing to determine legitimacy? Watch out.

Ala Moana Center won’t be the same

Hundreds of employees at the Sears in Ala Moana Center got a rude shock this week when the timetable for them to lose their jobs was moved up from early next year to this June, less than four months away.

That’s when the store will close for good, after which mall owner General Growth Properties will redevelop the space for more profitable use.

The upside is that liquidation of the store’s inventory also will begin sooner than originally planned, so Hawaii consumers can look forward to some good deals soon.

After the final sale, long-time customers of the store will have to go elsewhere for their tools, appliances, clothing, furniture, sporting goods, garden supplies and even car repairs — and to different Zippy’s and Oceanic Time Warner Cable outlets as well. Such is progress.