Honolulu’s Source for Local News, Business & Events
Honolulu’s Source for Local News, Business & Events
Two Honolulu startup founders, Richard Matsui (kWh Analytics) and Brent Akamine (Vinovest), closed multimillion-dollar acquisitions in the same week this spring. Their simultaneous exits highlight Hawaii’s emerging potential as an unlikely tech startup hub.
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Chinatown’s Nuʻuanu Avenue has gone car-free through May 29 for the HEART District Street Festival, transforming the historic corridor into a pedestrian promenade. The month-long experiment celebrates the neighborhood’s arts, culture, and dining scene while testing new approaches to urban planning.
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Hawaii and Philippines officials gathered at Waikiki’s Alohilani Resort to explore expanding trade ties in tourism, agriculture, and small business sectors. The symposium aimed to leverage cultural connections and create new economic opportunities for both jurisdictions.
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Sonic Drive-In opened its first Oahu location in Kapolei on May 16, bringing carhop service to West Oahu. The new restaurant represents growing retail investment in Hawaii’s fastest-growing region.
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Waikiki hotels pivot toward domestic tourists and mālama-based experiences as international arrivals decline. Local businesses adapt to serve visitors seeking authentic cultural connections while facing economic uncertainty.
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Five distinguished Hawai’i artists — Fred Roster, Pat Hickman, Allyn Bromley, Sally French and Linda Kane — unite at Downtown Art Center for a rare collective exhibition. “Dance on the Edge of the Witches’ Cauldron” runs May 1-29 in Chinatown.
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Outrigger Hospitality Group launches a $100 million renovation of its flagship Waikiki Beach Resort, the largest investment in company history. The ambitious overhaul comes amid softening tourism growth, signaling bold confidence in Waikiki’s future.
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BoxJelly, Honolulu’s original co-working pioneer, is returning with a new Chinatown location on Bethel Street across from Hawaii Theatre Center. The move signals confidence in the historic district’s ongoing revival alongside new restaurants and businesses opening this spring.
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The Honolulu Museum of Art opens “Quiet Luxury: Subversive Fashion in the Edo Period” on May 22, exploring how Japanese merchants used subtle clothing to defy social restrictions. The exhibition’s themes of cultural resistance through fashion resonate deeply in Hawaii’s multicultural community.
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Hawaii’s $16 minimum wage is forcing Honolulu restaurant owners to adjust menu prices and operations while balancing fair worker compensation with business sustainability. Local operators are getting creative with pricing, technology, and staffing strategies.
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