04/13/2024
Kihei Ice has a Hot Dog route! Love Puka Supa as our invoicing system lovingly calls them.
An ode to the neighborhood grocery store...
Pukalani Superette came into being in a time when there were only neighborhood grocery stores. We were called Tanizaki Store back then. Most of the stores were named after the families that ran them - Fong, Fukushima, Seki, Ching, Morihara, Hanzawa, Suda, Ooka, Noda, Ah F**k, Takamiya. Hasegawa, Inokuma, Nagasako, Azeka.
We've poured one out a few too many times for those that have closed. Most of them bittersweet. We're an endangered species. It's a little lonely, but we are grateful to be here and proudly stand our ground in the currents that larger chain stores create (it probably helps that we're slightly unhinged and love a challenge).
In our adventures to places outside of these four walls, we have collected so many stories about childhood corner stores/bodegas. They’re some of the first places that, as a kid, you were allowed to roam safely – smaller store, you couldn’t get lost, the employees were like family anyway. Some even got the opportunity to run errands for Mom all on their own. You probably learned basic social interactions in the aisles and at the checkout.
They’re also places that have influenced the food culture in their communities. We provide meals that remind you of home. Also hot dogs... Maui specifically has a hot dog culture...
We have worked hard to earn your trust. We know that you have high expectations of accountability and honesty from us. We're very far from perfect, but we strive to make you proud to call us your store each and every day.
Our goals? To be open. To have employees that like working here. To see our local vendors make it big. To see your children and your children's children walk through our aisles.
We are currently facing the same challenges that everyone is facing – we need more workers and it would be great if we stumbled upon a treasure chest full of gold.
But we’re here. We’ve been here for almost 100 years. We’ll be here for 100 more because of your support.
