The other day, for whatever reason, I thought about Castle Park.
It was Oahu’s version of Disneyland — complete with a castle. I remember spending weekends there, playing video games in the arcade — I was a big fan of Mappy — maneuvering bumper boats and racing go-carts around an open track. There was nothing quite like it.
It got me thinking about all the things I miss — from the glazed donuts from Kimuraya Bakery in Kaimuki to
I’m too young to remember the termite-infested Honolulu Stadium, the Sky Slide in Waipahu, wrestling at the Civic Auditorium, even “Checkers & Pogo.” (Though I’ve heard stories.)
But I do remember seeing the monkeys at Pearl City Tavern, singing with my friends at Rising Star in Pearlridge Center, getting splatter-paint shirts at Guava Lane in Ala Moana Center, watching movies from the balcony in the Waikiki 3, playing video games at Joy Square in Waikiki and buying back-to-school clothes at Gems in Kalihi.
Here are more things I miss:
• The smell of pineapple around Dole Cannery, even when the water tower was taken down
• Icebox cookies from King’s Bakery
• The water and bird shows at Paradise Park in Manoa
• The food counter at Woolworth’s
• The annual Farm Fair at McKinley High School
• The smoke from sugar cane burning
• “Hawaiian Moving Company”
• The lighted cross at Camp Smith
• The return policy at Liberty House
• The manapua man
• Cinerama and Varsity theaters
• Raraya and Taishoken ramen shops
• Professor Fun (“Pow, pow, pow!””
I guess it’s true, though, what Billy Joel sang in “Keeping the Faith”: “The good ol’ days weren’t always good and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.”
Still. There are some things I reflect on fondly.
Got any to share?
161 Comments
I remeber all those things you mention Cat. Hmmm….this is starting to sound like Rodneys Midlifecrisis blog. Hah!
CAT,
How’s about Tamura’s Saimin stand, Chico’s Broasted Chicken, Lippy Espinda’s TV commercials, the Lucky Luck TV Show, Kini Popo morning TV show, Capt Honolulu, Coco’s coffee shop, the orignial M’s Ranch House, Canlis Broiler, The Point After, La Mancha nite club, the Bistro restaurant, the 3d Floor restaurant, Bagwell’s 2424, The Prisoner TV series, Hawaiian Eye TV series, blowing bubbles through papaya stems, playing 5 hole marbles, chewing Black Jack gum, 9th Avenue Bakery, Kings bakery and coffee shop, the original KC drive in, Chunky’s, Liberty House, ….I guess I am old!
A few more from my childhood: the ribs at Victoria Station, King’s Bakery, the Zooper sale at Liberty House, Roller World and yes, I’ll admit, I’ve been on the Sky Slide. Don’t think they would allow for that anymore considering liability of riding down huge slide on what I remember to be like a potato sack.
I miss the smells or creme cracker baking and also the salon pilot from Hilo Macaroni. Sorry Diamond, your just not the same.
Wow way to bring back the old school memories! You pretty much hit all the major ones that I would have brought up. Castle Park was so much fun. I was sad when they closed it. Bumper boats, mini golf, and water country were so much fun! I grew up in Waipahu so I have vague memories of the big slide. I used to love watching Professor Fun! What about Wonderphone? You brought that one up in a blog post sometime last week.
memories of an older HNL. that reminds me of one of my favorite sites- https://downwindproductions.com/ it’s run by Gaye Chan of the UH Art Dept.
Hello Cat,
I miss the days when there was no traffic, the beaches were empty, you can surf with no crowds anytime of the day, you always can find parking, gas was under a dollar, you didn’t have to lock your car…….
what to list? there’s so much. for anyone who fishes, i miss when there was opae in the lagoon at ala moana beach park. I miss Torii’s (anyone else remember this lunch spot off Keeaumoku that was run out of the proprietor’s garage and had three options each day? #1, #2 or combo?). i miss the manapua man (although, the lunch truck options have grown in Hawaii and up on the continent). I miss Dairyu on King St.
of course, there’s the fuud. Patti’s, although, in later years, at lest, it was more nostalgia than anything else as there were much tastier Chinese options around. Lynn’s Deli, where you could get a solid pastrami on rye, NYC style (heated on a steam table with cole slaw and a pickle on the side). Shakey’s Pizza. Magoo’s Pizza. Farrell’s (not the new incarnations that seems contrived, but the magical Farrell’s from my youth that was on the little visited side of Ala Moana…it almost seemed like you had to enter through platform 9 3/4 to get there. oh, also Harpo’s Pizza, more for the salad dressing, but also for the pizza. you really scored if you got a corner piece with two crusty edges. lose money if you got a middle piece with no crust.
not sure how much is nostalgia and how much I really do miss those places (although the opae thing, Torii’s and Lynn’s would probably hold up today)d.
As a transplant here of 22 years, I guess I have a different perspective than one of someone growing up:
1) The wonderment of Hawaii being a new place to explore. Mostly by TheBus and its 60¢ fares.
2) Working for a larger sized company during the Japanese funded Pacific Rim building boom of the late-’80s/early-’90s. We had the budget for a staff person with specific duties to plan fun events like company parties, beach get-togethers, Koolau hikes, etc.–all on the company dime!
3) In addition to your theaters, I’ll add the Waikiki 1, 2 & most certainly 3 theaters! The latter having the organ player before crowded movies started. Funny how everyone then spoke of how corny it was, but now all of my friends are in agreement that is is sorely missed!
4) The ease of catching a flight to and from inter-island terminals using Aloha Island Air. No security or hairy procedures. Just show up minutes before the flights, buy a ticket out of the blue, and be on the plane a few minutes later… all for an affordable price!
5) Buying Consolidated Theater group movie coupons for $3 a pop! It was always fun to try and guess how many you needed for the month when the “staffer” mentioned above would come around your cubicle selling them. God forbid you’d buy too little and have to fork out a whopping $4.50 for a full price movie!
6) Some of the great local bands from back in the day… Spiny Norman, Cindarella Rockafella and Sunburn!
7a) The experience of hearing Kalapana, C&K, Country Comfort and Olomana for the first time and realizing just how deep the local music culture was, rather than what was portrayed to me growing up on the mainland.
7b) …and you can add to that being bitten by the slack-key bug as well.
8) Playing in my industry trade’s basketball and softball league every weekend. They’ve since dissolved it. My knees are too old now anyways, LOL!
10) …and finally, closing out WAVE WAIKIKI and catching up to the after-Wave crowd at Eggs-n-Things at 4:30am!
The miniature golf at Castle Park ruled! Lots of memories there, including losing my wallet when I was about 12 unfortunately. 🙁 And LOL yeah TV Powww w/Professor Fun FTW. Old school KHNL/KIKU TV programming was a lot of fun.
Lemme just rattle some stuff of the top of my head, I miss…
–Tower Records – all locations but esp. Keeaumoku
–Jelly’s on Piikoi St. – in its heyday one of the best, Keeaumoku location was good too.
–when Tower Records and Jelly’s were both in Pearl Kai Shopping Ctr.
–When Waikele had Borders and Computer City/CompUSA-geek heaven
–Honolulu Book Shop
–the original ByteWare computer store on Dillingham
–Froggie’s used book/record store (noticing a theme here?)
–when Daiei and Shirokiya were both at Pearlridge
–House of Music, Ala Moana Ctr.
–70s/80s era Ala Moana Center in general
–Kaimuki Cue
–Pearlridge 4 Plex Theater double/triple feature weekends
–Waikiki 3 Theater – the 80s blockbuster movie theater! Back To The Future, Indiana Jones etc.
–90s era clubs/concert venues – After Dark, C5, Pink’s Garage, Aloha Tower (when they held concerts at the terminal), etc.
–Chicken Alice
–Diner’s Drive In on Keeaumoku, and across was Hawaiian Brian’s
–Magoo’s Hot Ham,Cheese, & Mushroom sandwich (or is still available?)
–old local programming like: local comedy specials & Island Music, Island Hearts (yeah I know there are still tons of local music shows but I liked the production on this one)
–old school design of TheBus.
You listed a few of my faves when when I lived on Oaho from 1983-1987 – Jelly’s (when they were on Piikoi), Froggies (the King & Kalakaua location), Tower Records at Keeaumoku, and Chicken Alice’s. Wow! Flashback city. I was young (early/mid 20’s) then and a full morning and afternoon of music and book shopping, followed by lunch at Chicken Alice, made for a perfect Saturday!
And yeah, the Waikiki 3 Theater, too. I saw Back To The Future & Indiana Jones there as well.
Also…Kailua Drive-In theater.
GREAT memories. Not a day passes, after 30 years, that I don’t think about my time in paradise.
@808marv Ah… Tower and Jelly’s! I remember how fun it used to be to go to Tower every Tuesday to see the newly released music for the week and preview it on the opiate ing stations! Good pull!
I forgot to also add the convenience of flying to and from Hawaii on 747s… Not only were they bigger than the ones currently used, but remember how frequently you could score a whole row of middle seats to lay down and sleep? Not so any more with the 757s theybfly now, that’s always overcrowded!
I vaguely remember passing Castle Park on the freeway when I was maybe 5-7 years old. Don’t actually remember going to the park. Memories!
@808marv Towers! Jelly’s!
Kaimuki Cue was the place all the older kids went to hang out — the “pool hall”, I was told to stay away.
What about Jolly Rodgers in Kahala? And was that a Yum Yum Tree next to Woolworths in Kahala Mall?
I’m sure someone already mentioned KC Drive-In… Ono Ono shake!
@WERUreo Wonderphone, holy crap! haha
@DianeSeo Zooper sales! hahaha
My memory is all pre-90s since I moved away, but I still remember a couple of things like the Famous Amos cookie shop on Kapiolani/Keeaumoku. Also, Pioneer Chicken on King St. Umm, “The Sandman” at 404 Piikoi (which is where Hawaiki Tower is now). And who could forget eating at McDonald’s Ala Moana, overlooking the shoppers in the Foodland using those funky square carts?! ahh, feeling old.
@MaxMaxMax Yeah loved those Tower preview stations, along with the new albums it’s how I discovered a lot of bands/artists/genres that I wouldn’t have given a second thought to listen to otherwise.
@808marv I rarely get bitten by the autocorrect bug, but “opiate?” Really iPad? “Opiate?”
Was supposed to be *listening stations! LOL!
Yup, I remember they have the new gatorboard built displays up and banners for the new stuff! And you had to peruse the whole store to listen since each station had its own music, and not a store-wide sampling. Also, you used to always see acquaintances in there and talk story as it was sort of a social gathering place before and after dym workouts at what was then “International FItness,” then Gold’s” gym.
@matti2d I remember that my cousin used to work at Harpo’s but I don’t remember ever eating there… Too bad, sounds like it was good!
Harpos still around in downtown Honolulu. 🙂
@johngarcia I went to Kaimuki Cue for the video games, but yeah it always had that seedy element to it. If you went to the back and peeked through the cracks in the partitions you’d see there was a *different* gaming room not for kids. 😉 I remember them getting raided a few times.
Since you mentioned Woolworths anyone remember their fried chicken? It was pretty good if I recall.
I remember Gibsons in Mapunapuna, Gems Waipahu, Kam Drive In and the Waipahu location where I would watch from my uncles apartment across the street, Panya where Hokua is now, catching matinee movies at the Waikiki Twins and Waikiki 3 movie theaters, Joy Square for karaoke and the cheapest beer in Waikiki and Barneys in Ewa Beach for their famous Smashed Cow burger. Ahhhhh, the good ole’ days.
@808marv I used to love watching Abarenbo Shogun on KIKU as a kid! I remember when I first discovered Jelly’s on Pi’ikoi, and then they opened the one up in Pearl Kai. Back in my comic book hey day, used to go there all the time.
@MaxMaxMax I wasn’t sure if you were trying to liken music to an opiate, or there was a Tower location that had some opium stations I didn’t know about. Oh silly autocorrect LOL!
@dkMOMUS Oh, there used to be a Pioneer Chicken across the street from Leeward’s in Waipahu. I used to love the skin on their chicken!
@AlvinRivera Every time I go back to Waipahu and I see that Don Quixote where Gems Waipahu used to be, I gotta laugh. There used to be a dry cleaners right outside there that I would take my high school JROTC uniform to get pressed.
@WERUreo @dkMOMUS Yes yes yes Pioneer Chicken! Had one in Waimalu as well.
@johngarcia Too bad you missed out on the fun of Castle Park. I was never brave enough to go down the huge water slide there, but the squirt cannons at Water Country were always fun!
Ol’ sku Hawaiian Brians on Keamoku.
Ol’ sku Original Chuck E Cheese in Waimalu, where Blockbuster took over but is now Ihop.
Ol’ sku McDonalds when was across Walls Waikiki for “borrow” trays fo’ body surf afta sku.
KC drive Inn home of the “ono ono shake”.
The old roller skate rink n Pearl City.
Holiday Mart.
Kam Bowl.
Cruising up and down Kuhio Ave pounding the stereo checking out da chicks!
And all the other stuff everyone else put. Aaaaaah the good ol’ days…
@MoOgooGuypAN Oh damn, Chuck E Cheese! What kid didn’t love going there for birthday parties! When I was in 10th grade at Kamehameha, for PE, we would go down to Kam Bowl. Too bad they got rid of that…
Now I’m going to think about Pioneer Chicken all day. They had a location in Kahala Mall too.
@MaxMaxMax totally agree with the inter-island travel thing. Used to be like catching TheBus, plus you could bring plenty omiyage and/or carry-ons with no problem. Ah well..
Oh nostalgia! I was wondering if someone was going to bring up “Skate World” in Pearl City! Unfortunately, I never did go there but I do remember Castle Park. All the comments that I’ve read…are places that I remember visiting when I was here on Summer vacation or attending school while my dad was working overseas. Kam Drive-Inn…fond memories of family outings while sitting in the back of the family van eating KFC chicken, rice, and shoyu. Thanks for posting this wonderful “flashback”
@808marv C5, After Dark, The Wave, Aloha Tower!!! Remember all those great local bands like Spiney Norman, Love Gods, Killjoy, Gene Pool? I really miss Radio Free Hawaii and all the concerts that were held in the 90’s esp the first Big Mele held on Kualoa Ranch
Buying 45s from Music Box on Union St. Mall downtown across from Kress.
The smell of popcorn in Sears Ala Moana on the street level.
Pinball at Kam Bowl after school and Kenny’s Drive-In.
At Ala Moana there was Keiki Land, Honolulu Book Store, iida’s, watching folks grocery shop at Foodland while eating upstairs at McDonald’s.
Too many to list, would take all day . . .
@tyfferz Oh yeah, the 90s were a high point for the rock music scene in Honolulu, with local bands, the concerts that were coming down, and the venues. Along with the bands you mentioned there was also ska bands Tantra Monsters and Red Session, and metal bands like Poynt Blankk. That reminds me, I also miss rock concerts at Andrews Amphitheater at UH! Saw Pearl Jam there around the time “Ten” broke big.
Also gotta mention the little coffee shops and hangouts that were around in the 90s. I remember an internet cafe on Kapahulu that my friend’s band played at, forgot the name. Then there was something at Atherton YMCA (Coffee Time?). I think there was also a neat hangout called CD Cafe. This sort of thing is coming back with places like Fresh Cafe and the places in the “Arts District”. Yep, good times.
@hawaii2000 Wow, how could I forget Kenny’s Drive In? Slush floats, and the chili was so ono! My favorite chili next to Zippy’s.
@hawaii2000 oh yeah Sears Popcorn! They had popcorn at the Pearlridge location too but I will always relate that smell to Ala Moana.
Lots of people have been bringing up Ala Moana, and I don’t know if it’s just that it’s been so long or that I’ve been away so long, but I can’t remember what Ala Moana used to look like back then. It’s gotten so huge and so much has changed.
@WERUreo Jelly’s was just amazing back then, yeah I pretty much lived at the Pearl Kai location too lol. I could record hunt for hours or just hang out.
@jaydee LOL! That literally made me laugh out loud. Good thing I wasn’t drink my Diet Coke!
@Annoddah_Dave Not to point out your age — ahem! — but some of these things I don’t remember… I do miss The Bistro and 9th Ave Bakery… Oh, and waffle dogs, but you can get those at the Panini Press in Kahala Mall now. Not the same, though…
@johngarcia @DianeSeo Holy moly, Zooper Sale! Don’t forget the Safari Sale, too! LOL!
@johngarcia @WERUreo I was just talking to someone about the Wonderphone — a student — and he was, like, “WTF.” I had to explain it. Conference call. OooooOooooh.
@M I don’t remember the days with no traffic 🙂
@MaxMaxMax Oh, the music! THE MUSIC! Didn’t even think about that!
@WERUreo @808marv Yep, that opening music is still stuck in my head!
@johngarcia @808marv Did you know my uncle — well, my mom’s cousin — owned Kaimuki Cue? Small world!
@808marv CHICKEN ALICE! PINK’S GARAGE! JELLY’S ON PIIKOI (when Menudo was big) AAAH!
@johngarcia Don’t rub it in. 😛
@AlvinRivera Gibsons! Now THERE’S a blast from the past!
Manapua from Kwon-On, Drive-in Movies in Kahala, Tower Records, Ono Ono Shake and Bento B from KC Drive Inn, JC Penney, Jolly Roger Suzy-Q, Flamingo Chuckwagon, Wisteria Restaurant, $5.25 Zip Pacs
@tyfferz OK, does anyone remember Da Rink???
@WERUreo I feel like I’m the only person who remembers Guava Lane…
@MikeSumida Oh wow Flamingo Chuckwagon! I don’t think I ever ate there but I remember the place.
My sister just reminded me of this place that used to be in Waipahu called Metro. Before that it was called Tops. My dad used to take us kids there every Sunday morning for breakfast… I think there is a car dealership there now…
@Cat @AlvinRivera I remember Gibson’s too. What is there now? Don’t get out to Mapunapuna much when I’m in Hawai’i…
@Cat @johngarcia Oh really! Spent a LOT of quarters at Kaimuki Cue back in the day.
@808marv @johngarcia speaking of video games… what about Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start ;).
@808marv @hawaii2000
I miss the roast beef sammies from Woolworths Ala Moana. My grandma’s house was across the back entrance to the old Honolulu Stadium and I miss those Islander baseball games at the Termite Palace. Did you know Al Michels did the Islander’s play-by-play before he hit it big time with ABC sports? Memories!
I miss the roast beef sammies from Woolworths Ala Moana. My grandma’s house was across the back entrance to the old Honolulu Stadium and I miss those Islander baseball games at the Termite Palace. Did you know Al Michels did the Islander’s play-by-play before he hit it big time with ABC sports? Memories!
Oh, and Royal Sunset and Kam Drive In movies! Mommy would back musubi and hamburger patties and us kids would wear our PJs and bring our blankies and pillows. Saw the orignial M*A*S*H movie and Barbara Streisand/Robert Redford in The Way We Were at a drive in.
@WERUreo @matti2d Harpos pizza was the bomb! Their salad dressing was also very, very yummy.
Did other things at the drive in as a teen which cannot be mentioned in polite company. LOL!
@WERUreo Would be cool to see people’s pics of the landmark over the years. https://www.pulpconnection.net/2009/06/ala-moana-should-go-super-social/
@dkMOMUS how many times has McD’s moved in Ala Moana?!
@geewhy that would be really interesting to see. I’d have to wait till go back to my mom’s in a month because I’m pretty sure I don’t have any old pictures of Ala Moana here in Florida. That article mentioned Farrell’s, yet another place I remember from small keed time!
@WERUreo Remember the monkey and bird cages outside of Shirokiya?
@geewhy LOL just twice, I think. Though, you can’t trust my memory. Put it this way: When I left Hawaii, Aloha Tower was still a bunch of warehouses at the pier (not a mall) and Radio Shack was next door to the Jazzercise studio underneath China House on Kapiolani >_< talk about old.
Wow @ubermom really brought it back old-school! So I’m gonna throw in a couple more that I’m sure the youngins who mostly run this site won’t even flinch over. See if these old names ring a bell… Marsh Company. Or BJ Furniture. Or Emjays. Don’t get me started on The Ritz, McInerny, or even San Francisco Rag Shop. OK I”m done.
oops one more I ofrgot was Colubia Inn. used to go there with my parents for breakfast and stuff.
“Columbia” Inn…sorry English wasn’t my forst language…wuz Pidgin!
“first”… k pau already
@dkMOMUS @ubermom oh wow, I do remember Marsh Company, BJ Furniture, and Emjay’s! In fact, me and my brother’s bikes got stolen outside the Emjay’s in Waipahu while we was busy playing Karate Champ inside! Oh, and my dad won $1000 one time from Emjay’s! He was in the paper and everything!
@geewhy I probably would if I saw pictures of it. Off the top of my head, though, I can’t picture it.
@WERUreo my lil sis used to work there and I remember having to pick her up from time to time
@WERUreo @Cat Servo Toyota dealership and Scion
i miss Black Belt Theater on Friday nights!!
@WERUreo I visited Ala Moana for the first time in a long time last year, and I couldn’t believe the changes that were made. Going up the main ramp from Keeaumoku is the same but after I reached the second level I didn’t recognize a thing. I thought for a minute someone put a flux capacitor in my car and I hit 88 miles an hour and ended up so many years in the future lol.
@WERUreo @dkMOMUS @ubermom I remember all those names!
@WERUreo @MikeSumida Had my first prime rib at Flamingo Chuckwagon I believe. Lots of food memories lol.
@MikeSumida @johngarcia That’s an NES cheat code right? I only found about that after the fact with emulators…kinda missed out on the consoles of the 90s.
Hey anyone remember Game World arcade in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center? Also Mitsukoshi Building had an arcade right?
@AlvinRivera Wow. Barney’s. Haven’t heard that one in a while.
@808marv @tyfferz Eddie Vedder stage diving off the top of the scaffolding. Epic.
Memories:
Picking ogo on the beach in back of my house.
Jane’s Addiction at the Aloha Tower with naked Perry Farrell.
Flashing a shaka to Kurt Cobain as Nirvana walks into Pink’s Garage.
Fishing and picking opihi on the jacks at reef runway.
Single lane road coming into Ewa Beach with only sugar cane on either side.
Busting my eye open on the canon in the playground at Royal Sunset.
Having to drive through Haleiwa to get to Waimea.
Dollar beers at Bobby McGees.
Thursday nights at Mooses (not the tourist one in Waikiki).
Causing trouble to Lips on Radio Free while ballot loading Kikaida and polka music.
I have no comment about Professor Fun.
@Cat @tyfferz Which rink was behind McDonalds in Waipahu?
@NSDGR @808marv @tyfferz I try to explain to people that particular stage dive by Ed Vedder at Andrews, and they just can’t comprehend how EPIC it was. It could have been suicidal it was so high!
@MaxMaxMax @808marv @tyfferz He started climbing and got to the top. All we thought was that he was going to sing from there. Next thing we know, a leap. And then he landed next to us. Rad.
That’s right, I said it, Rad.
@NSDGR @808marv @tyfferz I remember my friend and I looking at each other going, “No “effing” way is he going to jump!” …and he did.
Here’s how high it was. This is P.J.’s stage setup during those days. Here you see Eddie hanging from it, but that night he did a back to the audience backwards swan dive from on top of it. It had to be at least 25′. Like I said, he could’ve ended his career right then and there:
https://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/images/Dropinthepark.jpg
@Cat @johngarcia Yeah, Zooper sale was for back-to-school clothes. People would wait outside the store to get in, then load up on stuff. The clothes were all stacked up and messed up on tables, and we’d just grab stuff without trying them on because they were cheap.
@ubermom Yeah, I remember those roast beef sandwiches at Woolworths too. It made me think of another old sandwich place I miss, Mr. Sub at Puck’s Alley.
@MaxMaxMax @NSDGR @tyfferz Yeah it was nuts and I didn’t think Vedder would jump. But off he went. What a great show!
I miss $1.25/gallon for gas. you could actually go around the island…without a care in the world. now going around the island comes with a “hoo boy. dis going cost me choke. too much da gas. auwe.” whispered under breath.
@ninja2911 I remember when $1.25 was considered too high, LOL!
@808marv @tyfferz OMG!!! @b1b1nka and I were just talking about that place, CD Cafe, when we were at the tweetup this past Friday! We went to the Red Hot Chili Pepper concert at Aloha Tower and I remember the Pearl Jam concert at Andrews Amp w/ Vedder jumping fr the speakers. I agree—great, great times!
@NSDGR @Cat Roller World 2 because the one in Pearl City was Skate World!
@Cat Roller World 2!
@808marv all these places you listed esp the internet cafe..we probably we were there at the same time esp because @b1b1nka was part of the local band scene that played at majority of those places you noted down. I look back and I’m thinking it doesn’t seem that long ago but then I look at my youngest two who will be 17 and we share “oh yeah..we seen Porno for Pyros at the After Dark and …,”
Cat, thanks for a great article!!!!
being able to see the Royal Hawaiian from Kalakaua…
grinds–Coco’s, Banana Twinkies, Mama’s mexican restaurant, Kelly’s, Wisteria
@dkMOMUS @ubermom OMG! The Ritz in Ala Moana. That’s where you went to buy gloves for the prom! That’s where all the bras were white and stored in clear acrylic boxes and the clerks would bring them out for you.
@WERUreo Ala Moana used to have a sand box/mini playground on the street level. There was also a Keiki Land that had a mini ferris wheel and I do believe bumper boats. That was back in the 60s.
@WERUreo @hawaii2000 Kenny’s Drive Inn! After bowling League, my daddy would buy us kids burgers and fries from Kenny’s. The three of us youngsters would sit on the living room floor and eat fast food after 9pm! Good times!
@ubermom and Tony Gwynn donned the Islander uniform before he made it to the Padres!!
@geewhy @WERUreo for some reason (maybe because i was around 5 at the time) the bird cage scared the crap out of me
@WERUreo I remember there used to be some mullet and aholehole swimming with the koi in the fish pond on the mall level
@dkMOMUS there was one in Temple Valley Shopping Center, too.
for the FBI types: I miss Paramount Grill on Haili St. Also, when Mamo St. was “Mamo St”. Lastly, it wasn’t that long ago, but Russell Siu’s Kilauea Kitchen is sorely missed.
Wow! Over 100 comments on thedailydish’s post about the things you miss about Hawaii. Join the conversation!
@Cat haha! I wish I could remember it — sounded like a blast!
@johngarcia thedailydish Uh oh… John jinxed it! LOL!
@MaxMaxMax thedailydish It’s great to see livefyre being USED to it’s potential. I know some people have had some trouble and hoping we’re getting closer to 100% activity. Still sorting out some kinks and the LIveFyre team has been bending over backwards to fix our problems. 🙂 Thanks for your memories!
Congrats on such a successful post Cat! All we need now is Chicago’s song “OId Days” playing in the background for reminiscing mood music! (hehe)
Old days
Good times I remember
Fun days
Filled with simple pleasures
Drive-in movies
Comic books and blue jeans
Howdy Doody
Baseball cards and birthdays
Take me back
To a world gone away
Memories
Seem like yesterday
YouTube – Chicago Old Days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRTMWzVoT_U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRTMWzVoT_U
@johngarcia thedailydish That is pretty crazy how much people have been responding to this post. Definitely a fun topic of discussion.
@WERUreo yes-there was metro! Great cheeseburgers! Another place I. Waipahu was H-Saimin Stand and Arakawa’s =) I remember they had that store San Francisco Rag Shop on the 2nd floor (?)
@tyfferz yeah I remember Arakawa’s. I remember getting a baseball signed by Sid Fernandez outside Arakawa’s when I was a kid.
Is it “too soon” to say that I miss the old “Eggs ‘N’ Things” when it was on Kalakaua? ‘Cause the experience sure ain’t the same now in the “house-like” building on Saratoga.
Another thing I miss that was a fairly recent addition/subtraction from the scene was the Restaurant Row Theaters (regular and/or discounted pricing theme). Those were some cozy little theaters and it was great to leisurely walk their after taking off work a bit early to catch a flick!
A Friend of mine posted this on Face book a while back by Joe Green.
Skill Johnson
Music Video by Joe Green. This cool piece features many old photos of buildings and places on the North Shore that have been torn down and /or remodeled. Hence the name of the song: ‘Usetabe’… (Use to be) Check it out..it’s great!
Usetabe Video
http://www.youtube.com
”Usetabe”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf_W_az_F00&feature=player_embedded
Ok this links works. Check it out all about the North Shore.
Some serious throw backs on that list girlfriend.
Next time I see you I’ll show you my chin scar from the one time I was brave enough to go down that ‘big ass’ water slide at Castle Park. LMFO, I almost flew right off the edge and instead my face flew over and cracked the side of it. I was done with waterslides after that. And, for Checkers and Pogo all I can remember is my mom quoting their closing line…. ‘And remember if you no more nottin nice for say, no say nottin at all!!’ LOL. Thanks for taking me back!
(Roller Skating Rink in Mililani where First Hawaiian Bank is now, going to Waiahole to huki kalo, actual public school field trip walking the reef to Chinaman Hat…)
@EdW Joe Green. Isn’t he the owner of Surf N Sea?
@NSDGR I MISS BOBBY MCGEE’S! I remember being a kid and wanting to work there when I was old enough. It never happened — another dream dashed…
@ninja2911 I actually remember going to California in the early 90s and seeing gas for 99 cents a gallon. It was crazy!
@DarylWong Is Coco’s where Hard Rock used to be — across the Convention Center? I think that’s where the newspaper guys would hang out. Heard stories about the 25-cent beef stew.
@WERUreo @johngarcia thedailydish Nostalgia! I guess there’s more we miss than we anticipated!
@streetgrindz You got a water slide injury?!?!?! With a scar?!?! I’m SO jealous! That’s a memory for LIFE! You are hardcore!
@MikeSumida It’s sad when we miss places like Tower Records (though I do). Sign of the times.
@geewhy @WERUreo NO! Monkey cages? When was that?!?
@NSDGR @tyfferz I thought Da Rink — and I could be wrong — was in Chinatown… Or was that a different skate rink…?
@streetgrindz Speaking of public school field trips, is Paradise Park still around? I vaguely remember going there on an elementary school field trip… Oh, and Camp Pupukea in 5th grade, and Camp Erdman in 6th grade…
@Cat @NSDGR
@Cat @NSDGR @tyfferz Da Rink? that was in the Chinese Cultural Plaza…
@Cat @NSDGR @tyfferz Da Rink? that was in the Chinese Cultural Plaza…
@808marv Magoo’s Hot Ham, Cheese & Mushroom sandwich was a staple at Johnson Hall in the early 90’s. one to two guys who would deliver to the dorms and take a personal check when you only had less than $20 in your account. LOL
@Cat yeah hardcore sister!!! LMFO
@WERUreo it’s there but dunno what’s going on with it. At one point they used it as a restraunt. Such a beautiful unused space! I never went to camp Pupukea but Erdman… yeah! And, being from Wahiawa we were freaked out the ‘green lady’ followed us there and was haunting us in the cabin!!! LOL.
@streetgrindz I barely remember Camp Pupukea. I know that it was just a one night trip and we slept in tents rather than cabins like at Erdman. I remember it rained the night we were at Pupukea and the next morning we woke up drenched cause the water got into our tent.
At Erdman, I remember there being like a grove of trees or something on the mountainside that we thought were night marchers or something.
@Cat @DarylWong Used to be? What happened to Hard Rock?
@johngarcia @MaxMaxMax thedailydish I like the way LiveFyre updates things in real time. When this thread was really active, I would be sitting here reading one thing and seeing all kinds of new replies popping up around me. Really good way to keep me involved in the conversation!
@NSDGR @EdW That’s the guy!
I kinda miss Showbiz Pizza…lots of fun times there…and Arakawas and HonSport for sporting goods. 😉
Oh…and the Hawaiian Islanders…oh the good ‘ol days…
I remember
@Cat @ninja2911 Yeah, I remember in the late 90’s, I could fill up my gas tank with a $20. Now that same $20 gets me a 1/4 tank.
Cat: Even in 2001, gas in LA was in the 90 cent range. Of course, this was post 9/11, but still…
@Cat @ninja2911 Yeah, I remember in the late 90’s, I could fill up my gas tank with a $20. Now that same $20 gets me a 1/4 tank.
Cat: Even in 2001, gas in LA was in the 90 cent range. Of course, this was post 9/11, but still…
@DarylWong Kelly’s, yeah.
It’s rather recent, but I’ve been missing Bob’s Big Boy for quite the last year or so.
oh another one just hit me. a commercial from Checkers and Pogo shows, Exchange Juices. the jingle started out something like this:
Exchange (Exchange)
Going down down down
and around round round
in your tum tum tum
In your mind
saying yum yum yum
sorry thats all i can remember. it was after the lucky kid who won the game could grab as much pennies in one hand scoop from the penny jar to fill up his paper cone hat. or was that a birthday hat? LOL too far to remember.
@nathankam oh wow HonSport.
@nathankam I think I went to one Hawai’i Islanders game whe I was a kid (at Aloha Stadium, I’m not old enough to remember the old Honolulu Stadium). Do they ever put the stadium in baseball configuration anymore?
It’s pretty sad to see all the mom and pops pushed out by the big boxes.
@nathankam And Buster’s across from Arakawas where you could try to make deals with old man Buster.
@streetgrindz @WERUreo THE GREEN LADY!
@NSDGR It’s “evolution babeeeeeeh,” as Eddie Vedder would say… Soon, if now already, those big boxes are being flushed out my online stores. iTunes is already the largest music seller, over Wal-Mart.
But, will things come full circle, and 20 years from now, we’ll see mom & pops coming back as the next big thing then?
$&!@ing iPad autocorrect!!! My sentence above reads like a child’s… *sigh*
@Cat @DarylWong that’s right–last stop for the night after seeing Carole Kai or the Alii’s or hanging at the dance club in the IMP–anyone remember the name of it?
@NSDGR @nathankam ARAKAWA’S! I remember the commercials!