Ishihara passes the baton

Following 80 years of serving the community, the Ishihara family from Ishihara Market, on Kaumualii Highway across from Hofgaard Park in Waimea, will hand ownership to the locally owned Kalama Beach Corp.

Ishihara Market will close at 7:30 p.m. Thursday under the leadership of the Ishihara family, and re-open on Aug. 7 under the ownership of Kalama Beach Corp. following a blessing by Aletha Kaohi, a Kauai Living Treasure, at 10 a.m., states a release from the KBC.

The 11-day transition period will allow the KBC team to install new registers at checkout and remerchandise the store to add a selection of new products to the store’s current offerings. The opening will feature free product giveaways and food samplings.

“This has been a long road for all of us,” said Shawn Ishihara, on behalf of the Ishihara family. “The decision to sell was not an easy one. With inventory getting harder to purchase at competitive prices, we felt it was time to let go. Our main goal was to find a company with the same values that we have, which is to serve the community and take care of its employees. Kalama Beach Corp. fit this mold perfectly. They are a locally-owned company that specializes in small neighborhood stores, but has greater purchasing power. They will keep Ishihara, ‘Ishihara.’”

All of the 40 employees who wished to continue working at Ishihara Market were rehired by Kalama Beach Corp., and a former assistant manager has been promoted to store manager.

“We know customers love the great poke, delicious food and warm friendly service at Ishihara Market,” said Vernon Ikebe, vice president of sales and operations for Kalama Beach Corp. “None of this will change. Our plan is to add a broader selection of natural and specialty products, enhance the grocery offerings, and increase the number of items made locally on Kauai. This is all in response to the feedback of the Ishihara family and their team. We consider it a great honor to take over this store, and are committed to working hard to ensure it continues to make the Ishihara family, their employees, and the community proud.”

Ishihara Market is open from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“The Ishihara family would like to thank the community, the vendors who supplied us, all the friends and family who supported us, and last but not least, our valued employees who have dedicated their lives to make Ishihara Market what it is today,” Shawn said. “We will always think of our employees as family, and as we ‘hand off the baton,’ we would like to say ‘Thank you very much. We love you, and mahalo to all.’”

Ishihara Market was founded in 1934 by Shoko Ishihara who came to Hawaii in the 1900s to work as a field laborer for Kekaha Sugar. He and his son Charles opened a meat market in Kekaha at the corner of the Kekaha Sugar and Kekaha Road.

During World War II, the store moved to Waimea town to a building which is currently the Makaweli Poi Mill. It moved to its present location in 1953, and during Hurricane Iniki in 1992 the store was damaged, forcing the family’s third generation — Ray, Grace, and Guy (and his wife Shawn) to open a new market in 1996, developing a reputation for its delicious prepared foods, friendly service, and family atmosphere.

Kalama Beach Corporation is one of several affiliated retail companies owned by the Sullivan family. Founded in 1970, the locally-owned company operates Malama Market and other neighborhood grocery stores on the Big Island, Maui, and Oahu.

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.