A revitalized Kukui Grove Shopping Center was officially rededicated Saturday afternoon. Speaking on behalf of the board of directors of Grove Farm Land Company, Grove Farm owner and America OnLine founder Steve Case said the changes made were “a labor
A revitalized Kukui Grove Shopping Center was officially rededicated Saturday afternoon.
Speaking on behalf of the board of directors of Grove Farm Land Company, Grove Farm owner and America OnLine founder Steve Case said the changes made were “a labor of love.”
Case grew up in Honolulu and graduated from Punahou school, started Internet giant America Online from scratch. He now lives in Virginia.
He said he toured the remodeled shopping center early Saturday morning, stopping off at Jamba Juice for a pineapple drink.
The shopping center and other holdings of Grove Farm were purchased by Case in 2000.
Speaking before a crowd of about 400 to 500 people gathered on the north side of Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Case said following his purchase of the land company which dates back to the mid-1800s, he identified three major areas that needed work at Grove Farm.
One priority, he said, was to expand the Puakea Golf Course in south Lihu‘e from 10 holes to 18 holes. He said the devastation of Hurricane ‘Iniki set back earlier plans to complete the course.
A second priority, he said, was to build housing on Kaua‘i. Case said Grove Farm now is planning to make more lots available, including affordable housing. His remark drew cheers from the audience made up of mostly local residents. Case said affordable housing plans were discussed at a Grove Farm board meeting held this week during his visit to Kaua‘i.
The third priority, he said, was renovating and upgrading the Kukui Grove Shopping Center. He said following Hurricane ‘Iniki, safety problems were discovered at the shopping center.
Case said that the renovation was done in three stages over the past three to four years, and his goal was to make Kukui Grove “one of the best shopping centers in the United States.”
“Me and my whole family are proud to be here and part of the community,” Case told the crowd at Kukui Grove.
Case said his father, prominent Honolulu attorney Dan Case, grew up nearby the location of the shopping center.
Dan Case is the son of Grove Farm chief accountant A. Hebard “Hib” Case, who moved to Kauai in 1919. Case brought the first electronic business machines to Kaua‘i, and is noted for bringing computerized accounting to the sugar cane plantations of Hawai‘i.
The day-long festivities began with chanters, conch shell blowers and young hula dancers from Na Hulu O Kaohikukapulani, and a blessing in Hawaiian by Lady Ipo.
Popular Hawaiian music group Kapena followed Case’s welcome.
A full day of activities was planned with a 7 p.m. concert by the Cazimero Brothers and a fireworks show in a blocked-off section of the shopping center parking lot. At press time rain showers from a passing tropical storm were dropping moisture in Lihu‘e.
Chris Cook, Editor, can be reached at ccook@ pulitzer. net or 245-3681 (ext. 227).
