PO‘IPU — An ‘Ele‘ele monkeypod tree damaged during Hurricane Iniki nearly two decades ago was recently reborn in the form of new furniture at a Po‘ipu restaurant. Contracted by TS Restaurants, the owner of Keoki’s and Duke’s Kaua‘i, local resident
PO‘IPU — An ‘Ele‘ele monkeypod tree damaged during Hurricane Iniki nearly two decades ago was recently reborn in the form of new furniture at a Po‘ipu restaurant.
Contracted by TS Restaurants, the owner of Keoki’s and Duke’s Kaua‘i, local resident Elizabeth Freeman has been working on interior upgrades and redesign as part of Keoki’s 25th anniversary Feb. 4.
“The new hostess stand is crafted from a giant monkeypod tree that came from the grounds at ‘Ele‘ele School,” Freeman said. “You know how I don’t want to see things go to waste, so I’m glad that it now has a new life in Po‘ipu.”
Freeman said following Hurricane Iniki, half of the tree died, raising safety concerns with the school’s administration.
A decision was made to cut down the tree, and through various community connections, the wood found its way to Keoki’s for the interior upgrade project.
“That pattern in the center panel of the hostess stand resembles the satellite photos of hurricanes,” Freeman said. “There’re two of them so it’s a double hurricane.”
Freeman said the station was created by the woodworking craftsmen at North Shore Mill. But the wood extends beyond the station as Freeman used more of the same monkeypod to wrap the restaurant’s interior waterfall, creating a decorative display and seating area for customers.
More wood was used to frame and enhance a giclee of Upper Hanakapi‘ai Falls by Brad Dawber at the entrance to the eatery inside Po‘ipu Shopping Village.
“This used to be a pass-through,” Freeman said. “But we closed it off, and the picture of the falls gives it an outdoor feel.”
More monkeypod is used to create sit-down stations along a formerly unused wall opposite the beverage station which will be fitted with a new Blizzard System in time for the celebration.
Maile Shklov, Keoki’s beverage manager, said the Blizzard will give them the coldest beer on the South Shore, chilled at 29 degrees.
The sit-down stations will be enhanced by a series of three Tim Dela Vega photos framed with monkeypod from ‘Ele‘ele, Freeman said.
Freeman said she is working with Derek Dessler, Keoki’s manager, about enhancing the interior plantings with more native plants to compliment the series of Dela Vega photos which will feature taro found in Kalalau Valley and a sunset coloring the Kalalau waterfalls.
“The public is our very important people, so everyone is invited to celebrate with us,” said Manette DeCosta.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
