Hawaii: two concepts opened at the same time

Why Hawaii was a big deal

Opening one store far from home is hard. We opened two concepts in Hawaii at the same time, from Southern California, on islands where almost everything arrives by ship. There was no room for loose ends.

Logistics planned to a T

Before construction started, every piece of logistics was planned out: what had to be shipped, when it had to leave, when it would land, and who was waiting on it. On the islands, a missing part is not a same day fix. It is a boat schedule. Planning that far ahead is what kept two openings moving at once.

Contractors coordinated from Southern California

We coordinated with general contractors from here in Southern California to make sure the project stayed on track. Our co-founder Ta, who is especially strong at keeping complex projects organized, kept the schedule, the open questions, and the next steps clear for everyone involved.

When island delays happened

Island delays are not a maybe. When they came, we worked with the construction team to troubleshoot: finding another way to source what was stuck, resequencing work so crews were not waiting, and making decisions quickly so a small delay did not turn into a missed opening.

Staying ahead of permits

Permit delays were a real risk. We navigated them by staying on top of everyone: following up early, keeping every party informed, and making sure nothing sat waiting on an answer from us.

More expensive, and it takes longer

• Mostly everything gets shipped to the islands, so build shipping time into every order.
• Everything costs more, from materials to equipment to supplies, so the budget has to start higher.
• Everything takes longer, so the opening date needs more cushion than it would on the mainland.

Flying the team in

For the launch, we flew our Southern California team over to train the new crews and run the first days alongside them. That is how we make sure a store opens the way it should, whether it is in Orange County, Hawaii, or Vietnam.

What it means for your opening

If you are opening far from home, in Hawaii, another state, or another country, we bring the same planning and follow through as your advisors. We are consultants, not your project manager or your contractor: your general contractor still runs construction, and licensed professionals handle permits. What we bring is an operator's plan, a clear view of what usually goes wrong, and help keeping everyone on track and troubleshooting when it does.