Aloha Center breathes new life into former Hale Kauai building

NAWILIWILI — Kerry Oda of Makana Photography was enjoying his box lunch in the shade of one of the trees at the Aloha Center that opened its doors for business last week.

“When it gets busy, you don’t have time for lunch,” Oda said. “So, you gotta enjoy it when you can.”

Oda is one of 16 craft vendors who greeted customers when the doors opened Monday morning, and Robert Ellis of Artistic Visions said there is room for more.

Leonard Pope, who coordinates the Westside Craft Fair in Waimea, is the coordinator for the crafts section of the complex that is centered around the Artistic Visions graphics-arts complex in Nawiliwili.

“We started out with 16 vendors this morning, but have potential for 24,” Ellis noted. “Spaces are available for either a day, a week, or a monthly arrangement.”

Ellis pointed out that lining the walls of the huge complex that was formerly occupied by the hardware and lumber store Hale Kauai are murals of old-time pictures that came from the family albums of the Rice and Ellis families.

Eventually, Ellis envisions the complex to house a historical learning center as well as an artisans’ gathering place, as he pointed out the different facets of the Aloha Center.

A coffee shop will open with-in the next two weeks, he said. That will add a food-and-drink offering that will also be the gathering place of an improvisational comedy group that works with local artist Carol Kouchi Yotsuda.

Yotsuda’s discussion with Ellis led to the opening of Aloha Center, Yotsuda said, explaining that in California a similar craft offering on the estate of Frank Lloyd Wright served as the inspiration for the Nawiliwili facility.

Ellis said the aim of Aloha Center is to preserve history while offering crafters and shoppers a comfortable atmosphere to show and sell their wares. “When it rains, they won’t be standing in mud, and they don’t have to deal with the rain,” Ellis said.

On the historical aspect, Ellis noted that in about a month, they’ll be releasing a video that documents the history of the area from Lihu‘e to Kalapaki. This will supplement the murals hanging on the wall, many showing Lihu‘e and Nawiliwili before it was developed to today’s density.

Artistic Visions, which Ellis is in the process of moving into the new building from its Kapa‘a location, will feature a full studio where he can produce art shots for local artists, as well as a video facility.

On the consumer level, Ellis said they will be able to do greenspace photography, which allows them to inject a person into any location.

Ellis, who also owns the art gallery at the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, said there will be lots of space for demonstrations, entertainment, and educational displays.

The coffee shop scheduled to open shortly will be called Nawiliwili Joe’s, and Ellis said, they’ve already coined names for some of their specials, such as “Booster for da Roosta’,” and “Broke da Beak.”

The seating capacity for the planned coffee shop is about 40 people, Ellis noted. “There’ll be lots of room for improvisation.”

More unique culinary offerings will be available outside the building, as Ellis said he would like to see a shave-ice wagon as well as a hotdog wagon that will feature specially-made dogs.

Local crafter Gail Konishi, the Parent Community Networking Center coordinator at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School in Puhi, said she was taking advantage of her day off Monday to try out the new facility.

Ernest Wilhite, who also volunteers at The Salvation Army with his wife Marion, was busy stringing jewelry amidst shoppers browsing through the offerings at their booth.

“I’m just the jewelry stringer,” he said. “My wife is the artist. She has a lot of different things, but mostly likes to do paintings.” Meanwhile, Oda was finishing up his early lunch. “It’s something new, so might as well check it out.”

Aloha Center is open until 8 p.m.

• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.