Saturday Briefing

By Dean Nakaone

There was a whirlwind of activities surrounding the opening of the new Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber.Dr. Kelley reported in last week’s Saturday Briefing that it would be a “sensational opening in Waikiki,” and it turned out to be exactly that. A formal Hawaiian blessing of the restaurant was held on Sunday, February 1. The special ceremony was followed by a high- energy Sneak Peek VIP party that same evening for hundreds of invited guests. The activities culminated the next day with a ceremonial untying of the maile lei, with the restaurant officially opening its doors to the public at 11 a.m. on February 2.

Ka‘ipo Ho, Outrigger’s Manager of Cultural Experiences, performed the Sunday morning Hawaiian blessing and the ceremonial untying of the maile lei on Monday, which he did with sincere honor and respect. For those of us who had the privilege of attending these two special occasions, it was easy to see that Ka‘ipo and the restaurant staff had made a very special connection, with each worker taking the time to thank Ka‘ipo for sharing his mana, his spirit, with every member of the Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber ‘ohana.

Dan Leonard, Kerry Houk, and David Carey

Assisting in the Sunday morning blessing were Dan Leonard, President and COO of Margaritaville Management Group; Kerry Houk, General Manager of Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber; Mel Kaneshige, Executive Vice President of Real Estate and Development for Outrigger Enterprises Group; Barbara Campbell, Outrigger’s Vice President of Retail Development and Leasing; and many of the restaurant’s Managers and Food & Beverage team. TV cameras turned out for the Monday morning ceremony to record David Carey, President & CEO of Outrigger Enterprises Group, me, Dan Leonard, and Kerry Houk in the untying of the maile lei.

The Sunday night Sneak Peek VIP party was a grand affair with nearly 500 invited guests attending. It was an

Chuck and Jenny Kelley with Mel Kaneshige (back)

evening of great fun, good food, and wonderful entertainment by the likes of Henry Kapono, The Kailua Bay Buddies, Taimane Gardner, and Jake Shimabukuro and showcased exactly what guests can expect when they visit Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber.

A very special moment during the VIP party was when Haumea Ho was called to the stage by local promoter Tom Moffat. Haumea is the widow of the late and legendary Don Ho, who performed at the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber for the last 14 years of his life. The restaurant now occupies the same space as the former Don Ho showroom, and the music stage sits in the same spot as the old Don Ho stage. When Mrs. Ho came to the stage, Tom Moffat announced that Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber was dedicating the entertainment stage to the memory of the legendary performer. Mrs. Ho was overcome with emotion. She thanked the management and staff of the restaurant for the great honor, and then, in true island fashion, she expressed her thanks by performing a hula.

Visitors to the restaurant may sense a familiarity when they are greeted and served by the staff. That’s

Ka‘ipo Ho blesses the Margaritaville retail store with the help of store employees Colleen Benevedes and Debra Hayashi

because Ka‘ipo Ho, along with Pila Hanson, Manager of Organizational Development and Internal Communications, played an integral role in their training. In conjunction with the Human Resources and Training staff of Margaritaville Management Group, parent company of Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber, Ka‘ipo and Pila conducted special training sessions for the new restaurant employees, sharing the concept of Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a and the importance of ho‘okipa — welcoming and entertaining our guests and friends with warmth and generosity.

Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber is located on the upper lobby level of the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. Hours of operation are 7 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. Breakfast is available on the lanai daily from 7 a.m. - 10:30 am. Lunch and dinner is served inside the restaurant from 11 a.m. - midnight, and a poolside menu is offered until 7 p.m. daily. There is also a Margaritaville retail store located on the street level of the hotel that offers a wide variety of unique Margaritaville and Jimmy Buffett logo merchandise, ranging from Frozen Concoction Makers to Jimmy Buffett CDs, apparel, and original souvenirs.

For more information about Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber, surf over to www.jbabc.com or visit the restaurant at 2300 Kalakaua Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815, or you may contact