A Fond Aloha to the Hibiscus Caf?

The announcement of the deal to build a Jimmy Buffett restaurant in the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber is very exciting (see Exciting New Restaurant to Open at OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber in the Current News section). When it opens in November, it will bring jobs, great food, and top entertainment to the heart of Waikiki.

However, almost any project of this size brings disruptions, particularly when the rest of the 493-room hotel continues to serve guests. We will do everything we can to ease the impact of the project on both guests and members of our ‘ohana with barricades, soundproofing, and careful scheduling of work hours.

We will also do all we can for the 15 loyal employees who have worked in the hotel’s Hibiscus Caf?, which was shut down Thursday, as the first step in creating Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber.

I visited the caf? on closing day to thank those who work there for their loyal service. I arrived right in the middle of the breakfast rush — the last meal served at the caf?. Members of our ‘ohana were working feverishly to keep the buffet line stocked with food and create fresh omelets on the grill!

Almost everyone I spoke with had been working in the caf? at least ten years. Some had tenure significantly longer than that. That is amazing in a food and beverage department, since “F&B” is known for its high turnover rates. All of them have known for a year that the caf? would be closed for renovation.

At this point, our Human Resources department has found jobs within the Outrigger/OHANA system for about half of those who worked in the caf?. Some of the others are planning to use the coming months as a time to travel, visit family, or catch up on home repairs. We are continuing to work with the remaining few and are confident that everyone will find an appropriate opportunity very soon.

My thanks to everyone at the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber and particularly those who worked in the Hibiscus Caf?.