Kilohana Square

This quaint little mall has been around since I was a little kid living in Kapahulu! I was just a quarter of my current size then. Times have changed but this mall has not changed too much.
My current favorite businesses are Mr. Ojisan and Sweet E’s Café. I love food so it had to be those places! It looks like Sweet E’s may be moving soon across from Crane Park though. I saw construction going on there with their sign on the building there.
Parking is relatively plentiful. This place is on the smaller side but I have never had trouble getting a stall. One interesting fact is that there is a State Farm office here with the agent having the same name as me! There’s no relation between us though.

I would rare 0 but can’t. Love the shops here but parking is ridiculous. Asked the Filipino parking attendant where I can park and she was just yelling at me. I couldn’t understand her Filipino accent even if I am Filipino so I asked her kindly where can I park but she just kept yelling and screaming I felt I needed to be defensive and yell back but I just drove past her. I tried to ask for her name to report her but he wouldn’t give it to me.

This small shopping area, akin to a strip mall, is located on a corner lot in Kapahulu. It is located closer to the intersection of Pahoa Avenue and Kapahulu Avenue. Most of the businesses in here are small mom and pop types or boutiques. There is a small parking lot with a security guard or parking attendant to assist you if you’re planning to do business in this center.
I’ve heard that folks have been «harassed» by security because of a parking policy but I’ve not had that experience. We have been fortunate enough to be able to park, lock and enter the business (Sweet E’s) without waiting. Because this lot is small, the parking stalls are compact and short.
Recently, the owner of Kilohana Square has successfully purchased the long-​vacant adjacent 19,000 sq ft lot with plans to provide additional parking for the existing businesses and to expand retail and office spaces.

Kilohana Square is small strip mall with cute local businesses and can be seen on Kapahulu Ave. The parking lot entrance is on a side street and a bit hidden on Kihei Pl. not Kapahulu. It’s a one way into the parking lot and you go out the exit on Kapahulu Avenue. The lot is free. There is a security guard who watches over the lot.
Why 2 stars? The lot is small and be careful parking towards the entrance of the lot, my car got hit here.

Is there an option to take away stars? The management of this property is not customer friendly

Thank you to whomever posted the «Attention» picture. I was looking forward to a nice Sunday breakfast with some out of town guests Our experience started off with a very weird rent a cop telling us that we cannot stand in the shade because we’re loitering in front of Jun Flowers which has a sign «by appointment only» hanging in the window. Oh and it’s Sunday, 9am and one store is open in the whole center. Our options are to stand in front of Sweet E’s in the blaring sun or out on the street where they will come to call us when its our turn. We opted for the hot sun but were reprimanded yet again for actually standing IN the parking space where we could be injured despite the fact that there is practically no traffic except for the foot traffic going to Sweet E’s from the parking lot on the other side of the building where we were directed by super cop. Guy must be a refugee from when they cleaned house at the airport security.
Finally get in. Corned beef hash benedict was pretty good. Pancakes too. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered and service was excellent. Would have been better without the sunburn though. I’m not sure where this idiocy stems from. Whether its the guard, Kihohana square management or the surrounding stores. I suspect a combination of the three due to the degree of stupidity. Tried calling Kilohana Square and it goes to a «voicemail box that is not set up» recording (surprise). As for the surrounding businesses. You have a captive audience right outside your store. Put up some advertising. Go out and chat. Look at it positively rather than as loitering.
Myself. I’m not going to any business in Kilohana square just out of principle (not that there’s anything to see).

It is the dream of most every small business to intentionally or accidentally get aligned with a more popular business that will attract people to you.
Apparently Kilohana Square does not feel that way. They reserve parking spaces for tenants rather than customers and they tell you where you are allowed to stand if you are waiting outside. Apparently I look like an unsavory element or something and cannot stand in the asphalt, only the brick.
In 2 recent visits, I have had the security guard tell me to move while I was waiting to be seated at Sweet E’s. He explained to me that it is the policy of Kilohana Square not to allow people to stand or wait in front of other stores and not to wait on the asphalt.
Each time I have eaten at Sweet E’s I have stopped off in Calvin and Suzies to get doggie treats. I like Calvin and Suzies but usually would not stop there unless I had some other reason (like getting lunch in the same shopping center.).
If the other merchants are complaining, then the shopping center management needs to explain to them the benefits of having people actually *in* the shopping center.

Kilohana Square is one of those strip malls that you probably may miss if you are driving into Kapahulu Avenue from Waialae Avenue. It’s pretty much right after you turn left off of Pahoa Avenue going westbound. This strip mall is pretty much next door to Market City Shopping Center and the Board of Water Supply satellite station. Most of these retail establishments in Kilohana Square are small businesses that have weathered the current economic storm and continue to thrive in challenging times. The parking entrance itself is located on a side street called Kihei Place. Free parking!
It’s quaint and you can get through everything in basically 5 minutes or less. Like a village of shops that are just centrally located for your own benefit. My favorite restaurant here would be India Café. You probably would not know this place existed, especially when your mind is on Safeway or other businesses along the long stretch of Kapahulu Avenue. It’s a nice place to visit, just in case you are in need of a change of pace from the usual hustle and bustle of Wal-​Mart, Ala Moana, and Waikele, to name a few places of trendy and fashonista.
Now I am craving Indian food.
B+

Kilohana Square is home to a number of «Mom-​n-​Pop» type businesses such as Calvin & Susie, Sweet E’s Café, Mr. Ojisan, and more. This mini complex of shops is located near the edge of Kapahulu, on the left-​hand side as you approach Waialae Ave. The complex /​parking entrance is actually on Kihei Pl., not Kapahulu. It’s a one way in, one way out deal… In on Kihei Place; out on Kapahulu Avenue.
FYI — it could be easily overlooked if you aren’t watching out for it.
Free parking for Kilohana Square customers, so you can skip looking for street parking. Yay.
Kilohana Square is nothing like Ala Moana where you could walk around to peruse the shops aimlessly… It’s more of a planned and purposeful stop where you plan to stop by Kilohana Square bc you’re hungry or need pet supplies. LOL. I go to Kilohana Square for some grub then jump over up Calvin and Susie to pick up dog and cat food.
I’m rambling.
But you get the idea.
Unilocal 365 — #244/​365