In Kaimuki, parking spaces converted for outdoor seating to help struggling businesses

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The drive through Kaimuki looks a bit different now as city leaders teamed up with several non-profit organizations to build a public parklet right along Waialae Avenue.

The goal of the outdoor space is to provide assistance for small businesses hit hard in the area.

“With the COVID, the restaurants are suffering and all our restaurants are small,” said Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Chair Sharon Schneider. “They’re small spaces, so to go to 40% or something is a big hit and so, we’ve always thought it’d be nice to have outdoor spaces or spaces you can sit and have your sandwich.”

The parklet sits in front of several small businesses, including coffee shop Bean About Town, which had to shut down for a month and a half earlier this year due to coronavirus restrictions.

“We didn’t know what was gonna happen,” said Bean About Town owner Olivier Vetter. “We were worried about the rent, all the expense.”

Use of the parklets, which are constructed entirely out of recycled materials, is free and available for the general public and not just patrons of nearby businesses.

The intent is to provide a safe outdoor seating option, but Schneider has received mixed feedback.

“People are worried about parking because parking is a very serious problem in Kaimuki,” Schneider said.

“But a lot of people, maybe people who are more mobile who ride Biki bikes or something like that, feel it’s great to just have a place to sit.”

The impact on parking is not the only concern.

Angel Tran has operated Kaimuki restaurant Super Pho for the last 17 years and she’s seen parked cars get hit right in front of her business.

Two more parklets will be added along Waialae Avenue early next year and the designer says they won’t be as close to the road and the barriers will be higher. Overall, the verdict on the spaces is positive.

“It’s fantastic because people can have a choice to be outside or inside,” Vetter said.

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