Aoki’s Shave Ice Shop Closing, for now

HALEIWA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The little red shack that's been serving up shave ice since 1981 is soon to be no more.

Aoki's Shave Ice Shop is closing its doors for good, as the building it's in will be torn down as part of Kamehameha School's redevelopment of Haleiwa.

It's probably time for the building to go down, as it's in poor shape, but the owner says that's just part of its personality.

"This building has its own charm, it's the cracks in the floors, it's the cracks in the ceiling.  It's authentic" said Cathy Aoki, one of the owners.

Customers agree.

"It just reminds me of all my friends, every time we'd come to the beach we'd always come here after, get shave ice" said Ian Hasegawa, who's been coming to Aoki's his entire life.

Alex Amina is also a longtime customer.  He drove up from Kalihi when he heard the news.

"Every sunday, my grandmother would drive from Nanakuli all the way to Hauula, she was a pastor out there so, every time we'd stop at this shave ice stand" he said.

The building will go, but the business will survive, as Aoki's will move into the North Shore Trading Company building just across the street.

The Aoki's are hoping for an early 2014 opening, but they're still finalizing the proper paperwork.

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