<Begin Segment 12>

BN: So your husband kind of grew up in, kind of, both. So he had been in, he spent a lot of time in Hawaii, so he was already familiar with things. He already was working. You said Kuhio Grill?

SI: Kuhio Grill. And then after that, went after, come over here, he opened Times Grill. He was on, family friends, they make 'em together after he quit the Kuhio Grill.

BN: Kuhio Grill was the one in, right in Moiliili?

SI: Yes. Because while he quit over there is owner, Miya-san, pass away. He was really close to the, just like brothers. Really close. He was so nice to, owner was too close to him. After he passed away, he quit, he opened the Times Grill.

BN: Where was that?

SI: You know Columbia Inn? Kapiolani Boulevard, next to the Star-Bulletin. Oh, no, before that, he was, opened the Power Cafe. The time my children was small, so I never help anything. He got to hire.

BN: How many children?

SI: I have five.

BN: Five.

SI: One boy, four girls. [Laughs]

BN: Were they pretty close together in age?

SI: Yeah. First, boy was first one. Next, Carol, only one year. And two year, two year different. Janet, two year different. And then Lynn was [inaudible]. She stayed [inaudible], last one.

BN: So, and then he was working at, or he had the Times Grill.

SI: Yeah. First one was the Power Cafe, and those days was so busy, wedding time three o'clock in the morning he got to get up to go prepare. But I never go because children was so small, and too busy. I think you doing work, you got to think about your health. You better go, if somebody buy it, you better sell 'em already. I don't think it's good for you. If you get a buyer, go sell 'em. [Laughs] Because it's so busy...

BN: It's hard work.

SI: Three o'clock and come home so late, you know. And then who was working over there, the waitress, so busy, so she wanted. Okay, good chance, go sell 'em. And then the waitress buy it so said when he, after he sold that, he went to the Times Grill, partner, looking for partner and opened the Times Grill. And then after they saw that, changed to the Columbian Inn. That one was him, last one over there, Times Grill. Oh, after retire, said, you don't need to go work, and he said, "No, I want to yard work, I better go help the George. I like help the George," and he went to go to the Eagle Cafe.

Off camera: But Violet's coffee shop was almost fifteen...

SI: Long time. Violet's coffee shop, fifteen years.

BN: And you were telling me that you helped a lot at the Violet's.

SI: Yeah, we was own that one, yes.

BN: Was he the sole owner?

SI: Huh?

BN: He was the sole owner of Violet's?

SI: Yes, he was own, that own.

BN: You were saying that that one is by, on King?

SI: King Street.

BN: King Street.

SI: Nearby the Tamashiro Market.

BN: Tamashiro.

SI: Yes. All the Tamashiro workers and then the schoolteacher, especially city and county, before five o'clock, they open, waiting for the open the door.

BN: Four or five o'clock in the morning?

SI: In the morning, they was waiting.

BN: So what time did he have to get there?

SI: I was leaving the house four o'clock in the morning, and then opened five o'clock.

<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.