The Beauty Connection

         The proliferation of beauty shops in a neighborhood speaks volumes of its people.  We could say that for many people there, looking and feeling good must be important that’s why these shops became popular.  It’s also possible that the rental of commercial spaces are more affordable in the area than the rentals in the malls and high-end places in town therefore, entrepreneurial residents opt to open shops there.  And probably this phenomenon could best be explained that there are actually many people who live there who have skills and trade in the beauty industry, thus the increase of beauty shops in the neighborhood. 

I might just be unexposed to neighborhoods other than Kalihi because I think that we have the most number of beauty salons and barber shops in Hawaii.  Although Kalihi is a small neighborhood, it seems that everywhere you turn you’ll sure find a place to have your hair done!  And often times, these hair salons include manicure and pedicure, facial, waxing, make-up and massage services as well.

However, why of all businesses are hair salons and barber shops flourishing in Kalihi?  Well, whether we realize it or not, hair is very important.  Besides the physical attributes of hair, many things have been said to describe hair such as the “crowning glory” of a woman…or a man, and that’s Biblical.  To some, hair can be a metaphor of their lives, which explains why at times women would have a drastic haircut whenever they end a relationship with their significant others.  Hair can also describe someone’s day or emotional condition.  In psychology, a person with unkept and disheveled hair may simply mean busy and/or stressed to something serious as having a mental illness.

They say that when you think of opening a business, you have to consider many things.  If you want to sell merchandise, don’t choose perishables.  And if you have to, make sure it can be sold within the day or else you’ll loose money.  If you want to provide service, make sure that it’s a need so that your chances to have repeat costumers is high.  If your product is unique or is a specialty, it would set you apart from others and it would be most profitable.  It’s also important that your business offers affordability coupled with high quality.  A good business should also provide accessibility and convenience, cleanliness, comfort, and a welcoming ambiance. 

Based on those basic business standards, I’m not surprised that hair salons and barber shops in Kalihi are thriving.  First of all, hair grows therefore, people will always need a haircut.  Second, even if you’re no fashionista, you want to look presentable therefore, you want to get your hair trimmed, colored, permed, and even extended to keep a look or to have a new look. Third, since most people can’t do their own hair, they need to have an expert to do it for them especially when it’s affordable.  Fourth, since there are so many of these salons to choose from, you would pick the best quality for your money.  Fifth, more and more of these barber shops and hair salons open late at night to accommodate the schedule of costumers.  Last, of the many competitions, the salons that’s most updated with their styles and products always remain lucrative which explains many of these neighborhood shops. 

Barber shops and hair salons mean different things to different people.  Some have affinity to these places because it’s their grooming routine.  To some, going to these beauty salons is a form of pampering and treating of themselves after working hard. Others have forged friendship with the salon operators and workers that it’s like visiting and touching bases with family and friends.  Through generations in every culture, barber shops and hair salons serve as social halls of the community where everybody get to see and be seen as well a place to hear about events including gossips. 

The business of beauty is imminent in every neighborhood and in every society.  They come in every form, be it treatments for any body parts—topical or intrusive or be it accessories to beautify somebody.  And as simple a community as Kalihi, slowly but surely, it makes up a sizable part of the beauty pie and it surely says something about the people living in it.

DIRECTORY OF BARBER SHOPS, BEAUTY SALONS, AND SPAS IN KALIHI

Aloha Hair Salon

2153 N King St Ste 106

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 842-1317

Angel’s Salon

2007 N King St

Honolulu, HI

808) 738-2362

Bobby’s Barber Hairstyling

1620 N School St. #124

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 841-3148

Brandy’s Salon & Skin Care

1728-B Dillingham Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 393-5925

Chois Beauty Salon

1210 Dillingham Blvd. Suite 24

Honolulu, HI 96917

(808) 842-1733

Cloud 9 Salon & Spa

1284 Kalani St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 841-1112

D.A.’s Hair and Nails, LLC

292 Makauea St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 845-4546

Diana Barber & Hairstyling

1232 N King St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 843-5363       

Fantastic Sams Hair Salons

1620 N School St.

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 841-4415

Fort Shafter Hair-Nails Beauty

1435 Middle St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 841-8414

Golden Hair & Nails

1231 N School St

Honolulu, HI 96817 

(808) 848-4848

Grace Barber & Hair Salon

1210 Dillingham Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 845-1033

Hair Attractions

1628 Palama St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 841-8544

Hair Clip Barber & Hair Styling

1406 Liliha St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 548-0106

Hair Effects Beauty Salon

1748 Liliha St Ste 2

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 537-4247

Hair Fix Salon

1744 Liliha St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 537-1700

Hairstyles by Hong

2037 N King St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 842-3867

Hairstyles By Twanee

1130 N Nimitz Hwy

Honolulu, HI

(808) 521-5225

Hairstyling 14ten

1410 Middle St.

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 842-0982

Hong’s Barber and Nail Spa

2219 N School St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 841-1923

Hottie Hair Hawaii

1728 Dillingham Blvd #2

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 693-5893

Island Nails

1101 D North King St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 391-8811

J & A Salon Hair & Nails

1199 Dillingham Blvd, #A106 

Honolulu, HI 96817

808) 524-0133

Janice’s Beauty Salon

1744 Liliha S

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 533-6366

Jenny’s Hairstyling

1218 N School St. #C

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 845-3063

Joe's Barber Shop

2029 N King St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 841-6818

Kambowl Hairstyling

1406 Colburn St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 847-5606

Ko's Barber Shop

2024 N King St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 845-5789

L J's Barber Shop

267 Mokauea St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 845-0306

Lavender Beauty Shop

2101 N School St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 843-0678

Liberty’s Beauty Salon

1210 Dillingham Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 842-1733

Loess Spa

1361 Mookaula St.

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 841-3311

Mei's Barber & Hair Salon

1199 Dillingham Blvd.

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 848-8181

Mel Mariano Hair Extraordinaire

1728 Dillingham Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 781-2698

Miley’s Nails

1858 Liliha St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 532-8988

Mytan Haircut & Styles

1414 Dillingham Blvd

Honolulu, HI

(808) 843-2999

Nail and Beauty

1425 Liliha St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 538-9799

Novela’s Beauty Salon

1886 N King St. #3

Honolulu, HI 96919

(808) 842-5089

Oh Happy Day

946 Waiakamilo Rd. #B

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 841-7779

Paradise Barbershop

512 N Kuakini St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 536-3092

Phiya’s Hair Styling & Salon

1284 Kalani St. #D105

Honolulu, HI 96817

808) 848-5551

Pro Nails

1620 N School St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 848-2442

R Salon & Spa

2032 N King St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 843-1184

Rainbow Beauty Supply

650 Kohou St. #1D

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 842-1221

Salon Essentials

908 Waiakamilo Rd

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 842-3442

Salon M

931 N King St.

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 848-8010

ShearTease Family Hair Salon

1728 Dillingham Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 841-2470

T & T Barber Hairstyling

526 N School St

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 536-6819

Top Barber Styling & Nails

555 N King St #107

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 841-2266

Valley Hair Salon

2831 Kalihi St. #D

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 841-6555

Vangie’s Beauty Salon

267 A Mokauea St.

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 845-8893

Vivi Salon & Spa

1111 Dillingham Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 843-1088

Young's Barber Shop

2225 N School St

Honolulu, HI

(808) 842-1299

From Small Town Boy to International Engineer

The "I Love Kalihi" FB page and blog aims to promote the rich history of Kalihi, the institutions and businesses, and the people who claim roots, residence, and association to it.

I am happy that our first feature is no other than my friend who embodies many good things about Kalihi and more.  He is Engr. Paul Joe M. Alegado.

Preschooler Paul Alegado

         It was not too long ago when as teenagers, Paul Alegado and his cousins Carlo and Darwin Ulep would be popping a wheelie in their Kalihi neighborhood day in and day out.  Today, he often finds himself on a plane to different destinations popping out multimillion-dollar projects for world-renowned audio-visual consulting company Engineering Harmonics Inc.

Night BBQ with friends at the beach.

     Paul was born in Honolulu and had kept residence in Kalihi with his parents, Silverio and Mely Alegado until he moved to Canada to marry Myrtle Obcena in 1999.  Like many local boys, he was not strange to the ins and outs of Kalihi, trekking the Koolau Mountains, including those unpublished trails.  He enjoyed going to the beach, riding his BMX bike and singing along to local hits as well as his favorite Beatles songs.  As a member of the famous Honolulu Boy Choir, he spent many memorable moments with the group in his preteens.  In sports, he was proficient in basketball, bowling, and golf.

"He’s been exposed to the finer things in life and has mingled with influential people yet he has remained a local boy at heart, humble and easy-going, a reflection of his upbringing."

Little choir members, Paul with cousins Carlo and Darwin

      Paul was raised in the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) faith, attending worship services in its house of worship on Valley View Drive in Kalihi.  He was a member of the choir and held other offices in the church.  Paul’s leadership and interpersonal skills were developed through the functions of the church’s youth organizations.

         He studied at the Hawaii Baptist Academy and graduated high school in 1989.  He then left the islands for college and later graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree in 1994 from the University of Florida. Although he was busy studying on the mainland, he would still find his way back home during the summers to hang out with his old friends and family.

With Kalihi Valley in the background, Paul is all suited up for worship service.

Me sending off Paul to college.

        Paul is on my short list of guy friends who I can always reconnect even after years of not seeing each other.  He’s been exposed to the finer things in life and has mingled with influential people yet he has remained a local boy at heart, humble and easy-going, a reflection of his upbringing.  His old friends are still close to his heart and he treasures his family even more, lightening up the eyes of his grandparents, uncles, and aunts each time he comes home to Hawaii with his own family.

        As an Electrical Engineer, he specializes in designing audio-visual technology and performance sound of opera houses, concert halls, multi-purpose theatres, boardrooms, universities and sports facilities. He has been involved with multi-million dollar projects throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. His latest exciting ventures include designing the sound, video and broadcast systems of the Philippine Arena (touted as the largest domed arena in the world upon its completion in 2014), as well as the nearby Philippine Stadium in Bulacan, Philippines. 

Me and Paul at his latest Hawaii visit.

The Alegado Family

      

As much of the world’s economic growth continues to happen in southeast Asia, Paul will surely be traveling often to that side of the world - each time dropping by to touch base with his roots because, after all, this Kalihi boy’s heart still belongs to Hawaii.

Paul Alegado

Paul Alegado is Manager, Western Canada Region, for Engineering Harmonics. In this role, he is responsible for managing the company's client services in British Columbia, Alberta and the US West. In addition, he carries out senior design and project management services for the company’s diversified client base in the region.

With more than 16 years’ design and project management experience in the fields of audio-visual technology and performance sound, he provides specialized consulting services for facilities ranging from opera houses, concert halls and multi-purpose theatres to boardrooms, lecture halls, casinos and sports facilities. He has served as a designer with Engineering Harmonics since 1999.

He has a unique understanding of each team member’s capabilities and responsibilities and uses a range of project management methods to ensure projects are successful. Over the course of his career, Paul has had the opportunity to experience every facet of a project, from penciling an initial design and providing precise calculations, to computerized measurement of final system performance. He is one of our busiest project managers and designers.

Portfolio

As project manager and designer with Engineering Harmonics, Paul’s portfolio includes the Trump International Hotel and Tower, Toronto; Winspear Opera House and Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas; Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre; Mazagan Resort, Morocco; Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City; Broadway Rose Theatre for Universal Studios, Dubai; Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto; South Okanagan Events Centre; the University of Delaware’s Center for the Arts; Arts of Collin County, Allen, TX; Overture Center for the Performing Arts, Madison, WI; James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA; and Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts, Calgary.

Education & Career Beginnings

Paul graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida in 1994. Like many dedicated engineers, his involvement with electronic audio/video systems began in his early teens. He has since attained certification for BSS Soundweb and AMX programming, and his skill set includes computer aided design (CAD), programming of control systems, acoustical modeling using Enhanced Acoustic Simulator for Engineers (EASE) and SmaartLive© acoustical measurement software.

Memberships

A registered Professional Engineer in the provinces of Ontario and Alberta, Paul is a member of Infocomm, the Audio Engineering Society (AES), the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, and the Order of the Engineer (US).

Publications

As a project manager and designer, Paul has contributed to a number of technical articles and magazine features, including “Mandating the House Audio System” (Lighting & Sound America, April 2007), “Overture Center for the Performing Arts” (Professional Sound, February 2005), and “Install of the Month: Redwood Park Church, Thunder Bay, Ontario” (Sound & Video Contractor, January 2005).  

Here's an article on one of Paul's projects:

http://www.engineeringharmonics.com/sites/default/files/PS%20Aug13%20ChanCentre.pdf

Treasures of Kalihi Street

If Aiea has Aiea Heights, Ewa Beach has Ewa Beach Road, Waipahu has Waipahu Street and Waipahu Depot Road and Kahala has Kahala Avenue, Kalihi has its own Kalihi Street.  But what is special about Kalihi Street?  Join me in discovering what a 13-mile long street has to offer.  This street starts high from the Koolau Mountain down to its end at sea level near Sand Island Access Road.  It is not a very long drive but what I found was interesting enough that many of the establishments are worth having their own write-up.

You can find interesting food establishments in Kalihi Street: one that serves good old local favorites to the community for decades--Ethel’s Grill and 2 known to serve gourmet dishes--Monarch Seafoods and Kahai St. Kitchen.  And just across each other are the top 2 famous manapua bakeshops, Libby Manapua Shop and Chun Wah Kam Noodle Factory.   You can also find Kentucky Fried Chicken or KFC and Puka Café along this street.  And speaking of food, you can get wholesale eggs at Associated Producers Corporation-Farm Fresh Island Eggs (Ka Lei Eggs) and meats at Young’s Meat Market.  There are neighborhood markets such as the Valley Center Market, KC Market, Ono’s M Market, Kay’s Fish Market, Chong’s Market, and Dyke’s Market.

If you trace Kalihi Street you’d also find Kamehameha Shopping Center.  This shopping center is pretty much a one-stop shopping center where you can find everything that you need.  It has Times Supermarket and Long’s Drugs for groceries and household items.  For places to dine or to take out food, there are many to choose from such as Kenny’s Restaurant, Liu’s Chop Suey, Yummy Korean BBQ, Ba-Le Sandwich Shop, McDonald’s, Subway, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Sumo Ramen & Curry, Shogun Sushi & Kam Drive Inn, Baskin Robbins, and Pizza Hut.  In this center there are six banks or financial establishments such as American Savings Bank, Bank of Hawaii, Hawaiian National Bank, Territorial Savings Bank, Kamehameha Federal Credit Union, and Finance Factors.  For electronics needs there’s a branch of Radio Shack and a Mobi PCS.  For dry goods need there’s the Everblue Casuals and Payless Shoe Source.  The Fun Factory still remains in this center where generations of children in Kalihi have enjoyed.  And because video games are here to stay, there’s an added entertainment center—the Game Stop.  For health and beauty, you can go to Fantastic Sams, Bobby’s Barber, Pro Nails, GNC, Gold Plus, and Vision.

Photo:keikiokaina.org

If Kalihi doesn’t get much respect from the locals, it does get respect from the rest of the nation because of an institution called Keiki O Ka’Aina Family Learning Centers located along Kalihi St.  According to their website, Keiki O Ka’Aina Learning Centers aim to strengthen the family by communicating to them the importance of education, advocating for literacy, supporting parents as their child’s best teachers, and empowering families to undergo leadership roles in their communities within the context of Hawaiian language, culture and traditions. Because of years of community service, they were awarded the building of new classrooms and other buildings by the hit TV show, Extreme Makeover in 2007.  The property was the biggest project of Extreme Makeover out of the nearly 100 households awarded by the show with rebuilding of homes all over the USA.

Photo: Frank Langit

Kalihi Street tracks by 3 public elementary schools (Kalihi Uka, Kapalama, and Kalihi Kai), an intermediate school (King David Kalakaua), and a high school (Wallace Rider Farrington).  I found 5 religious establishments situated along Kalihi Street:  Daihonzan Chozen-ji, Central Samoan Assembly of God, St. Anthony Retreat Center, Jikoen Hongwanji Hall, and Church of Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  The office of the Seafares International Union is at 606 Kalihi Street diagonally facing a branch of Bank of Hawaii. There are also two medical offices tracing Kalihi Street, one of husband and wife’s Dr. Rodrigo G. Bristol and Dr. Zita A. Cruz-Bristol and the other is the Dr. Erlinda M. Cachola Medical Clinic.  Many of the large homes in Kalihi Street are also Care Homes.  There are 3 gasoline stations in this street—Tesoro, Chevron, and Aloha.  There are businesses that people like me haven’t had the chance to visit along Kalihi Street and they are Kenjo, Inc. and Super Threads, Thermal Engineering Corporation, The Video Store, A-American Self-Storage,  Lex Broadie’s Tire and Brake Service Center,  J & D Auto Body Shop, Hawaii Glass Block, Stonecraft, The Shaka Business Center which houses at least 7 businesses, the Print Proz, and Whittle Signs among others.  Along Kalihi Street you can also find the Kalihi-Palama Public Library followed by the Kalihi YMCA, and The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and towards it’s 2^nd half you can find the Board of Water Supply’s Kalihi Uka Pumping Station.

Besides the Kalihi YMCA, there are places that’s free for the public to exercise in such as the 3 public parks that can be accessed from Kalihi Street: one by turning to Perry St and the park is at the end of the street, towards the mountain.   Another one is Kalihi Uka Park at 2329 Kalihi St.  And the biggest park along Kalihi Street is the Kalakaua District Park with indoor and outdoor basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, boxing and weight gymn.  Of course you can also hike up the mountain to Kamanaiki Hiking Trail which can be accessed from Kalihi St. by turning to Manaiki Place and the hike starts at the end of the road at the foot of the stairs on the side of a house with an address 1801 Manaiki Pl.  Actually, the local kids could tell you that there is also another trail around here but it’s not made public.  Another option and probably the more exciting one is to hike about 2 miles at the end of Kalihi Street and enjoy the best kept attraction in Kalihi, the Ice Ponds.

I just came to realize that Kalihi Street is actually self-sufficient with homes and apartments to live in, schools to go to, places for food and clothing supply as well as a little entertainment, places to exercise and even places to work in.  That is not bad at all for a street named after the whole section of Honolulu that seldom gets respect, isn't it?

Why we love Kalihi in video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsXCmWE8Qzg

KALIHI STREET DIRECTORY

Associated Producers Corp-Farm Fresh Island Eggs (Ka Lei Eggs)

439 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

 (808) 841-7695

Dr. Rodrigo G. Bristol      
General Practice
634 Kalihi St.  Fl 1
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 845-3911

Dr. Erlinda M. Cachola

Internal Medicine

936 Kalihi St.

Honolulu, HI 96819

Chan Wah Kam Noodle Factory

505 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 841-5303

Chong’s Market

243 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

 (808) 842-5726

Dr. Zita A. Cruz-Bristol

Internal Medicine

634 Kalihi St., Suite 201

Honolulu, HI 96819

Dyke’s Market

298 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 845-0406

Ethel’s Grill

232 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

 (808) 847-6467

Kalihi-Palama Public Libraray

1325 Kalihi St,

Honolulu, HI ‎96819

(808) 832-3466

Kay’s Fish Market

2326 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 847-7298

Keiki O’ Ka’aina

3097 Kalihi St.,

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 843-2502

KC Market

2317 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 845-4170

Libby Manapua Shop

410 Kalihi St
Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 841-2253

Puka Café

2402 Kalihi St
Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 845-2828

Valley Center Market Inc

2803 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 845-2155

YMCA-Kalihi

1335 Kalihi St.,

 Honolulu, HI ‎96819

(808) 848-2494 ‎

Young’s Meat Market

303 Kalihi St

Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 842-4277