Note: Mr. Ozaki has an excellent memory and is very good remembering names and specifics from the early days. He was bon in 1914. Notes are in rough order of delivery. He was first asked of his memories of the building at 3865 Hanapepe Road)
Johnny Chang, who was a tailor, owned the property during 1910 to 1930. Johnny Chang and family were tailors. Then a different Mr. Chang, who followed Chang(tailor), then bought it and built/ owned the bakery shop. This Chang was the father of 3 boys, all became doctors or dentists. Oldest son, Dr. Sau Ye Chang, practiced in Lihue. Brothers went to Honolulu to practice. Chang was the name of the Chinese man who owned the bakery, saimin, chop suey business at 3865 Hanapepe Road, and they sold Chinese herbs there. He ran it with Mr. Ah Tong. Ah Chu was the son of Ah Tong. (not positive of name) and not sure of the name of the store.
The color of the original (1927) building (3865 Hanapepe Rd) was light gray.
Before Mr. Chang had the Bakery, another different Mr. Johnny Chang (doesn’t think they were related, just had same name) had a tailor shop, but that building was positioned further back from road. The Chinese bakery/herbal shop started around 1927 and was placed forward nearer the Hanapepe Road on the property. Hawaii was still a territory then so territory must have given the land when the other side of the river got full. Lands were on the lease basis of 50 years during this time. Law changed around 1970 to allow citizens tenant to purchase property on auction.
Robert Ozaki lived across the street on Hanapepe Road, where his father had a store, but Robert remembers spending lots of time at the 3865 Hanapepe Road location. Ah Tong’s son, Ah Chu, was a friend of Robert as a boy. He remembers teasing Ah Chu for having a name that sounded like a sneeze.
Robert, as a boy, would go around to the back entrance of the Chang store and he watched them work. He learned to cut up a chicken real quick by watching them. He remembers the bakery and buying a loaf of bread for 5 cents. A whole apple pie was 10 cents. Coconut pie was 15 cents; he remembered because that was his favorite kind. He remembers getting saimin for 15 cents; he ate there a lot. He spent lots of time there because of his friendship with Ah Chu. He was invited to Mr. Chang’s house every Chinese holiday. Mr. Chang and his wife celebrated Chinese holiday every year with special dishes and Robert was the only guest for about 4 or 5 years. He remembers being in his early teens, 15 or 16 years old when first invited. (this would have been about 1927-9 or so)
Mr. Chang had 3 sons; all became doctors (few years older than Robert). One was a dentist Sau E Chang, who had office in downtown Lihue for many years – 1930- 50s. All the sons now live on Oahu. As original Changs have passed away Robert suggest to trace through those who may remember the dentist, as he was a well-known dentist.
Robert remembers when the Malapit’s leased the property and turned it into pool hall…maybe late 1940’s. He remembers most of the interior. There were at least 5 pool tables. There was an abacus type wire above to keep track of scores/games.
He knew the airport was built when he was about ten. That was the only airport back then except for the one at Mana. Port Allen was close by and good for Hanapepe business. Aloha Airlines used Hanapepe airport until Lihue Airport pad was built. Hanapepe airstrip was short and could only accommodate smaller planes.
The Christmas parades were organized in 1950’s - 70’s by the Hanapepe Merchants Association. In 1985 the name was changed to Hanapepe Professional Businessmen’s association. There were other parades too. Parade routes began above Hanapepe Road and went all through downtown. Parades came right by 3865 Hanapepe Road. A float with Santa Clause throwing candy was very popular. Also, beauty queens for Honolulu were invited to participate in our Xmas parade on Friday nights during December: Miss Hawaii, Miss Cherry Blossom, Miss Narcissus Queen, Miss Samoa and Miss Kaua`i. Also, musicians joined the group from Honolulu. Hawaiian Airlines contributed air transportation from Honolulu to Kauai and back for the beauty Queens and musicians.
There was a situation involving a most popular Mr. And Mrs. Santa Clause. Soon after the new Eleele Shopping Center had recently been built by the plantation owners and they wanted the same man who played Santa Clause for Hanapepe town to be at their shopping center instead of at Hanapepe town. This was another example of pressure from the plantation owners.
More about Mr. Ozaki --
In 1936, Robert (Lefty) Ozaki won award as best baseball pitcher in the state Japanese American Baseball tournament in Hilo. That was how he got his nickname; he was a left-handed pitcher. Not as good a player as some others, he said, but could pitch. He lived on Oahu 2 years playing baseball as a member of the Asahi of Hawaii League. When he returned home his father noticed how independent he was compared to before he left for Oahu. Robert told his father that was because he had grown up when he lived on Oahu managing by himself.
Mr. Ozaki watched the town over the years and noticed how hard business was for Hanapepe businesses. McBryde Sugar Company had a wholesale company whose prices were high. He listed the following plantation stores that competed with Hanapepe stores: McBryde, Olokele, Hoffguard (owned by Amfac), Lihue Plantation, Koloa Store, and Kilauea Plantation. He was a charter member instrumental in organizing Hanapepe businesses to form a direct wholesale marketing route to Oahu, bypassing the wholesale operations owned by the plantations in 1949.
The Eleele Shopping Center was build by plantation owners and competes with small businesses in Hanapepe. Before that was build business was better for downtown Hanapepe.
He kept in communication with plantation managers over the years. This helped when there was a community concern. He spoke to plantation manager when the noise from the sugar hauling trucks would run all night above town, keeping people awake for weeks. He asked for them to stop at midnight.
Robert was also a member in organizing the Salt Pond park area in 1950’s. He noticed how the sand was being taken and used by plantations for their cane roads. They had trucks even in the salt pond area. He made the effort to keep salt pond area for the public use and recreation as a member of Hanepepe Merchant’s Association.
Mr. Ozaki still watches over Hanapepe town today. (He passed away 2002)
NOTES by interviewer: Mr. Robert Ozaki has an excellent memory for details and was very helpful describing his memories.
Mr. Ozaki stated several times during the interview that he hoped that when the re-construction occurred for the historic building that it would be put back several feet from the street from its current location. He stated safety reasons, as the building juts out into the roadway. He suggests the reconstructed building be placed back in line with the other buildings on Hanapepe Road. He thought the new owner, Joanna Carolan, agreed with him and hoped the historic review agencies and others in decision-making positions would also consider allowing the new building to comply with this suggestion.
FINAL NOTE: The following is a direct transcript of a written note Mr. Ozaki wanted added to this oral history: “Question? Would the Lihue or Kapaa or Waimea business people would like to have one building sticking out 4 or 5 feet beyond the downtown road alignment? I do not think so. The state and county officials should consider first, safety first, convenience, looks and general improvement of the town.
The Historical group can be important but not to the extent to ruin the many years of town planning and hurt business. The cost and livelihood is an important factor in business and these come first above all.”
(NOTE: The building was moved back the five feet during reconstruction in 2002)
More notes:
1949 – Hanapepe Merchants Assn . meeting – first meetings
came up with the slogan: Kaua’i’s Little Biggest Town
Highway bypass occurred – back in 1940’s
Hurt the town business wise
(Final Comment – Mr. Robert Ozaki died in 2002. His son, Milton Ozaki, carries on the family business)
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