A Place Remembered: The Old Hanapepe Pool Hall

3865 Hanapepe Road, Hanapepe, Kauai
(Report submitted by Carol Bain)

I. Purpose of this Research:

This research will reveal how this location, 3865 Hanapepe Road, contributed to the sense of place and values found in a rural community on the island of Kaua`i.
(NOTE: This research begins after the turn of the century; from 1920’s to present.)

II. Building History/Significance:

The building located at 3865 Hanapepe Road is registered as a historical site on both the national and state registers. The 1974 Hanapepe Community Development Plan p.40 states: “The other parts of the uniqueness of Hanapepe Town lies in its architecture. The flavor of past times is mirrored in the intricate wood work, balconies, overhanging roofs and porches of many of the older buildings. Buildings of this style are used for commercial purposes and partially line Hanapepe Road. Some of the more dilapidated buildings require renewal or rehabilitation. New and rehabilitated structures should retain the present architectural theme which can be described as Old Hanapepe Town: early western plantation style.

“Two-story buildings of weathered wood with shutters, balconies, double doors, beautifully lettered windows and wooden store-front sidewalks are the most beautiful aspect of the town, …” (Garden Island 4/5/76; Ref.#7)

The building is significant more for its association with the historic development of Hanapepe town than as an example of vernacular wooden commercial architecture constructed in Hawaii during the early twentieth century. After surviving early floods and two hurricanes its current condition is poor. (“A Plan for Development of Tourism In and Around Hanapepe” published July, 1962 Ref. #1)

III. Research Methods Used:

• Review of historic records - including Hanepepe Library; Kaua`i Historic Society; Kaua`i Museum; Kaua`i County Tax Office; Bishop Archives, Oahu

• Interviews with nine people who owned, lived on or managed the property including: Lorraine & Hon Chong Chang, M.D., Connie O. Aquino, Gwen Hamabata, Eduardo E. Malapit, Robert Ozaki, Steven Kurokawa, Mickey Sussman, & Charles Bunji Shimomura
  Note: Each person signed a permission form and was interviewed. Notes from each interview were transcribed, printed and mailed to each person for their review. Changes from their notes were incorporated into the final transcription. Below is a summary list (in alphabetical order) of the interviewee’s relationship to the property:

1. Constance Ortiz Aquino - Owned and operated the pool hall as a business and lived on the property. (1940 to ’46 and again 1966 to ‘73)

2. Hon Chong Chang, M.D. – He was a child when he and his brother first visited the bakery. His father, Chang Wai, was early immigrant to Kauai and knew the owners and assisted with bookkeeping.

3. Lorraine Chang – Lived in Hanapepe and remembers the bakery and how the building was changed. Left Hanapepe in the early1940’s with her husband, Dr. Chang. Lorraine knew original owners of bakery & Oriental Restaurant.

4. Gwen Hamabata – Grew up in Hanapepe. Purchased the property from Mrs. Edith Chang in 1988. Assisted with efforts to put buildings on historic registry.

5. Eduardo E. Malapit – Son of Leonila and Eusebio Malapit who leased the property from 1946 to 1966. His parents operated the pool hall with assistance from Eduardo and others, and the family lived on the property. He saw many changes in the town, and eventually became Mayor of Kaua`i.

6. Steven Kurokawa – Grew up in Hanapepe and had good memories of the pool hall

7. Robert (Lefty) Ozaki – Recalls the first use of the property, early buildings and owners. Knew the Changs and others who worked there from 1920’s to today.

8. Charles Bunji Shimomura – Grew up in Hanapepe and had good memories of the old pool hall and Hanapepe town.

9. Mickey Sussman – Took over property management from the Aquino’s in 1973. Had a stringed instrument repair shop and lived on property for about 3 years.

(complete transcripts of all interviews available in Section V and linked in this website by clicking on the linked names above)

IV. Chronological Review of Property Owners & Managers:

For this presentation, starting with the most known owner and most recent usage of the property and then moving back through time to the 1920’s is recommended.

A. Owners:

• 2000 to present - The property was purchased in July, 2000, by Joanna Carolan from Gwen Hamabata. The adjacent property was also purchased at the same time and will be used as a construction base area during renovation and later for parking. In March 2001 funding was received for the renovation of the historic building, which should begin July, 2001.

• 1987 to 2000 - Gwen Hamabata purchased the property from Edith Chang.

• 1926 to 1987 - Hung Sum Chang is listed at the owner of the property on territorial and county tax records. After he passed away, Edith Hiu Chang became owner.

B. Property Management & Use:

• 1987-1993 - Gwen Hamabata, as owner, took over management when the non-resident manager could not be found. During this time the property housed about 40 people, including several families. As the buildings were not well maintained and had inadequate cesspool capacity, she closed the property for rental purposes. It sat vacant between 1993 to present, and the main building was boarded up to prevent entry due to its poor condition. (NOTE: See interview transcript for more details on use.)

• 1971-1988 - Two property managers, Mickey Sussman from 1971 to 1974 and Liko DeLeon from 1974 to 1988. Sussman lived in the building and used part of the space to repair and make stringed instruments. When he left, Liko De Leon rented areas of building for both residential and business use, including electronics repair shop. Mr. DeLeon was not able to be found for interview. (NOTE: See interview transcript for more details on use.)

• 1940 to 1971 - The Malapit family managed and leased the property during these years for both residence and business. The oldest daughter of Leonila Malapit, Constance Ortize Aquino, opened the billiard parlor in the large building with her husband, Victor Aquino. Connie ran it until after the war, and then gave the business over to her mother who ran it until 1966 when Connie returned to run it again. Property records show E. Malapit entered a formal lease with E. Chang on the property from 1951 to 1971. Shortly after the lease expired, the Malapits offered the property to Mickey Sussman. (NOTE: See interview transcript of Connie Aquino, Bunji Shimomura, Steven Kurokawa for more details on use.)

• 1927 to 1940 –According to the youngest son, Hon Chong Chang, the business was called Dong Pui Bakery Shop.. In addition, there was a building in the rear of the property that still operated as a tailor shop and had other rooms. There was even a small office for a travel agent there.(NOTE: See interview transcript of Dr. Chang, Mr. Ozaki & Mrs. Aquino for more details on use.)

• 1910 to 1930 - Hung Sum (Johnny?) Chang leased and later owned the property according to tax records. Johnny Chang was a tailor who used a building on the back of the property as a tailor shop. An oral history of Mr. Chang (Wai Tsing) indicates he went into business with a friend who was a baker. According to Wai Tsing’s son, Hon Chong Chang, another Chang Kim may have been an owner/lessor of the property. Back in territorial days, land was leased on a 50 year basis. The law changed around 1960-70 to allow citizens to purchase property on auction. Mr. Ozaki remembers The Chang family resided on the property in the back of the business when he was growing up, and he was invited over to celebrate Chinese holidays.(NOTE: See interview transcript of Robert Ozaki for more details on use.)

Section V. Interviews – raw data transcribed & attached.

http://kauai.net/hanapepe/research.html

Note: Complete Transcripts available at

Hanapepe Library

Kauai Historical Society, Lihue

Hawaii Council for the Humanities, Honolulu

Banana Patch Studio, (old Pool Hall) 3865 Hanapepe Road, Hanapepe, HI 96714

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VI. Humanities Related Interpretive Perspectives :

Themes found in association with this research:

1. Strength of Asian culture – Chinese and Japanese immigrated to the Hawaiian Islands in the late 1800’s. They came for employment opportunity, and many had scholarly backgrounds. Though many returned to their homeland, some stayed and continued to influence the culture.
   “First the Chinese, and later the Japanese, became not only the workers in the fields but the businessmen of the community.” (Ref.#5) New waves of immigrants arrived from Asia and later from the Philippines.
   Asian culture predominated in the rural town of Hanapepe in the early 1900’s. The 1960 census shows that a majority, over 50%, of the population in Hanapepe were of Asian ethnic origin. Strong Asian influence on architecture (construction and design of buildings), religion (Buddhism) , agriculture (rice grew until 1930’s) is evident. There are many examples of specialty stores, food preparation, and numerous local customs that exist today.
   (Excerpt from Garden Island April 5, 1976 article: “The population of Hanapepe is still predominantly Japanese. The cemetery above the town is full of Orientals who came to Hawaii, worked hard and died young. Their contribution to ‘local’ culture has become so integrated into everyone’s life here…it’s hard to remember that saimin, slant eyes, cracked seed and reef tables are not native to Hawaii; but the old buildings of Hanapepe. These visually stand alone.”

2. Strength of women in management role – Two women have strongly influenced the use of the property: Mrs. Aquino and her mother, Mrs. Malapit, were the primary business operators and managers for over 30 years. This occurred between 1940-1970, when most women did not have careers or manage businesses.

3. Value of Education– Good management of the businesses located on the property allowed two families, the Chang family and the Malapit family, to pay for their children’s higher education.

4. Sense of Community / Sense of Place –
   1. The old pool hall was known as a gathering place; a place where different age groups and cultures could mix.
   2. The building itself is a visual landmark. Your eye is drawn to the building when standing on the street and it brings back memories…of the shoeshine stand and benches in front; where you stood during a parade or waited for a friend on your way to school or before you went to the theater.
   3. The rural community of Hanapepe had developed a strong sense of community and examples include
   * the annual parades held down main street;
   * people watching out for each other’s children;
   * an organized business association;
   * mutual assistance during times of natural disaster (IE: floods and hurricanes)

VII. Description of Social and Culture Use of the Historic Site from a Humanities Perspective:

The large size of the building and the fact it was located close to the road allowed it to serve as a business with easy access to the Hanapepe Road, which became a commercial area in the early 1900’s. In the late 1920’s, there was an increase in business activity due to the nearby location of Port Allen in Eleele and the small airport located near the salt pond beach. In 1936, the very first visitor arrivals by air occurred, signifying the start of a growing tourist economy.

The town of Hanapepe responded by opening many types of commercial enterprises, including hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, grocery stores, and small specialty shops. The Tung Pui Bakery shop, which was built in 1926 and began operation as a business soon after is an example of local enterprise responding to a growing community and perceived business opportunity. Naturally, the good sold reflected the Chinese heritage and incorporated popular foods such as coconut pie, sweet breads, saimin noodles, ect.

Even during the 1930’s U.S. depression, that commercial area of Hanapepe proved to encourage local enterprise. Indeed, at least two businesses opened in the early 1930’s’: K. C. Kai retail store (1931) and Sun Ki Heong restaurant(1932). (Ref. #4)

Due to the industrious nature of the people who owned the businesses on the property, and a receptive business climate in general, sufficient profits were made not only to succeed in providing the livelihoods of the owners, but also to allow their children to attend higher education opportunities. (see interviews from Aquino; Malapit; Chang)

At least two families, the Changs and the Malapits, raised children on the property. Eduardo Malapit went on to be elected Mayor of Kauai, and was the first elected Mayor of Filipino descent in the United States of America.

Thoughts on the Future of this property:

Research is never really concluded. We hope more people may come forward with photos, memorabilia, facts and interesting stories about the place. A copy of the research that has been gathered so far will be kept at local libraries and at the Kauai Historic Society.

Thanks to recent efforts an entire renovation was planned and completed in 2003. This industrious effort will promote enterprise and may revitalize that downtown area. Excerpts of this recent research that reflect the accurate history of the building and life in Hanapepe is now being used in an interpretive museum area the restored building now called Banana Patch Studio.

This research and renovation project inspired the development and creation of the Historic Hanapepe Walking Tour Map. Read more about this project or select

Hanapepe Research Page

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