HBuzz

Get the latest business buzz

DOG GONE GOODIES

photo: Janelle Kalawe

He may be man’s best friend, but sometimes the odors can get so bad that you wish your dog was only an acquaintance. This month, Hawaiian Organics, the makers of Body Mint, the little green pills that eat odors in humans, offer some relief to pet owners and their smelly pooches. Smell Goodies is an all-natural, daily tablet that has been specially formulated to greatly reduce body and breath odor in dogs, extending the time between baths. The pill can be wrapped within a soft treat like meat or cheese, or it can be mixed with dry dog food. A month’s supply of Smell Goodies, which retails for $15.95 for both small and large dogs, is now available in most pet stores and mass retail stores, like Long’s Drugs and Wal-Mart.

Like Body Mint, Smell Goodies’ active ingredient is a derivative of chlorophyll, which company officials say neutralizes odors in the stomach before they are released through the skin and the mouth. The animal version took more than a year of development, as researchers looked for a formula with the potency and staying power to take on the toughest dog smells, which can be more problematic than human odors.

“We originally wanted to develop a pet treat, but it just wouldn’t work, which was shocking to us,” says Ronna Yim, one of the principal owners of Hawaiian Organics. “We just couldn’t get the ingredient concentrations high enough in a treat, so we went back and decided that it had to be a pill.”

With more than 200,000 dog owners on Oahu alone, spending approximately $150 million annually on their pets, Hawaiian Organics officials are understandably optimistic about the future of Smell Goodies. They expect their pet pills to outsell Body Mint.

“The response has been wonderful from pet owners who have tried it,” says Yim.

-David K. Choo

“If I were God or if I was the governor, I almost wonder if we don’t need a break here.” - Stephen Pfister, Kahului harbor master on Maui’s overcrowded port. See Story here.

WHERE WILD THINGS RULE When it comes to popularity, Rusti the Orangutan and the critters at the Honolulu Zoo were the top attraction on Oahu for Oahu residents last year. The entire top ten list, compliments of SMS Research, is below.
1) Honolulu Zoo	121,982	6) Hanauma Bay	75,739
2) Waikiki Aquarium	101,452	7) Honolulu Academy of the Arts	74,256
3) Arizona Memorial	90,419	8) Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park	73,708
4) Sea Life Park	90,267	9) Dole Cannery Square	60,294
5) Dole Plantation	77,202	10) Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum	42,732

FORGET DIAMONDS. PEARL IS A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND

We ladies thought we had it all when they opened the Mai Tai Bar on the third floor of Ala Moana Shopping Center. Shopping and cocktails? Who could ask for anything more?

Well it turns out, the center’s owner, General Growth, could. As part of its recent strategy to add more entertainment to its retail mix, General Growth enlisted local nightlife veteran Beau Mohr to open the center’s first ever nightclub/ultra lounge, Pearl.

Hawaii Pacific Entertainment’s Lincoln Jacobe, who’s handling the club’s weeklong celebrity-studded grand opening in late-July, says General Growth approached Mohr to be Pearl’s managing partner because of his work at places like the old Studebaker’s and, more recently, The Ocean Club. “They’ve seen the sort of middle- to upscale- market Beau’s been able to attract,” he says, “and they wanted to use his talents to help develop and design their vision for entertainment in the center.”

illustration: Mike Austin

Pearl’s preferred clientele is professional, style-conscious women, between the ages of 23 and 45 ... and that’s a heavy emphasis on style. In addition to outdoor and indoor bars, Pearl also boasts an illuminated fashion runway bar, where it plans to host fashion shows in conjunction with some of the mall’s high-end retailers. During grand opening week, Pearl will be flying in a bevy of international celebrities and top fashion models to christen the runway bar.

“This concept of a nightlife establishment in the mall is definitely the first of its kind at Ala Moana. But with all the fashion-friendly décor and runway shows, it’s still a nice fit with the direction Ala Moana’s heading in,” says Jacobe. “In our days, we looked at Ala Moana as basically Sears and JC Penney. Now, it’s Prada, Fendi, Gucci. Pearl should cater nicely to that sort of fashion-friendly, sophisticated crowd.”

But don’t worry ladies, if ever you aren’t feeling up to the fashion challenge, there’s always the Mai Tai Bar.

-Jacy L. Youn

THE EXECUTIVE PLAYBOOK

From time to time, Hawaii Business checks in with local executives to see what’s on their reading and play lists. Grove Farm CEO and Kauai native Warren Haruki’s varied picks remind him of both his local roots and that there is life beyond the Islands.

-Jacy L. Youn

Now Playing: Makaha Sons of Niihau – Take a Walk in the Country The Doobie Brothers – Listen to the Music Kealii Reichel – Kauanoeanuhea Gato Barbieri – Europa Israel Kamakawiwaole – Kamalani

Now Reading:

“The World is Flat” by Thomas L. Friedman, because it’s “a glimpse of the future impact of globalization and its implications for our youth."

“First Man” by James R. Hansen, because he “enjoys biographies and was fortunate to meet (fellow Purdue alumni) Neil Armstrong on a recent visit to Purdue.”

“Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream” by Andres Duany, Jeff Speck, and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, because “it is important to keep abreast of contemporary design trends for building communities.”

“The Story of Koloa: A Kauai Plantation Town” by Donald Donohugh, because “it is imperative to understand and respect the rich heritage of our islands.”

“Marley & Me” by John Grogan, because “it helps me appreciate my two dogs.”

Hawaii Business defines often-spoken words, new and old, to help you make sense of what’s being said. According to OfficeSlang.com, a 404 is a clueless coworker or associate. The internet generation term is derived from the computer error message, “404 Not Found,” received when a Web page you clicked on can’t be found. Coworker1: Should we ask Max to prepare the marketing report? Coworker2: Forget Max. He’s 404. -Scott Radway Email confusing words to hbeditorial@pacificbasin.net

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: MAUI LANI

12 Papahi Loop Living Area: 1,768 square feet Land Area: 4,978 square feet View: Mountains/ocean House is only a year old. List Price: $725,000	14 Puuehu Place Living Area: 1,632 square feet Land Area: 7,535 square feet View: Mountains/ocean. Well-maintained landscape with automatic sprinklers; central air conditioning List Price: $939,000

When Maui Lani’s first neighborhood, The Greens, opened in 1996, its market was first-time, single-family home buyers. The real estate market was flat throughout the state and the central Maui development, which would eventually weave its way around a links-style golf course, was reasonably priced: $200,000-plus for a new home on a 7,000-square-foot to 10,000-square-foot lot. Ten years later, that market and its prices seem like a universe away. Today, property values in Maui Lani, just outside of Kahalui, have skyrocketed. The same starter homes can now be had for $700,000 to $800,000.

“Property values have taken off all across the island, but Maui Lani is unique,” says Keone Ball, president of the Realtors’ Association of Maui and the vice president of Carol Ball and Associates. “It’s the only new development in town in a long time. It’s centrally located and families find it attractive, because it has wide streets and it’s flat, so kids can ride their bikes around.”

-David K. Choo

Do you like what you read? Subscribe to Hawaii Business Magazine »