Shimogawa Scoops

A Maui water company is selling 4,620 acres of land to an owner of a Valley Isle construction firm for about $3.4 million, according to public documents filed this week. Wailuku Water Co., which provides water distribution services on Maui, is asking state regulators to approve this proposed transaction. The conservation-zoned land is undeveloped. The water company said it entered into a purchase agreement with Ting Ranch LLC in late November. Duane Ting, who is the president of Maui Master Builders Inc., is a partner of Ting Ranch. Wailuku Water said that the proposed sale is reasonable and in the public interest because the sale would allow the company, which has suffered operating losses, to help pay for its operating and capital expenses. The sale also will not affect the ability of Wailuku Water to continue to provide water distribution services, the company said. Wailuku Water also is in discussions to sell its watershed property as well as rights to the ditches, tunnels,...

Panda Express is expanding to Central Oahu with a new location on California Avenue in Wahiawa, according to public documents. On Tuesday, Panda Express filed a $41,000 building permit with city officials for its new restaurant on 609 California Ave. Panda Express has 10 locations on Oahu with another on the way in Kapolei in West Oahu near a Walmart store. The billionaire co-owners of Panda Express have been on quite a real estate buying spree, including the recent purchase of a Waikiki high-rise office tower across from the Hawaii Convention Center. The Cherngs, who founded Panda Express in the early 1980s, have also purchased several residential properties including a beachfront estate in the ritzy Honolulu neighborhood of Kahala.

AutoZone is driving in the fast lane when it comes to expanding its presence in Hawaii with yet another store in the works, according to public documents. On Tuesday, the auto parts retail giant filed a permit with the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting for a new store along Waialae Avenue in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kaimuki. The permit lists two addresses including 3051 Waialae Ave., the site of a Midas shop and 3035 Waialae Ave. AutoZone is opening its first store on the island of Kauai at the Foodland-anchored Waipouli Town Center in Kapaa, as well as new stores in the works in Waipahu in Central Oahu. The Tennessee-based company currently has three stores in Hawaii.

A well-known Hawaii nightclub promoter may be bringing the popular upscale gastropub Rock & Reilly's to Hawaii, according to public records. Peter Maharaj, who once owned a nightclub that was named after him at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, has recently registered a new business and trade name in the state called "Rock & Reilly's Honolulu LLC" and "Rock & Reilly's." Rock & Reilly's has locations in New York City, Park City, Utah, Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Las Vegas and at Los Angeles International Airport. The Irish rock pub bills itself as an "intimate, seated-only cocktail bar" that encourages customers to book reservations for a table, according to its website. Its menu includes such items as "Bingo Wings," "The Reuben," "The Cookie Jar" and a corned beef slider. Rock & Reilly's also includes live music at its establishments. Its Las Ve...

Patagonia, the popular outdoor apparel company, is making moves to redevelop the Universal Building that it owns on Ward Avenue in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako. Construction fences have gone up and building permits have been filed for the renovation of the longstanding building at 535 Ward Avenue that once was occupied by a few businesses including The Light Bulb Source. In 2015, a company affiliated with Patagonia purchased the 22,867-square-foot building that's on a 23,366-square-foot lot for $8.5 million, public records show. The California-based company has two Hawaii locations, one up Ward Avenue next to a Starbucks Coffee shop and another in Haleiwa on Oahu's North Shore. On Thursday, Patagonia filed two building permits totaling $1.5 million for renovations of the landmark one-story building. Honolulu architect Davidean K.K. Young is listed as the architect for the project, according to the permits. In late March, Patagonia filed a $100,000 building perm...

Via Gelato Hawaii is expanding to The Howard Hughes Corp.'s 60-acre Ward Village in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako, according to public documents. The popular gelato company, which started out as a food truck and then opened its first shop in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kaimuki, filed a $40,000 building permit Thursday with the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting for its second store at Ward Centre along Ala Moana Boulevard. Ward Centre, which is part of Ward Village Shops, also includes such tenants as Piggy Smalls, Bellini Bistro & Bar, Bed Bath and Beyond and Paina Cafe. Via Gelato, founded by Melissa Bow in 2011, has a wide variety of flavors including Guava, Haupia Sorbetto, Hazelnut Toffee, Lavender, Li-Hing Lilikoi, Strawberry Ume and Banana Cream Pie.

Stewbum & Stonewall Brewing Co., an Oahu-based brewery is closing its Kaneohe location this weekend, the company said. The brewery, founded by Darren Garvey and Eric Jackson in 2013, includes such craft brews as Batch 518 Pale Ale, Joe Mama's Amber Lager, Makana Island Wheat, Swear Jar India Pale Ale and The Days of Our Wives Bitter Ale. The company's brewery and tasting room is located on Kahuhipa Street near Windward Mall. Stewbum & Stonewall said Wednesday that it is still looking for a new location, and likely won't have a new space until early next year. The company has ties to Pittsburgh where its founders' fathers — nicknamed Stewbum & Stonewall — became best friends.