Shimogawa Scoops

Rendering of Avalon Group's latest project - The Shops at West Loch Station in Waipahu, which has seen tremendous interest during the pandemic.  In just a few days, it will have been three years in my role as real estate project manager for Avalon Group, one of the top real estate development firms in Hawaii. Started by one of the top real estate minds in the state – Christine Camp – Avalon is now in its 21 st year, and I couldn’t be in a better situation in this important industry in Hawaii, especially during these turbulent times. At Avalon, my roles include property management, project management, sales, leasing, business development, communications and work in the area of development. As a real estate developer, you see all facets of the real estate spectrum, from leasing, sales to property management. Although Hawaii certainly has seen a slow down of its high-octane real estate sector during this pandemic, there has been lots of bright spots including the fact tha...

Bette Midler, the legendary singer and actress who has strong ties to Hawaii, has recently sold her parcel of land on the North Shore of the Hawaiian Island of Kauai for $1.85 million, public records show. Midler, who attended Honolulu's Radford High School, sold her 1.34-acre conservation-zoned plot of land to a partner of Discovery Land Co., a developer of luxury residential private club communities across North America. Located along Kuhio Highway in Haena, the land has a total assessed value of $886,000, tax records show. In late 1986, Midler, who is known for her hit song, “Wind Beneath My Wings,” which was featured in the hit movie “Beaches” that she played a part in, purchased the land for a mere $150,000.

Chick-fil-A, which recently announced plans to expand to Hawaii, may open its first location in an existing Burger King restaurant space along Beretania Street in Honolulu, according to public records. This week, Chick-fil-A filed a sewer connection application for the Burger King space, which was also on the market. “This is a great location for Chick-fil-A’s first Hawaii restaurant, as it’s located on a prime street in Honolulu that’s not too far from Downtown Honolulu and a couple of major hospitals, the Blasidell Center and the densely populated neighborhood of Makiki,” said Duane Shimogawa, real estate project manager for Honolulu’s Avalon Group. “Chick-fil-A’s entrance into the Hawaii market is long overdue and is one of several new restaurants or retailers to finally make the jump over the Pacific Ocean to open their first location in the Islands, which is a welcoming sight for both residents and visitors alike. Expect to see more Chick-fil-A locations sprout up across the ...

Shirokiya Holdings, which consists of popular restaurants and retail shops including Shirokiya Japan Village Walk, Vintage Cave Club and Vintage Cave Café, has struck a deal to lease a 3,045-square-foot warehouse space across Ala Moana Center in Honolulu. The company, owned by prominent Japanese businessman Takeshi Sekiguchi, is consolidating its numerous other storage spaces that houses its equipment, furniture and fixtures into this new space at 1388 Kapiolani Blvd. Avalon Commercial, a subsidiary of prominent Honolulu real estate firm Avalon Group, brokered the deal on behalf of both the landlord and tenant. “It’s a win-win situation for both the landlord and the tenant because Shirokiya needed a big warehouse space near Ala Moana Center, where its restaurants are located, and the landlord was looking for a high-credit tenant to lease its last remaining vacant space,” said Duane Shimogawa of Avalon, who completed the transaction on behalf of both parties. The history o...

Avalon Group LLC has created a new project sales team who is in charge of sales at its two upcoming Honolulu condominium projects – Hale Ka Lae at 7000 Hawaii Kai Drive in East Oahu and Sky Ala Moana along Kapiolani Boulevard across Ala Moana Center. The pre-registration process has begun for Hale Ka Lae, while the sales process for Sky Ala Moana is expected to start soon. Mark Berkowitz has been named Project Sales Manager, leading a newly-formed team of highly-experienced real estate professionals, including Rosalei Chinen, Marcel Chan, June Freundschuh, Laurie Oh and Jane Lee. Tim Lee, managing director of retail and international investor group at Avalon Commercial LLC, will lead the hotel and commercial sales. Lee has more than a decade of experience in real estate, having helped many foreign investors successfully navigate the state’s real estate environment. Berkowitz, comes with decades of real estate sales experience, including heading the sales team at a few ...