Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 2001 — Pua Lane floral shop flourishes in Hilo [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Pua Lane floral shop flourishes in Hilo

By Manu Boyd NCONSPICUOUS AMIDST huge banyans along downtown Hilo's Banyan Drive is a tiny shop with a lot to offer. In a world where greeting cards, gifts and personal messages are sent online to loved ones, the adage holds true, that "Saying it with flowers" is a way to "one up 'em," and unarguably, a very Hawaiian thing to do. For nearly six years, Pua Lane has done just that. "After several years of wholesalingout of my farm, an opportunity eame up to open a retail floral outlet in town," said businessman George Kaipolehua AhChong, known as "Kaipo." "Me and my family ha_d purchased agriculture lands up in 'Ola'a (known as Kurtistown) and began planting tropicals — mostly different varieties of helieonia — - for export. The market for tropicals overseas is huge," said AhChong. After graduating from Kamehameha, AhChong, who was raised in Kahalu'u on O'ahu, continued his studies at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, earning a bachelor's degree in horticultural scienee. "My parents and a brother also decided to relocate to Hawai'i island, and we all worked together to acquire land. I got a state agriculture loan and purchased a tractor and some other heavy equipment. It was really hard work at first, and ineome was slow, so I worked part-time at the front desk of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel," said AhChong.

"Fronting the hotel is a small retail space, formerly an antique curio shop, that became available in 1995. It was the perfect opportunity to branch into a retail business, and that is how Pua Lane got started," he said. "I was able to repay a small business loan in a eouple years, and, now, business is good." The name "Pua Lane" may be familiar to many by way of the Noland Conjugacion hit recalling the Pālama housine c<~mplex where he was raised. Regardless of whether the Hilo shop spoofs the O'ahu song, "pua," or

"flower" in Hāwaiian, is about as appropriate a name as it gets for a business speciahzing in custom floral design. Together with business partner Punahele Lerma, Pua Lane's business in floral arrangements, lei and shipping is flourishing, and gaining in visibility. You ean be sure that during events like Hilo's annual Merrie Monarch Festival when thousands converge to celebrate Hawaiian culture, friends and family

will frequent the tiny shop, helping to fill orders large and small. Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, graduations and proms are also a boon for business. "Many hālau have ordered leis and flowers from us," AhChong said, who, along with Leima, as culturists, have particularly high regard for native flora, especially kinolau or plants that are sacred to hula. "When people order leis of lehua, palapalai, 'a'ali'i, maile and other natives, we make our fulfillment decision based on the availability of the materials whieh, depending on the weather, are sometimes

| scarce." When asked about Pua Lane's most difficult job, AhChong recalls a huge order for a concert in Japan. "Not only did they order leis of kinolau plants, but also more ffagile flowers like plkake and ginger. Coordinating the shipping, refrigeration and timing in order to ensure quality over such a

distance was challenging, but it all worked out in the end," he said. Looking ahead, AhChong and Lenna would like handle larger clients like conventions, hotels and overseas jobs, but the 150 square-foot kiosk has some built-in space limitations. "We're good, for now," said AhChong. "As long as people enjoy sending and receiving flowers and leis, we'll be ready to .% kōkua." ■

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Kaipo AhChong at Pua Lane.