Kaimuki restaurant 12th Ave Grill to permanently close after more than 18 years in business – Pacific Business News – The Business Journals
Kaimuki restaurant 12th Ave Grill will be hosting its last dinner service on Sunday, Jan. 16 after more than 18 years in business, restaurant owners Denise Luke and Kevin Hanney announced via social media on Monday.
“The last two years have been a wild ride for those of us in the restaurant business,” Luke and Hanney wrote in a joint post on Instagram. “It has led us to much reflection about our work, life and what is most important to us and we’ve made the difficult decision to close 12th Ave Grill.”
In the post, the husband-and-wife duo say that the decision to close was not a result of the pandemic, but rather, “a natural evolution,” influenced by a desire to grow their other restaurant, Koko Head Cafe.
“12th Ave Grill grew from a cozy, 56 seat spot to our current home over 8 years ago,” the post reads. “Now it’s time for our Koko Head Cafe to grow from its cozy spot too. It will be taking over the 12th Ave Grill location in February this year.”
Hanney and Luke first opened 12th Ave Grill in its original location in 2004, expanding to the current, larger space in 2013.
Amid the pandemic, Luke and Hanney introduced several new initiatives at 12th Ave Grill to keep up with the fast-changing dining atmosphere including a farm-to-table takeout concept called DeliCafe launched in November 2020, family meal sets for delivery, and a heat-and-serve menu for diners who want to have 12th Ave Grill at home.
“The unprecedented challenges we all have faced over the past few years, although finding solutions and creative responses was very rewarding, was also incredibly demanding and has been consuming too much of our lives,” Hanney and Luke told PBN via email. “It is a good time to let go of our baby to pursue and enjoy other opportunities, interests and most importantly, more family time with our thirteen-year-old son, Collin.”
Hanney and Luke said they aim to reopen Koko Head Cafe in the new location by mid-February, and they are looking for a business to sublet its current space starting on March 1.
Koko Head Cafe, which opened in 2014, serves brunch and is helmed by Chef Lee Anne Wong. Hanney and Luke said that the “upscale breakfast/brunch concept in a casual restaurant setting has really proved to be as resilient as [it] can possibly be.”
“No matter what is thrown at the restaurant industry, everyone still wants to go out for breakfast,” they said.
In addition to the larger space, there are some other big things to come for Koko Head Cafe: Hanney and Luke told PBN that they plan to introduce a new takeout/bakery concept out of what is currently 12th Ave Grill’s deli space, and they recently signed a contract to bring the Koko Head brand to Japan.
Plus, they also aim to reopen another one of their concepts, fast casual eatery Chopchop Rotisserie, in Waikiki by March.
“We will miss seeing you all on a regular basis, but we will be nearby working on transitioning Koko Head Cafe into a new home and reopening our takeout restaurant Chopchop Rotisserie, in Waikiki,” Luke and Hanney wrote.
12th Ave Grill currently has about 20 employees — all of whom Hanney and Luke said will be offered positions at Koko Head.
“We know we are making the right choice and are very much at peace with the decision,” they told PBN. “We don’t think it is going to completely set in until we close the door for the last time as 12th Ave Grill on our final night of service. We will both probably shed a few tears, go home and have a champagne toast together to the incredible 18-year journey we’ve had.”
In their Instagram post, Hanney and Luke invited diners to continue to visit over the next two weeks and “reminisce and celebrate our delicious history.”
“We and 12th Ave Grill wish you a very fond farewell.”
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