BUSINESS BRIEFS
Isles' first Walgreens opens today
Advertiser Staff
Walgreen Co. is scheduled to open its first store of what could be as many as 30 stores in Hawai'i today, heralding a new era of competition among drug stores in the state.
The store at the former Tower Records site on Ke'eaumoku Street is Walgreen's initial site and will be followed by at least three more stores next year. Stores are slated to open at a former Star Market location in Kane'ohe, at the former Kalihi Bowl in Kalihi and at a vacant site on Honoapi'ilani Highway in Lahaina.
HAWTEL TV DECISION DELAYED AGAIN
A state deadline to decide whether Hawai'i's major telephone company can offer TV services has been delayed until Nov. 30.
The prior deadline was yesterday. Hawaiian Telcom requested the extension — its 13th.
Hawaiian Telcom is seeking a cable franchise license from the state, which would give the company the right to offer video service in Honolulu over its phone lines. The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is reviewing the company's application.
Hawaiian Telcom has said it plans to launch the Internet-based television in the first half of 2008. The service would compete with Time Warner Oceanic Cable.
KONA FITNESS CLUB BOUGHT, RENAMED
Ladies Workout Express, a women's 30-minute circuit fitness club in Kailua, Kona, has been acquired by a new owner and renamed Fit Xpress Hawaii Inc.
The business was purchased by Kona entrepreneur Kawehi Inaba and will no longer be part of the Ladies Workout Express.
Inaba is the founder and former CEO of Mokulele Airlines and current founder and CEO of Kupa'a Business Planners, a promotional and marketing firm. Inaba has extensive experience in running a local business and she views the acquisition of the fitness club as an exciting challenge, personally and professionally.
"I am looking forward to engaging myself, once again, with the Kona community in a new and wonderful way," Inaba said. "This is especially fun since this is a business that focuses on the needs of women and will now be owned by a woman."
O'AHU GAS-PRICE GAP FALLS TO 48¢
The gap between O'ahu's average prices for retail regular gasoline and wholesale regular gasoline fell to 48 cents a gallon during the week ended Aug. 26, the state Public Utilities Commission reported yesterday.
That was down from a gap of 51 cents a gallon the prior week. Lawmakers mandated the disclosure in hopes it will discourage unfair pricing, after the suspension of controversial gasoline price caps in May 2006.
The average retail price before taxes fell a penny to $2.63 a gallon.
At the same time, the average wholesale price rose from $2.13 a gallon to $2.15.
The PUC's average wholesale price has been criticized as inaccurate and inflated because it combines different types of wholesale transactions into one price.
Under the program, oil companies must file monthly and weekly reports disclosing in some cases crude oil costs, wholesale prices, gross margins and other figures.
