The new Aloha Island Mart in Kaneohe is open for business.

The store occupies the former 7-Eleven space at 45-620 Kamehameha Highway in Kaneohe, just past Likelike Highway.

While parking on the highway side of the store still is possible, the new front doors are around to the right, where even more parking is available mauka of the Aloha Petroleum gas pumps.

Another, older Aloha Island Mart is located a few driveways farther down the road, while two more Aloha gas stations are across Kamehameha Highway from each other near Windward Mall.

Inside the newly remodeled space, large letters mark the walk-in “Beer Cave,” a new feature of Aloha Island Marts that has proved successful at sister stores in Kahala, on North King Street near Kalihi Street and in Kailua-Kona, said Gary Altman, general manager of company stores at Aloha Petroleum.

“Alcohol doesn’t freeze,” so the beer caves are chilled to between 28 to 30 degrees, “so that it’s nice and cold and you can get it home before it gets warm,” he said.

A normal store cooler is kept at between 36 and 38 degrees, “so you can really feel the difference.”

Indeed, it’s cold enough to make one long for a parka — and is sure to expedite the decision-making process.

More beer caves will be added as space permits and as stores are remodeled.

In keeping with convenience store trends, the new Aloha Island Mart has a fusion flavor soda machine that makes the notion of Sprunch, or a Sprite and fruit punch blend, oh so five minutes ago..

The newfangled machine allows more than 100 flavor combinations. Dispense your soft drink of choice, then add a flavor shot.

“One should work” for a small or medium-size cup, but “you may want two shots” for a 44-ounce cup, said Altman. He has seen someone craft a soda with a shot of flavor and a shot of energy drink.

“It’s way past Sprunch,” he chuckled.

In addition to Spam musubi, hot dogs and the usual c-store fare, fresh fruits, salads and yogurts have been added in response to customer desires and are right out front.

“We also added a customer-access restroom,” Altman said. Those, too, will become part of further store renovations, as space allows.

Grand-opening festivities, including prize giveaways and drawings, will be March 22 through 24.

ABBOT’S BACK

Veteran Hawaii broadcaster Phil Abbot, long missing from the Honolulu airwaves, has resurfaced with a dual role at Salem Media of Hawaii.

Starting Friday, Abbot will take the reins of the 5 to 9 a.m. weekday morning show on country radio KHCM-FM 97.5 — the same frequency where Abbot and on-air partner “Rabbett” ruled the morning rock radio airwaves in the 1980s. His other role with Salem will be in advertising sales.

Abbot is “thrilled to be back on 97.5, where it all began 30 years ago,” he said. “Yee haw, here comes Palaka Phil,” a reference to the country format and to palaka (a Hawaiian take on plaid), a fabric popular in Hawaii’s paniolo and plantation cultures.

Abbot’s reintroduction to Oahu radio listeners came the week of Feb. 20, when he filled in for Ed Kanoi’s morning show on KKOL-FM 107.9.

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Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com or on Twitter as @erikaengle.