Restaurateur’s Maui venture has him filing for bankruptcy

The failed expansion of the Auntie Pasto’s restaurant concept to Maui in 2007 has led longtime local restaurateur and industry hall-of-famer Ed Wary to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

The restaurant, in Queen Kaahumanu Center in Kahului, was open less than a year.

"Extreme, unusual circumstances caused that," Wary said.

"Maui was a disaster. Everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong."

Wary’s Oahu restaurants, Dixie Grill in Aiea and Auntie Pasto’s at 1099 S. Beretania St. and in the Kunia Shopping Center, will remain open, according to bankruptcy attorney Chuck Choi.

Continued operations will include payments "to all their vendors and employees, while Ed comes up with a reorganization plan to structure debts that are mostly related to the failed Maui restaurant venture," Choi said.

Wary reaffirmed Choi’s statement, saying his personal filing "has nothing to do" with operations of his Oahu restaurants.

In his Dec. 29 filing, Wary estimated his assets at between $1 million and $10 million, and his debts also were estimated at between $1 million and $10 million.