Familiar faces, fresh concepts fill evolving night life scene

Brandon Reid is one of the most optimistic bar owners in Chinatown, if not all of Oahu. He’s been bullish on downtown Honolulu since opening Manifest at 32 N. Hotel St. in 2009.

"I’m thrilled there’s a lot of changes," he said. "I feel when there are more places open, business will be better. … I’m in a position now where I’m tired of living dangerously. I want Chinatown to start popping again."

Marking its fourth anniversary Aug. 23, Manifest has been one of the most stable establishments on the night life scene. In recent months, from Chinatown to Waikiki, there have been new venues opening and ownership changes.

While the causal customer may not notice anything is amiss — the only difference at some places might be new names on a business or liquor license — those in the industry are recognizing the beginning of a new era in Clubland.

So here’s a rundown of a few of the more noteworthy moves made by local bars and nightclubs in 2013 (for the latest information on hours and entertainment, find the clubs online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram):

Manifest
32 N. Hotel St.

For more than three years, Reid’s Manifest was relegated to a narrow space with barely enough room to accommodate the hundreds of party people who come to enjoy some of the best cocktails in town thanks to award-winning bartender Justin Park. A weekly trivia contest consistently draws a crowd, and those looking for a place to dance know Manifest employs some of the city’s top DJs to keep their parties moving.

Some pretty significant changes have taken place in the past two months after the closure of Lotus Downtown next door. Reid was approached by the property owner and offered the additional space, but he said he was slightly intimidated — yet excited — about an opportunity that seemingly materialized out of nowhere.

"I had to think creatively," he said. "If I was going to get more space, I needed to create another entity."

Manifest’s expansion has since spawned a new business, Holoholo Bicycles, which also is owned by Reid. During the day, the former Lotus space is home to racks of bikes designed for use as short-term rentals by neighborhood commuters and tourists looking to explore Chinatown.

"We have lots of historic landmarks here," he explained. "So we’re offering tours and cross-promoting with events at Manifest."

During Chinatown’s monthly First Friday Art Walk, Reid can move the bikes and open a second room — and satellite bar — to accommodate large crowds. The expansion also allowed Manifest to use a kitchen area in the building that was previously unused.

More than a year and half after first exploring the idea of creating a food menu, Reid hired chef Aaron Oliveira this summer to oversee a limited menu of sliders featuring different ingredients. Recent offerings have included a meatball parmesan slider, Angostura bitters-flavored nuts and crabcakes.

"We’re going to stick with offering about four to six different items for now. We’re also trying to expand into lunch and maybe even delivery."

The Fix Sports Lounge & Nightclub
80 S. Pauahi St.

Chinatown regulars were shocked when SoHo Mixed Media Bar owner Daniel Gray announced plans to finally shut down after a series of "false alarms" in early 2013. For 3 1/2 years, the nightclub had successfully drawn club-goers out of their comfort zone on Hotel Street to a space on South Pauahi that was transformed with a lot of DIY work by Gray and his friends. The former dive bar was developed into a multiroom party spot that doubled as an art gallery and performance space.

The new club celebrated its grand opening June 29 and has begun to establish itself as a home for live music and dance parties. Local radio station Power 104.3, which had hosted a weekly party at SoHo before it closed, recently relaunched a Friday night party at the club.

Mercury Bar
1154 Fort Street Mall

Before places like JJ Dolan’s, theVenue, bambuTwo and Rakuen opened along Bethel Street, it was a long and lonely walk from Chinatown’s main drag to the Mercury Bar on Chaplain Lane. For most of its 10 years, you had to know where to look to find Andrew Bugreyev’s cozy bar, nestled in the shadow of Hawaii Pacific University.

Thanks to the ladies of Cherry Blossom Cabaret and bands like Bari Bari 13, this spot has become a favorite among the indie rock crowd and those who love to channel their inner rock star during live karaoke nights with local band The Johnnys.

Last month, however, Bugreyev announced via Facebook that he would no longer maintain a majority ownership interest in Ground Level LLC, the company that owns the bar.

"Anthony Karl is assuming majority partnership of the LLC," he said. "I am staying on as a minority partner."

In short, he said, the main reason is "I’ve run out of gas."

According to Bugreyev, fans of the bar should be excited about the change, as it will provide an infusion of new ideas — as well as much-needed cash — into the business. The Mercury’s stage is scheduled to be replaced and new sound and lighting systems will be installed.

"Pretty much everything is going to change, from the entrance to the bathrooms," he said. "Very excited about this."

NextDoor
43 N. Hotel St.

Just like he did when he left The Loft to open SoHo Mixed Media Bar, Daniel Gray promised he would be back when SoHo closed in March. Despite his failure to secure additional financing for that venue, he pressed on.

Gray’s tenacity and willingness to roll up his sleeves and commit to doing whatever it takes to get a new business off the ground didn’t go unnoticed, and he soon found new partners to help him open his next nightclub.

After slowly fading into oblivion earlier this year — reportedly due to lingering paperwork and permitting issues that went unresolved — NextDoor reopened last month with the launch of "TheHousePartyNextDoor."

Gray would only confirm it was "myself and one major investor, plus three small partners/investors" who were working together to reopen the popular Chinatown hangout.

The Crown Bar & Nightclub
1837 Kapiolani Blvd.

After Hard Rock Cafe moved to its new Beachwalk location in 2010, the iconic building at the entrance to Waikiki that served as the chain’s original foothold in Honolulu has had a tough time reinventing itself.

That’s not to say people haven’t tried: First it was Clubhouse Makino, then The Clubhouse Waikiki, and most recently Coconut Willy’s Waikiki. None of the concepts caught on, despite a relatively central location and ample parking in an adjacent lot.

Maybe the fourth time will be a charm, as the bar reopened last month as the Crown Bar and Nightclub with a new focus on live music, including a weekly showcase, "Rock the Crown Thursdays."

Hawaiian Brian’s
1680 Kapiolani Blvd.

Hawaiian Brian’s Billiards has long been a hangout for an all-ages crowd, but it has slowly transformed into a more adult-friendly establishment since acquiring a liquor license in 2009.

Along with the booze, management decided to focus on live music, too, eventually pulling the trigger on extensive renovations in July to revamp space for live bands to perform. Formerly known as the Hawaiian Brian’s Showroom, it’s now called Crossroads at Hawaiian Brian’s. (Get the story behind the name on the bar’s Facebook page.)

To complement the new performance space, Hawaiian Brian’s revamped its food offerings, striking a deal with chefs Eddie Mafnas and Jeff Sampson of Firehouse Food Truck to run the kitchen.

Pearl Ultra Lounge
Ala Moana Center

When Pearl Ultra Lounge opened seven years ago at Ala Moana Center, it marked a significant change in Hono­lulu’s nightclub scene. Larger, stand-alone venues like World Cafe and Pipeline Cafe were becoming a thing of the past as Hawaii’s economy slowed and owners opted for smaller, more lounge-like spaces.

Former Pearl owner Beau Mohr, who made a name for himself as general manager at the Ocean Club, wanted to show he could step out and elevate the nightlife experience.

"Nightlife has become a bigger part of pop culture," he said in 2006. "People are looking for a new destination."

More than $2 million was spent to create the space, which featured state-of-the-art sound and lighting, plus cocktails developed by master mixologist Francesco Lafranconi. (The party ended for Mohr three years later after a group of investors sued to take control of the nightclub.)

Pearl quickly became a favorite of the mature club crowd, packing in legions of 30- and 40-somethings looking for somewhere new to party. It also served as home base for photographer and party promoter Russell Tanoue and countless fundraisers and bartending competitions.

Pearl closed for renovations at the end of July and is scheduled to reopen by the end of the year. According to Pearl creative director Cydney Chu, it was simply time for a change.

"It’s just time to reinvent the brand," she said. "When Pearl first opened, it was the first real ultralounge concept in Hono­lulu. Since then, a lot of different places have opened."

Chu referred to the "aging out" of Pearl’s original clientele. Most have celebrated their 40th birthdays and, in many cases, started families. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as a new generation of customers have transitioned from their 20s and have moved on from other venues around town.

"We’re going to make Pearl more friendly to the 30-year-old woman of today, as compared to what was important seven years ago," Chu said. "A lot of the updating will be through the branding as well as with the entertainment and music."

BREW’d Craft Pub
3441 Waialae Ave.

After the successful opening of REAL a Gastropub at Ward Centers, owner Troy Terorotua announced last month that he will open a second location, in Kaimuki, called BREW’d craft pub in late October.

"We’re creating a relaxing pub for friends and colleagues to have an enjoyable time while having great beer and food," Terorotua said in a statement. "I view this new adventure as an extension of what we started at REAL a Gastropub."

BREW’d will serve craft beers from 16 taps and offer more than 100 different bottled beers, with food by Terorotua and chef de cuisine Don Takeya.

Skybar Waikiki
2270 Kalakaua Ave.

One of the most eagerly anticipated openings of 2014 will be Skybar Waikiki at the Waikiki Business Plaza. Plans call for a 9,000-square-foot lounge on the shopping center’s 19th floor, with two bars and a 3,000-square-foot open-air lanai to take advantage of spectacular Waikiki and Diamond Head views.

The new Skybar will be owned and operated by Leighton Mau, nephew Alika Mau, Darren Seu and Kai­noa Akina, who also own and operate the Waikiki Business Plaza, Top of Waikiki, Waikiki Shopping Plaza and Ambassador Hotel Waikiki.

A grand opening celebration is expected in the spring.

Jason Genegabus is entertainment editor/online for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Read his "In the Mix" and "Grind Time" blogs at honolulupulse.com and follow him on Twitter @PulseHNL and Instagram @HonoluluPulse.