If there’s a bigger Miller Lite fan on Oahu than Kaz Sano, it would shock the Kaimuki resident, who claims to be the beer brand’s most vocal supporter.

“I love Miller Lite,” he said. “It feels like it’s getting bigger here in Hawaii. I think it’s way better than when I first moved here. Back then it was all Bud Light. It finally feels like there’s Miller Lite everywhere now.”

Sano, 41, was born in Japan and left for Singapore with his family when he was 5. He moved to the United States at the age of 13, graduated from high school in California and completed degree programs in international business and marketing at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

After a few years of operating a successful screen printing company, he sold his share of the business and moved to Oahu in 2003 to pursue various entrepreneurial opportunities — including running his own surf camp program for teenagers.

“I didn’t drink for six or seven years because I was driving them everywhere,” Sano explained. “After they all kind of grew up and got their licenses, I stopped doing it.”

Three years ago, he moved into his Kaimuki home and began to host social gatherings where alcohol was present. Sano’s friends quickly discovered his preference for the German-style pilsner that helped introduce the light beer category to American consumers in the late 1970s.

“Miller Lite. That’s it. If I have people over and it turns into a party, I just drink my Miller Lite,” he said. “I’ve said no to going to certain restaurants because they don’t have Miller Lite. I’d rather just pregame at home and not drink during dinner.”

Sano’s drinking buddies often drop off various types of Miller Lite- branded promotional items, from pint glasses to bar mats and ice buckets emblazoned with the Miller Lite logo. He said he gladly accepts anything and everything people give him.

“People started sending me more Miller Lite stuff and I wanted to put it all up, but I didn’t have any place to put it,” he said. “That’s how the bar itself got started.”

The bar is an amazing thing. Using wood from discarded pallets and used car parts he harvested from his garage, Sano turned a corner of his living room into a fully functional bar that also showcases his growing collection of Miller Lite promo items. A nearby display case houses his glassware, while a prized 1980s-era neon bar sign hangs on a nearby wall.

“I’m very happy with it,” Sano said of the remodeled space. “It’s not something that I’ve done before, so I didn’t have a blueprint. I just went with what I thought would work. There are a few things I would do differently the next time, but this came out pretty good for such a low budget project.”

When Sano hosted a “Kaz-tume” party to celebrate the bar’s completion, he predictably dressed up as a “Miller Lite guy,” complete with a Miller Lite visor, sunglasses and championship belt all fashioned out of cardboard packaging. When a childhood friend visited with his family last month, Sano took it upon himself to repurpose an old grill and turn it into a Miller Lite-themed go-kart for his friend’s daughter to ride around the house.

“I love working with my hands,” he said. “I take pride in how little money I have to spend to make something I like.”

“Possessed” is an occasional series featuring Hawaii residents and their unique or fascinating collections. Tell us about your collection by calling 529-4778 or emailing features@staradvertiser.com.