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Mayor Kirk Caldwell made his first-ever appearance Thursday before the Honolulu Liquor Commission to testify against a Chinatown liquor store that has received complaints from members of the community, elected officials and police.
The mayor asked the commissioners to revoke the liquor license of Maunakea Liquor &Grocery, outside of which was the scene of the June 2018 fatal assault of former sportscaster John Noland, 60, who died from a head injury and contributing factors of heart disease and obesity, as well as alcohol, and probable cocaine intoxication.
The commission issued a written statement saying that due to a large amount of complaints from frustrated residents and business owners regarding illegal activity occurring at or near the store, it filed a petition to not renew the store’s liquor license and to allow the community to be heard.
Attorney Bill Harrison, representing John Kim, owner of the store, objected to allowing anecdotal stories to be allowed on the record.
As for crimes committed outside, Harrison said Kim should not be held responsible. “It is the duty of the police department to address those crimes.”
Kim plans to shut down the store midnight to 6 a.m. in about a month, which is when he expects to get roll-down security panels.
Police said they received 85 calls for complaints or services at the store from 2018 to the present, compared with 30 from another liquor store two blocks away.
Chu Lan Schubert-Kwock, president of the Chinatown Business &Community Association and chairwoman of the Downtown Chinatown Neighborhood Board, gave spirited testimony against the liquor store, providing vivid descriptions of drunks and homeless in the area, and she had a petition signed by 80 Chinatown shop owners.
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