Hilo-based Puna Plantation Hawaii Ltd., the parent company of KTA Super Stores, KTA Express and KTA Pharmacy, will officially acquire K. Takata Store in North Kohala on Sept. 23.
The sale includes the Takata Store property at 54-3627 Akoni Pule Highway in Kapaau. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Takata Store, a family- owned, independent grocery store, is a heritage business in North Kohala. Keizo and Hatsuko Takata established the store in Hawi in 1923 before the family relocated it to its current 10,625-square-foot building in Kapaau in 1992. Keizo and Hatsuko’s son, Shiro, and Shiro’s wife, Clara, succeeded the founders.
Brothers Rayton and Jerry Takata, sons of Shiro and Clara Takata, assumed the business in the 1980s after they returned home from college. They’re now ready to retire and initiated the sale to Puna Plantation so the store could continue serving the community’s needs.
“It’s been a joy for our family and associates to serve the Kohala community for more than 100 years,” Rayton Takata, the elder brother, said. “Our mission was to support Kohala by providing … products and services for our customers locally. You know, here in Hawaii, we use ‘local’ to describe and define many aspects of our lives.
“In 2010, with the closing of the Kaneshiro Store in Honokaa, we found ourselves without an economical or timely way of receiving inventory. Knowing how the closure would impact the smaller grocery stores, KTA reached out with an offer to share shipping space in their containers.
“The result has been an uninterrupted supply of goods to the people of North Kohala.”
Toby Taniguchi, president of Puna Plantation and KTA, said the Takata trademark and brand will be retained on the store “for continuity purposes.”
“They, like us, are independent grocers and independent grocers are a dying breed,” Taniguchi told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. “The Takata Store is a cornerstone of the North Kohala community, right? And when they talked to us, we said, ‘Yeah, we think we’d like to explore this opportunity.’
“We didn’t know at that time whether it would materialize or not. We didn’t know the specifics of what their needs were or what we were expecting. But it’s been a conversation for awhile.”
Taniguchi pointed out numerous similarities in the history of the Takata Store and KTA, starting with more than a century of service to the community.
KTA started in 1916 as K Taniguchi Shoten, a 500-square-foot grocery and dry goods operation on Lihiwai Street in the Waiakea town area of Hilo. As Rayton and Jerry Takata are the third generation of the family to operate the Takata store, Taniguchi is the fourth generation to helm KTA — now an islandwide chain of supermarkets — founded by his great- grandparents, Koichi and Taniyo Taniguchi.
“At the end of the day, it’s an honor for us to carry forward the Takatas’ legacy of service and commitment to their community,” Taniguchi said.
The Takata Store has a smaller format and product selection than that of KTA Super Stores, and as such, KTA Super Stores coupons, specials and loyalty points won’t be offered, made valid or honored at the Takata Store.
Puna Plantation plans to continue operations with a focus on convenience and popular-demand items and intends to maintain its entire current workforce.
“We’ve already made offers to bring along their staff,” Taniguchi said. “The heart of any organization is the people. We have a huge bias for promoting within our team, so I think it’s only fitting that we bring their team along.”
One promotion from within has already been announced. Manuel “Mano” Gusman has been appointed the new Takata Store director. Gusman worked his way up in the organization, starting 24 years ago as a store clerk.
Rayton Takata mused that while KTA ownership is something new in North Kohala, they’ve long been a community benefactor, starting with a shared shipping container.
“Indirectly, KTA has been involved in the support of our community for the last 14 years,” he said. “Although we compete in the same market segment, KTA has embraced kokua over competition, and that is how I define ‘local.’
“I would like to wholeheartedly welcome an old friend home.”
Taniguchi said it’s a privilege to be part of “a cherished landmark and trusted part of the North Kohala community.”
“We’re super grateful for the opportunity to continue the Takatas’ legacy and to continue earning the trust of the community,” he concluded. “And we just want to thank all of their associates and all of our associates, the patrons and business partners for helping to make this possible.”
