New Korean eatery in Kapolei starts off energy-efficient
by Robert Yang | Aug. 29, 2022
When I attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, I would often head to Market City Shopping Center at lunchtime. Gina’s Barbecue was always a popular choice among my group of friends. The Korean plate lunches with huge, delicious portions benefitted broke college students like me.
So I was excited to hear that Gina’s would be opening a location in West Oahu.
Sisters Gina Song and Yong Hae Han opened the Market City eatery in 1991. The sisters invested their life savings into the business, and over the years have developed a loyal following that includes hungry high schoolers and college students from the surrounding area.
Now, for the first time, the family business is expanding. Sang Han, son of Yong Hae, is introducing the delicious flavors of Gina’s Barbecue to Kapolei.
Whether you’re starting a business for the first time or expanding an existing one, it can be daunting. Hawaiian Electric is here to help you power your business and maximize energy efficiency.
Doug White, a customer business management services (CBMS) consultant for Hawaiian Electric, visited Sang’s location to do an inspection for energy efficiency that he typically does for new businesses.
“We just wanted Sang to start off on the right foot. Most businesses in Hawaii for the last couple years have been struggling. We thought it was a good opportunity to make sure everything was working properly and efficiently,” Doug said.
The inspection was conducted over two weeks. Thermal imaging was utilized to see if the refrigerators and walk-in freezer had any leaks. Temperature loggers also were used to make sure storage units were operating at the correct temperature. Most of Sang’s inventory is perishable and must be stored at the correct temperature for it to be safely consumed by customers. Energy-measuring devices were installed on appliances to see if each one was using a reasonable amount of power. Because everything was new, no issues were detected.
“It’s good to know everything is running the way it should and efficiently. Operating a business in Hawaii is getting tougher day by day. At the end of the day, we’re just trying to make ends meet.” said Sang, owner of Gina’s Barbeque Kapolei. “Hawaiian Electric is a great resource that every business owner should be aware of. I can always rely on them for help and that takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders.”
If you own a local business, please contact CBMS to have it inspected for energy efficiency. You never know what our consultants might find to help generate savings. Speaking of savings, Hawaii Energy is another great resource for businesses and residential customers. They provide energy-saving tips and rebates on purchases of new, energy-efficient appliances.
Robert Yang is a digital communications and social media specialist at Hawaiian Electric.
