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View Poll Results: What would you like to see happening to Alii Drive?
More historical/educational points of reference with i.e. seating, shade trees. 4 33.33%
Vehicular traffic reductions; focus on bike, run and stroll. 4 33.33%
Easy ocean entry & exit at various locations, incl showers and bathrooms. 8 66.67%
Stores and restaurants with more interesting offerings and varied price options. 9 75.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 12. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 07-20-2013, 03:28 PM
 
Location: somewhere in the Kona coffee fields
834 posts, read 1,218,536 times
Reputation: 1647

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Just came back from a family stroll on Alii Drive in Kailua Kona. I was not excited and especially not excited by what I saw in the tourists faces either. I know there are business associations and people trying to do the best they can to upgrade. But let's see what you folks think about it. I can do 4 options only and I tried not to think only from the point of commerce, but family fun.
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Old 07-20-2013, 05:14 PM
 
1,872 posts, read 2,817,548 times
Reputation: 2168
I haven't been to the Big Island in 15 years. We are heading there this October. I'll vote after we get back.
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Old 07-20-2013, 07:11 PM
 
1,730 posts, read 3,812,612 times
Reputation: 1215
One of the biggest boost would be to convince the owner of the Kona Inn Shopping Village spruce it up a bit so that it is at least a notch above "minimal". It is terrible how run down that place has become. Unless things have changed, it is owned by Uncle Billy (of the Uncle Billy's Hotels), and from the looks of it he apparently he is not parting with a darn nickle of investment money towards upkeep.

It used to be a fun place to just pass time if you were in the area, but now it is too depressing to bother with. What a shame, it had a lot of charm and interesting shops years ago. Now the charm is about gone.
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Old 07-20-2013, 08:43 PM
 
Location: Ormond Beach, FL
1,615 posts, read 2,144,629 times
Reputation: 1686
What Alii Drive needs is better parking. I find the south end odd in that it runs into a shopping center. And it is difficult to figure out which cross streets will take you to queens hiway directly.
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Old 07-20-2013, 08:47 PM
 
Location: Volcano
12,969 posts, read 28,451,115 times
Reputation: 10760
Quote:
Originally Posted by CyberCity View Post
One of the biggest boost would be to convince the owner of the Kona Inn Shopping Village spruce it up a bit so that it is at least a notch above "minimal".
Agreed.

I'm a fan of old-school tourist areas (Brighton Beach anyone? Coney Island?) , and I don't mind a little wear and tear. I like seeing the ghost of Hunter S Thompson out of the corner of my eye in the Kona Inn, shopping for ukuleles and Kona coffee and t-shirts and Dead Sea Salt rubs (trust me, the Israeli woman there is a floor show unto herself), and I'd rather do Happy Hour Mai-Tais on the deck of the Kona Canoe Club than Huggo's any day.

BUT... it's gone past a little run down, and I agree... a coat of paint couldn't hurt!

Quote:
It used to be a fun place to just pass time if you were in the area, but now it is too depressing to bother with. What a shame, it had a lot of charm and interesting shops years ago. Now the charm is about gone.
Totally agree. But it takes investment to turn these things around, and I don't see an effective leader stepping up to generate the necessary upgrade movement.

So that's my vote... it needs a leader to appear, to rally the community around a full palette of changes.
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Old 07-20-2013, 08:56 PM
 
Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA
61 posts, read 192,478 times
Reputation: 236
Quote:
Originally Posted by OpenD View Post
Kona Inn, shopping for ukuleles and Kona coffee and t-shirts and Dead Sea Salt rubs (trust me, the Israeli woman there is a floor show unto herself), and I'd rather do Happy Hour Mai-Tais on the deck of the Kona Canoe Club than Huggo's any day.
Totally agree.

My mom was here last month and got sucked in by Dead Sea Salts lady; I went outside and looked up the products on Amazon - she was trying to get $65 for a jar of salt rub I could get for less than $15. Luckily I convinced her to walk away. That woman is a born salesperson.

I'm such a fan of the Kona Inn, it makes me sad that with the tourism numbers starting to go up again, there's not a surge in upgrading and beautifying downtown. And don't get me started on the new landlord that forced Tante's to close.

Kailua Village could be so vibrant again... it just takes some forward thinking and some investment.
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Old 07-20-2013, 10:45 PM
 
Location: Hawaii-Puna District
3,752 posts, read 11,515,746 times
Reputation: 2488
The lack of parking.....
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Old 07-20-2013, 11:45 PM
 
Location: Hilo, HI
219 posts, read 497,422 times
Reputation: 157
Uncle Billy just spent $25k to update the furnishings in the hotel across the street, maybe he will get a return on that investment and turn his attention to the shopping area. The only reason I know this is I bought a few things from the same place and my small order got pushed to the back burner to work on his.
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Old 07-21-2013, 03:31 AM
 
Location: Southwest France
1,413 posts, read 3,233,254 times
Reputation: 2462
Can I vote all of the above? The "new" Courtyard aka King Kamahameha is a step in the right direction, but surely a baby step. Recarpeting and painting over an old property is just that; putting lipstick on a pig.
Make the business area pedestrian only and for G*d sakes, get some decent dining and shopping options.
,
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Old 07-21-2013, 05:51 AM
 
1,730 posts, read 3,812,612 times
Reputation: 1215
Come to think of it, I think the last time we bothered to eat on Alii Drive was to do a "last chance" meal at Ocean View Inn before it closed! Oh wait, there are the occasional trips to Bubba Gump's after dental appointments for the kids (it pays off to behave at the dentist's in our family).
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