Our classmate, Gerald Shimabukuro, is a hard worker. When he was a Kaimuki High School student, he worked part time at Union Gas Station, on the corner of Kapahulu and Waialae avenues. After graduation, Gerald attended Honolulu Community College but left to earn money at a vending machine business where he repaired and installed machines.
After many years of working hard and saving his paychecks, Gerald invested in billiard equipment and opened three billiard businesses. Do you remember Kailua Family Billiards, Kaimuki Cue or Campus Cue? Gerald said he is a tough boss with 3 stiff rules: 1) No smoking under age 18; 2) No drugs; and 3) Keep the place clean. Running those businesses was a lot of hard work.
In 1989, Gerald had an opportunity to own a rotisserie-style chicken business and, after discussing it with his wife, the Shimabukuros decided to take on the challenge. They named their family-run business, Koala Moa. Again, this was hard work because Gerald had to learn all aspects of the business, from ordering chicken to operating the machinery. Gerald remembers that it was rough in the beginning. He had to wake up early, set up the equipment, prepare the chicken and cook it. Sometimes, two jobs in one day meant setting up, cooking, packing up and moving to the next location. And now, 30 years later, Koala Moa is still going strong.
Anyone in Hawai‘i who has needed to fundraise for their group, school or sports team knows about Koala Moa’s strong ties to the community. One of Koala Moa’s customers is Punahou School. The company cooks the delicious and juicy chicken you get at the Punahou Carnival, which raises money for financial aid for students at Punahou. Over the years, Koala Moa has helped hundreds of organizations raise millions of dollars to fund their projects and to benefit their communities. The company has developed new and easier ways to fundraise, and even has three options, some which require less volunteer help but still raises ample funds for the organization.
Even after many years of hard work, Gerald and his family decided to take on another challenge. They opened a Koala Moa restaurant on Nimitz Highway. It serves their famous rotisserie-style chicken, lemongrass pork ribs, and housemade kim chee, among other items on their menu. No ticket required!
We are grateful to, and proud of, Gerald for working hard to benefit so many in our community.
