Hasegawa General Store, Hana

I visited Hana in June of 2004 and was actually quite anxious to visit Hasegawa, as I tend to derive special enjoyment from visiting things that are authentically "local". But, in a nutshell, Hasegawa is a small, nondescript country store with an appallingly UNfresh selection of a few rotting heads of lettuce and other vegetables. The staff is NOT friendly, and you are immediatlely profiled by whatever dishevelled young salesclerk happens to be at the counter as being non-local when you enter the store. Once this occurs, you can forget about being treated with courtesy. These people are NOT happy to see you, and there is no element of "aloha" in this experience. The prices are, as I expected, ridiculous. This wasn't my objection. My objection was to the absolute LACK OF PRIDE and CLEANLINESS apparent in this "institution". Nothing, and I mean NOTHING about this store was entertaining, pleasant, welcoming, or, for that matter, interesting. I spent 4 days at Hana Ranch, and went back to Hasegawa only once because I needed to buy some Advil. Of all the places I visited on Oahu and Maui, Hasegawa was easily the most disappointing and least hospitable. Are these people really Hawaiian? The atmosphere was more like Hartford, Connecticut. Have you ever visited the food court of a shopping mall, and been waited on by an obviously bored, resentful teenager who didn't even bother to make eye contact or thank you? WELCOME TO HASEGAWA.

Note to Hasegawa (as if they cared): You people are sitting on a gold mine. You already have an institution in terms of your fame, without even trying. Put just a smidgeon of EFFORT into trying to run a respectable little market, and at least make some pretense of courtesy toward those who visit your store -- not because you owe it to us, but because YOU might seem a bit happier if you'd clean up your place and take a bit of pride in what you have.