Posted on: Thursday, February 13, 2003
EDITORIAL
In Theatre dispute, put Chinatown first
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Indigo Eurasian Cuisine is the gravitational center of Chinatown's still-emerging art, culture and gourmet district.
Most nights, the exotic Nu'uanu Street bar and eatery is abuzz with bon vivants, including concert-, theater- and art gallery-goers. Any entertainment venue would be happy to have Indigo as a neighbor.
Or so one would think.
Unfortunately, Indigo is looking for a new home because of a lease dispute with its landlord and next-door neighbor, the nonprofit Hawai'i Theatre Center.
As part of a new lease arrangement, the theater wants $2.50 a square foot and a percentage of all Indigo's revenues, including activities that are not on theater-owned property.
Indigo says the theater is asking too much. The theater contends it's not trying to force Indigo out, and is merely being fiscally prudent by trying to get as much as it can for the struggling nonprofit.
We don't know enough of the behind-the-scenes details to tell either side what they should demand or accept under a new lease arrangement. But we can ask that every effort be made to keep Indigo in its current location as a magnet for diners and revelers. The larger issue is the future of a revitalized, vibrant Chinatown.
Now that it has a following, Indigo would probably continue to thrive wherever it relocated. Of course, a new restaurant could move in and do a brisk business. But as people in the restaurant business know, it can takes years to build a reputation. Studies show that seven out of 10 restaurants fail in their first five years.
Indigo's departure from Chinatown and its charming niche next to the historic Hawai'i Theatre would be a huge loss to the neighborhood and the community that worked hard to bring people back to the once-rundown district.
We'd like to see Indigo and the Hawai'i Theatre resume their symbiotic relationship, at least until Chinatown's arts and cultural district puts down deep roots, and more great restaurants set up shop in the area.
