Kaua'i building materials units sold

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Hale Kaua'i, the island's largest building-materials retailer until two weeks ago, said yesterday it would sell its Lihu'e lumber and concrete products operations to Honsador Lumber Corp. and Jas. W. Glover Ltd.

Financial details of the sale were not released.

The company closed its retail hardware store in Lihu'e this month in anticipation of tomorrow's opening of big-box retailer Home Depot, two miles away.

On Monday afternoon, Hale Kaua'i told employees it would sell its remaining Lihu'e operations. Its Nawiliwili lumberyard will be bought by Honsador, and its ready-mix concrete and concrete tile-block business will be sold to a joint venture of Honsador and Glover.

Hale Kaua'i expects to need about 20 of its 70 employees for its remaining operations — retail hardware stores in Koloa and Kapa'a. Chief operating officer Tom Rietow said the company will add a gas station at Kapa'a, among other expansion plans.

"We will try to serve those communities well," he said.

Honsador and Glover officials handed out job applications at the employee meeting Monday. Honsador chairman Jim Pappas said the new companies would hire as many of the workers as possible.

The transfer of ownership takes place Jan. 2.

Pappas said his firm would close its Lihu'e-area facility and consolidate operations at Hale Kaua'i's 9-acre Nawiliwili site.

Honsador Lumber is the state's leading supplier of lumber and building products. Glover operates the Halfway Bridge quarry on Kaua'i owned by Grove Farm Co., and has operations on O'ahu and in Hilo and Kona on the Big Island.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.