Updated at 4:47 p.m., Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Hawaii sues owners, operators of L'Uraku restaurant
Advertiser Staff
The state has sued the owners and operators of the now-defunct L'Uraku restaurant, Chikara Yanigiya and World Hawaii Inc. for violating Hawai'i's gift certificate law.The state Office of Consumer Protection alleged in a lawsuit that Yanigiya and World Hawaii sold certificates with expiration dates of less than two years and that it offered the certificates up to the date of the restaurant closing in February. The state alleged customers weren't told that the restaurant on Kapi'olani Boulevard was going to shut down and refused to give refunds.
"If a company closes, it still has an obligation to its patrons," OCP Executive Director Stephen Levins said in a news statement.
"It's just not fair for a business to tell its customers who purchased gift certificates that they are out of luck. We are suing the defendants because we believe they failed to comply with Hawai'i law."
Hawai'i's gift certificate law subjects offending parties to fines ranging from $500 to $10,000 per violation. Any L'Uraku customers who purchased gift certificates and have not filed a complaint with the state's Office of Consumer Protection may call 587-3222, or toll-free at 800-394-1902.
