WAI'ANAE — After a decade in Hawai'i, Starbucks is ready for Wai'anae.

But is Wai'anae — where some would say $1.65 might be better spent on a meal than the cheapest cup of Starbucks coffee — ready for Starbucks?

School bus driver Lorelle Woolsey of Ma'ili, one of the first to patronize the new location in Wai'anae, seemed to sum up the prevailing attitude when she bounded across the threshold and loudly proclaimed, "You need to put up a big sign saying, 'We're open!' "

Three weeks ahead of schedule and with no fanfare, the state's latest Starbucks — its 67th location — opened for upscale java sipping here yesterday at 5 a.m. The iconic establishment is located at Wai'anae Mall, between Pizza Hut and Burger King — and about 100 yards across the highway from one of the largest homeless populations in the state at Lualualei Beach Park No. 1, known as "Sewers Beach."

"Am I the first?" wondered Woolsey.

Actually, that honor had gone to James Gano, 57, who popped in before catching a bus to his job in Nanakuli. Gano bought a $2.77 Caffé Americano, unaware he was making a little local caffeine history.

But like many who would enter Starbucks yesterday, Gano, who lives in Wai'anae, said he was happy that he would no longer need to travel 11 miles to patronize the nearest Starbucks locations, both of which are in Kapolei.

"I'm glad it's here," echoed Wai'anae resident Marvin Char. "It makes it a lot easier than driving all the way to Kapolei."

Barista Kris Richardson of 'Ewa Beach — the only one of 17 new Starbucks employees who isn't from the Wai'anae Coast — rang up the first order and was thrilled to be the one to do it.

"I just love Starbucks — the atmosphere, the people, the whole thing," she said.

Although few were aware of when it would officially put out the welcome mat, folks in Wai'anae and the surrounding area had been keeping an eye on the progress of the high-end coffee establishment.

Audrey Kelii, 42, of Ma'ili had no doubt that Wai'anae is ready to put on the ritz.

"Oh yeah, everybody's ready for it," she said. "Because they need to put new and exciting things to do in Wai'anae."

"From Hawai'i Kai to Wai'anae, you have Starbucks now," said Patty Teruya, chairwoman of the Wai'anae Coast Neighborhood Board. "To have something nice like that come into our community strengthens our economy. I'm excited about being able to sit down there and have a cup of coffee with my favorite oatmeal muffin and read my morning paper."

Pi'i Colburn, who has lived most of her life on the Wai'anae Coast, was not surprised by the reaction. She said she worked at Starbucks in Kapolei for a year and a half, and the majority of her customers were from the Wai'anae Coast.

Now, as manager of the Wai'anae Starbucks, she's eager to serve them closer to home — hers as well as theirs.

Colburn is aware of the area's homeless crisis and said her store would follow corporate policy of giving to the community. She said she had already contacted an area transitional shelter to offer it all the leftover pastries each evening.

"Our marketing team has asked me what my passion is for helping Wai'anae," Colburn said. "And I said, 'Of course — it's homelessness.' "

Colburn said the team is working on ways Starbucks can be of benefit to the area's beach dwellers and their service providers.

During a brief lull in business yesterday, Starbucks employees walked to the corner of Farrington and Leihoku Street and handed out free samples. Some Lualualei Beach Park inhabitants came across the highway to accept, Colburn said.

"Hey, if it's free, we'll be there," said park dweller George Camara, 43.

Starbucks, which was initially reluctant to enter the Hawai'i market, came to the state a decade ago under a special partnership agreement with Coffee Partners Hawaii, a joint venture company. O'ahu's first Starbucks was at Kahala Mall.

Last year, Starbucks bought all 54 statewide locations from Coffee Partners Hawai'i, and the partnership was dissolved. Jill Wheatman, marketing manager for Starbucks Hawaii, said yesterday that the company was proud to bring Starbucks to Wai'anae and "add to the vitality of the community."

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.