I met Karen when she opened her restaurant and I ate there every weekday night for many years.   Karen catered a wonderful feast for me when I had business friends from the mainland to my home for Thanksgiving.   She found Opii, and boy did we eat.  Karen and I discussed running our businesses and I enjoyed talking shop with Karen.  I will miss Karen.  Much aloha to Karen's family.   

I first met Karen, when she worked at Tommy's Drive-in as a young lady of eighteen. I went in there once or twice a week with My friend King Peterson. His sister worked next door and we would wait there when picking her up after work. Well, I developed a crush on her because of her outgoing personality. Only to find out later that her brother George Murakane was my stepdad. Small world huh? To my misfortune, I never got to spend much time with Karen because of my military career and retiring in Las Vegas with my wife Sharon. We will surely miss her. 

   When I was a kid growing up in Kakaako, I remember going to Fujieki Store on Cooke St (later known as Star Supermarket). There were lots of good things to eat and a family atmosphere that created many return customers.
   Over 50 years later, I found myself going back to the same location and for the same reasons because of Karen's Kitchen. The food was great, with a good selection of local style food, generous portions, and I often saw Karen there to greet her customers. I liked going to Karen's for breakfast and often took home some lunch for my family as well. I will also miss seeing her long time cook, who made the best pancakes, and was a 'one man gang' on Saturdays. Mahalo Karen, for all the years of service to your customers. You will be missed.

Aloha and God Bless,
Wayne Shiohira