The Crouching Lion is for sale.
The landmark property in Kaaawa was first opened as a restaurant by my father, John Lind, back in 1952.
The asking price listed by Prudential Locations is $3.5 million.
According to the listing:
MLS #: 1012308
Status: Active
Tax Map Key: 1-5-1-005-009-0000
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 4 Full Bath(s)
Living Area: 9838 Square Feet
Land Area: 101325 Square Feet
Geographic Area: Kaneohe
Neighborhood: Kaaawa
Views: Coastline
Tenure: Fee Simple
Age: 66 YearsProperty is currently being used as a restaurant. Purchase as estate or take opportunity to run restaurant. Property being sold ‘as is’. Sale includes tmk parcel #10 also. Crouching Lion Inn & Restaurant total 9,838sf interior and separate cottage on property is 1,168sf interior.
Real estate records show the current owner of the property is Alan Tom Huie, who purchased the property in 2008 for $2.2 million. It is currently appraised for tax purposes at just $1,640,100.
Interesting that it’s being offered either for commercial or “estate” use.
Meanwhile, assessed property values in Kaaawa have fallen about 30% over the past three years.
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Wow Ian! My family loved the Crouching Lion. Whenever family came in from the mainland, we’d make the trek around the island and always, always stop for lunch there.
So great that your family is such a huge part of our local history and you have extraordinary photos to document it too. Hope you’re working on your book – our history needs it.
Some New Yorkers or Californians or business venture group will invest in it and turn it into a Hooter’s Bar.
The Department of Permitting and Permitting will approve the use and of course state it is consistent with the rural character of Ko’olauloa.
And Mayor Carlisle will say he’s very excited and will leave it to the experts to make money. Change has to come. This is what it’s about – “money! money! money! Jobs! Job! Jobs!”
a fantastic location overlooking the Pacific, the patio is gorgeous, the interior has character, the bar is cozy. Could someone jam tourists in for lunch and then switch to a higher end restaurant at night? Or was that tried before?
But $3.5 is a joke.
that is a joke. 2.5 acres on the water with almost 10k under roof. i’d be asking at least $5mil. esp with that view.
It’s not waterfront. It is on Kam Hwy mauka. The makai side of Kam Hwy is very eroded by the ocean. The Kam Hwy will have to cut into this property if this 2-lane Kam has to be expanded for new developments like Envision Laie.
For anyone that doesn’t know the Crouching Lion- more about the sale
see:
http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/Real-Estate/October-2010/Crouching-Lion-Inn-amp-Restaurant-for-Sale/
Hope we get some great owners & a Great Chef!-who uses local fish & produce and maybe even Kualoa Ranch beef.- And have Local Music!
That would do so much for Ko’olau Loa!
Interesting magazine article, even if the caption on the
top photo is wrong. The CL doesn’t overlook Kahana Bay; the bay is
a few hundred feet north and can’t be seen from the CL. Fascinating
that Ian’s dad was involved back in the day! As for having live
local music, CL has had that almost since the current owners bought
it a couple of years ago. I know, since I play music there almost
every week. There’s usually live music on Friday and Saturday
nights, plus the open mic sessions every Wednesday night. The food
was better than in the past, but still not up to par, and
overpriced as well. The wait staff and bartenders are terrific. The
owners should’ve done more marketing. I’m a little surprised that
Andy Andersen hasn’t bought it, since he openly admits to wanting a
John Dominis on the windward side. His deal on the old Pat’s At
Punaluu restaurant fell through, plus his latest attempt in
Haleiwa. $3.5 mil seems reasonable for that amount of oceanfront
space. Hopefully it will stay a restaurant and not get torn down
and built with a new private residence. HJey, Ian, maybe you could
get Uncle Bobo’s BBQ to buy it! 🙂
I’m pleased to hear that the food and service have been better in recent years. My then-husband and I went to lunch there about 10 years ago and it was pretty bad. The whole experience seemed like the management/owner knew they had a captive audience, so why put too much effort into it?
When she put our plates down, the waitress realized she’d forgotten something and blurted out a four-letter word, loudly enough for surrounding tables to hear it. The food wasn’t good (wilted lettuce, overcooked fish, etc.). The service was slow, beyond “laid back.” The waitress was openly foul-mouthed in a family atmosphere. And it was expensive, of course — you’re paying for the view as well as the food.
I worked in a lot of restaurants in my younger days and everyone has an off day, so I don’t usually hold grudges. Or maybe it was just a bad phase they Crouching Lion went through. I’ve been back to the CL a few times — I enjoy stopping for a beer on my bike rides around the island. The service has definitely improved, and the comments here have boosted my confidence in the CL. Next time maybe I’ll get lunch or pupu.
Here’s hoping the next owner does well for both the CL and the customers.
Ian, I’ve often encountered accounts referencing “the
quarters” or the “offices” of the Commercial Club. Now I know where
they were, at least in the 1950s!