City officials have ordered Happy Days Chinese Seafood Restaurant to remain closed pending an investigation following the collapse of a large section of ceiling onto diners at the popular Chinese restaurant Tuesday inside a 91-year-old Kaimuki building.
The Department of Planning and Permitting “has deemed the restaurant unsafe to occupy at this time. The restaurant will remain closed if and until DPP determines that the structure is safe for occupancy,” the city agency said in its written response to questions from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
DPP Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna also said Wednesday in an email that Maguro-ya, a restaurant that shares a wall with Happy Days, “is currently cordoned off while the investigation is ongoing.” No other businesses were closed Wednesday due to the collapse.
Firefighters said Tuesday they found a 40-foot by 40-foot section of the ceiling collapsed.
On Tuesday, one woman was taken in stable condition to the hospital with minor lacerations. Three others were treated at the scene, but declined transport to the hospital.
The roof of the building is visible from the rooftop of a nearby building. From that view, it appears a portion of the roof along the 11th Avenue (Ewa end) of the building is patched with roofing material, which is in tatters.
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Mei Kekauoha, who works at Kim Chee II, said she passed by Happy Days and saw people flooding onto the sidewalk, but thought it was just a large party letting out, as is often the case.
After she learned what happened, she took a closer look and said she noticed the wall on the Ewa end appears to be leaning toward the street.
DPP said it inspects permitted construction for compliance with approved plans and applicable building codes.
“DPP may also investigate reported building code violations or unsafe conditions. However DPP does not conduct routine inspections of every existing commercial building to assess its ongoing condition.
“Property owners are responsible for maintaining their buildings in a safe and code-compliant condition.”
The DPP further said, “Any determination regarding the cause of this incident or potential liability would require an investigation of the specific facts and circumstances.”
The building at 3553 Waialae Ave. was built in 1935, according to city property tax records. A commercial improvement was made to the exterior walls for a restaurant in 1962. The building sits on 5,600 square feet of land.
There was a permit taken out for repairs in July 2013. The online records say the permit amount was for $3,000, but does not say what the repairs were.
The commercial building is currently owned by SIS Ventures LLC, whose managers are Cynthia and Lynn Kajioka, co-trustees of the Kajioka Joint Trust, according to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ online database.
SIS Ventures registered with the DCCA to do business in 2012.
The Kajiokas have not returned phone calls requesting comment to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Property taxes for the property have been paid, but the 2025 annual filing due to the DCCA is delinquent, according to the DCCA online information.
Lisa Ng-Lum, listed as president of Happy Days Corp. as of April 1, 2024, could not be reached for comment.
A worker at nearby A&A Nails Salon said that on Saturday night, strong winds caused tree branches to fall in front of the salon, and on Sunday two other trees closer to Happy Days also lost some branches.
In addition to Maguro-ya, some neighboring businesses, which remain open, have been hurt.
Despite being on the inside of the yellow caution tape cordoning off the area, the Kim Chee II restaurant remains open.
Kekauoha said that the parking lot side is open to the restaurant, but many approaching from Waialae Avenue think it is closed.
Police have cordoned off a section of the parking lot surrounding the back entrance to Happy Days, as well as a lane of Waialae Avenue fronting the restaurant and a large segment of 10th Avenue.
Dining and Cooking