HONOLULU (KHON2) — The hum of downtown Honolulu will soon get a taste of Seoul.
CU, one of South Korea’s largest convenience store chains, is opening its first United States location in Hawaiʻi to mark a new era for local shoppers and food lovers alike.
The store at 1088 Bishop Street, inside the Executive Centre, will open next week, with its grand opening and blessing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13 at noon.
“Downtown Honolulu is the perfect place for us to open our first CU Hawaii,” said Robert
Kurisu, CEO of CU Hawaii LLC. “The store will offer fresh grab-and-go food, customizable
beverages, a wide range of popular instant ramen, and many other unique Korean and
local products for people working, living and visiting downtown.”
A new kind of convenience
Gina Haverly, president of CU Hawaiʻi, called the Nov. 6 soft launch “a special day for some of our special vendors and friends and family.”
For Haverly, this opening marks a moment of pride and progress. It’s not only about a new store but about making history in the islands.
“We’re gearing up to open our first CU store, not just in Hawaiʻi, but in the United States,” Haverly said.
CU’s reach in Asia is staggering, with more than 18,000 stores in South Korea and 680 more in Mongolia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan. The Honolulu store will be the first step in expanding across Oʻahu and beyond.
After years of planning, CU Hawaiʻi’s debut in downtown Honolulu is only the beginning. Haverly said the company’s vision reaches far beyond Bishop Street.
“We are looking to open so many stores starting on the island of Oʻahu, potentially throughout the while,” she said.
Authentic flavors meet local taste
Haverly explained that CU’s food program aims to stay true to its Korean roots while still honoring Hawaiʻi’s diverse tastes. She said the store’s mission is to deliver real Korean flavors to the islands without compromise.
“We haven’t adjusted the recipes to the local palate,” she said. “What we’ve done instead for our local palate is we created a line called Polina.”
The Polina line, developed with local celebrity chef Sheldon Smith, will feature dishes tailored for Hawaiʻi.
“He’s helped us create our local recipes,” Haverly said. “So, CU Korea authentic recipes for you to line up, me for the local palate.”
Alongside that menu will be CU’s signature Korean foods like gimbap, musubi, and bento, along with ramen and udon cooking stations where customers can heat and eat on site.
“We also have cookers in our store so you can cook your ramen and your tapioca and all of that here,” she said.
Community and opportunity
Haverly said the new Honolulu store is already creating local jobs, with about 20 employees hired and more positions to fill as CU expands across Oʻahu.
“We’re interviewing and hiring for store managers, assistant store managers, leads and sales,” she said. “So come see us. We have awesome benefits, too.”
To mark the grand opening, CU plans to thank its first customers with a little extra excitement and appreciation.
“On our grand opening day, we have these awesome swag bags that we’re giving out to the first 100 purchasers,” Haverly said.
As Hawaiʻi becomes CU’s fourth overseas market, the convenience store giant is bringing with it a modern design, Korean national brands and private-label items, along with local partnerships that celebrate the islands’ mix of flavors and people.
Haverly described the launch as a moment shaped by collaboration and gratitude as she reflected on the many hands that helped make CU Hawaiʻi a reality.
“We have our special vendors, partners who really helped us bring this together,” she said. “And we have obviously really great friends in the media coming to visit us today.”
The CU Hawaiʻi story begins in Honolulu next week, but for Haverly, the work of blending Korean innovation with Hawaiʻi spirit has only just begun.
Kurisu said CU Hawaiʻi’s menu reflects both the global appeal of Korean cuisine and the company’s commitment to authenticity.
“We know that Korean culture, trends and food are very popular,” he said. “We worked diligently to ensure we are offering the same great CU Korean fresh food and snacks with authentic Korean flavors.”
He added that the company also aims to celebrate Hawaiʻi’s local identity while introducing new flavors from across Asia.
“We also wanted to honor what is unique about our local culture and palates, which can be found in our own Ho‘ina brand foods,” Kurisu said. “And as we expand, we want to ensure that we are delighting our customers with unique local and Asia-inspired treats, foods and snacks, along with new items and recipes that will be added frequently.”