Multi-Unit Franchise Owner Opens TMAD’s 76th Teriyaki Shop!
Teriyaki Madness opened its first Hawaii location on Wednesday in a 2,200-square-foot space at Kapolei Commons.
Kapolei resident and multi-unit franchise owner, Ohmar Villavicencio discovered the brand while living in Las Vegas and said that it has been his “longtime dream” to bring the eatery to the Islands.
Ohmar said, “I like that it’s quick — we all lead hectic lives, so you can get in and get out, but still have something that is healthy and customizable. And it’s always prepared fresh. There are a whole lot of things that people can customize and put into their bowl, so every one is actually a unique meal. You can make it however you want.”
The Kapolei store marks the first of 10 that Villavicencio has planned for the Islands over the next decade — including six on Oahu, two on Maui, and two on Hawaii Island. He hopes to open the second location by the first quarter of 2021 and is currently looking at Aiea, Mililani and Hawaii Kai as potential sites for the next store.
Villavicencio was originally slated to open the restaurant in May, but had to postpone due to the coronavirus. But other than that, he doesn’t expect that Covid-19 will cause any more slowdowns for the business. The infrastructure of the company, he said, is already well-suited to the Covid-19 environment, as the franchise has systems in place for online ordering, pickup and takeout.
While the multi-unit franchise owner admitted that launching a new restaurant amid the coronavirus was an added challenge to an already challenging endeavor, he was determined to forge ahead.
“The restaurant business is always challenging and risky — restaurants close all the time and have very low margins — but I wanted to stick with it,” he said. “We just felt like it was the right thing to do — for the Kapolei community, and for the people we are hiring. Being able to provide jobs for the community right now is the biggest joy. ”
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