Our Story
The story of Morning Brew, or at least its conception, started back in 1991 in Manhattan Beach, California. While Debbie was working her way through an interior design program at UCLA she had picked up a part-time job at a popular café in Manhattan Beach called “Tout- Suite.”
While working there she got her first taste of the “café lifestyle” and soon became enamored. Peter would come in for breakfast on his days off and would end up hanging out to help Debbie clean up at the end of her shift. It wasn’t long before the two were discussing the possibilities of opening their own café, back home in Honolulu, Hawaii, where both of them grew up. Debbie and Peter were high school sweethearts at Punahou School, where they both graduated in 1983.
Nearly two years later, once Debbie had completed her design program, the two returned to Hawaii to pursue their dream of opening their own café. Eight months later the “Krakatoa Café” was born, fulfilling part of their dream.
Diamond Head Theatre, across the street from a local community college, would be their first location. Peter and Debbie would serve the evening theatre patrons from their coffee cart and students during the day. Their first harsh business lesson would be learned soon after, as the drawbacks of their location proved too great to overcome.
Their next location would also end up being too challenging to generate enough business. The obstacles and pitfalls of opening a new business were starting to mount. The crucial importance of “location” for any retail business was beginning to sink in for the two young entrepreneurs. With nothing left to lose the two went in search, for one last time, for a more permanent store front location.
Their luck was about to change as they stumbled upon a recently vacated space in a rather non-descript strip mall on the windward side of Oahu.
Finally, in March 1995, Debbie and Peter re-opened their doors as a funky, bohemian-style coffeehouse in the quiet beach town of Kailua, on Oahu. In the early days it was just Pete and Deb doing and making everything! From serving up tasty breakfast and lunch items, to making the best coffee and tea they could find. Word quickly spread and in no time “Morning Brew” was on its way to becoming Kailua’s favorite meeting place!
Over thirteen years in their original location, Pete and Deb were blessed with many wonderful, loyal customers and friends. Just as their tiny café had reached its capacity opportunities arouse to move in to a larger space right next door. Needless to say they jumped at the chance to give their little café a fresh new look and feel. Nearly a year later they re-opened on Valentine’s Day 2008 in their latest home!
Morning Brew now has two locations on O'ahu, after we opened the doors to our second café at the SALT complex in Kaka'ako. Mahalo nui to all of our beloved regulars and visitors over the years, hope to see you at The Brew again soon.