Pukalani Superette at 100: Why Puk Sup Still Thrives

Puk Sup Turns 100: A Little Store That Says a Lot About Upcountry

If you live Upcountry, you probably don't call it Pukalani Superette.

It's Puk Sup (pronounced “Poohk Supe”).

And this year, Puk Sup turned 100.

There are plenty of things that have changed Upcountry over the years, but Puk Sup is one of those places that has somehow remained part of the rhythm of everyday life. It's not fancy. It's not trying to be anything other than what it is. And maybe that's exactly why it works.

You stop in for a bento. You grab their tako poke or potato mac salad, which, in my opinion, are some of the best around. You need something quickly and don't want to do the full grocery-store production. You run into someone you know.

And if you have a gathering or potluck coming up and don't have the time, or desire, to make everything yourself, Puk Sup is a go-to for catering and prepared food. It's one of those Upcountry shortcuts you learn quickly.

Somehow, even with Foodland right there in the same shopping center, Puk Sup continues to have its own place.

100 Years in Pukalani

The store dates back to 1926, when Kome and Takeo Tanizaki opened what was then called Tanizaki Store. The business eventually became Pukalani Superette in 1955, and generations later, it is still being run by their descendants.

Today, brothers Myles and Aric Nakashima are part of the third generation running the store, and Aric's daughter Megan is becoming part of the next chapter.

Four generations. One little Upcountry store.

There aren't many businesses anywhere that can say that.

Why Puk Sup Still Works

What I find interesting isn't simply that Puk Sup has survived for 100 years. It's that it is still relevant.

Upcountry has changed tremendously. Pukalani has grown. We have larger stores and a lot more choices than people had in 1926.

But Puk Sup figured out what it does well.

The bentos. The tako poke. That potato mac salad. Prepared food. Catering when you need to show up somewhere with something good. The ability to get in, get what you need and get back on the road.

Do I love everything? No. I could do without all the plastic bags used to package the smaller portions of produce. Every time I see them, I think there must be a better way. Maybe that's one of the things the next 100 years will change.

But there is something about walking into a place that has been serving the same community for generations that you just can't manufacture.

It feels local because it is local.

This Is What I Love About Pukalani

When people ask me about living in Pukalani, it's easy to start with real estate. Elevation, climate, lot sizes, views, commute times and home prices all matter.

But those things don't completely explain what it's like to live somewhere.

Your everyday places matter too.

Pukalani Terrace Center is one of those hubs of Upcountry life. Foodland, Ace Hardware, Bank of Hawaiʻi and Starbucks are all right there. Just down the road is the Hannibal Tavares Community Center, the Upcountry Pool, fields, playground and skate park.

None of those things are necessarily what someone puts on a list when they're dreaming about moving to Maui.

But once you live here?

They're part of your week.

And I think that's an important distinction when you're looking at real estate. You're not just choosing a house. You're choosing where you buy groceries, where you stop on the way home, which roads you drive every day and what your normal Tuesday afternoon looks like.

That's the stuff I pay attention to.

A Pretty Good 100-Year Run

I've spent most of my life Upcountry, and I have watched it change.

Some changes I love. Some I could probably do without.

But I appreciate the places that manage to evolve without losing what made them special in the first place. Puk Sup is one of them.

One hundred years after the first store opened, people are still pulling into that corner, grabbing lunch, picking up something for dinner, ordering food for the next potluck and calling it Puk Sup.

I hope we're still doing exactly that for a long time.

And if you're thinking about making Pukalani or another part of Upcountry Maui home, I'm always happy to talk about more than the real estate. The houses matter, of course. But after more than two decades helping people buy and sell here, I think understanding how a place lives matters just as much.