Are you ‘ono for some old-school crack seed? How about a brain freeze with a li hing mui Icee? Well, stop by our classmate Kon Ping Young’s Crack Seed Store at the corner of Koko Head and Waialae avenues in Kaimuki. In a store no bigger than some bathrooms, you will find all of your favorite seeds and snacks in large, clear glass jars.
Kon Ping was born in China and moved to Hawai‘i in 1962. At the time, immigrants to the U.S. aged 12 and younger were automatically granted U.S. citizenship. Kon Ping participated in the Science Club while at Kaimuki. In the Ka Halia he is listed as Kon Ping Ho, but his last name was incorrectly listed when he came to Hawai‘i, and it since has been changed to his correct last name, Young.
After graduating from Kaimuki, Kon Ping worked at City Mill for 10 years in its flooring and lumber departments. One day in 1979, when he was at home, sick with flu, he read in the newspaper that there was a business for sale. Alice Wong who had operated the Crack Seed Store since the ‘40s wanted to sell the business and retire.
The Crack Seed Store may be the last in Honolulu that still sell seeds out of clear glass jars. If you visit Kon Ping, you can watch as he skillfully measures out a half pound of iso peanuts or a pound of dry lemon by using a scoop and a plastic bag, weighs it, then heat seals the bag. A solar-powered calculator is used to total up your purchase.
Kon Ping's shop has been featured on the Travel Channel, Food Channel, Honolulu magazine, TripAdvisor, and on local TV channels like KITV. It has won "Best of the Best" for crack seed shop and li hing mui juice. The store is even on of the locations in this YouTube video: Island Style - 'Oiwi E
Kon Ping and his wife are the only two employees of the shop. Their son and three daughters all graduated from college. Between running the store six days a week and taking care of his grandchildren, Kon Ping says he doesn't have much time for outside activities.
We should all be very proud of our Kaimuki classmate who has been able to keep an old tradition alive from our hanabata days. Stop in some time to say hello to Kon Ping and buy a bag or two of your favorite crack seed! Feel your saliva glands working?
