New business offers Oahu grocery shopping services

HONOLULU (AP) — A new business is delivering groceries to Oahu residents.

Entrepreneur Michael Eberle launched Oahu Grocery Service in January. The new business is an offshoot of Waikiki-based Island Grocery Service, a business Eberle began in 2010 to deliver groceries to hotels and other lodging providers.

Eberle said he and business partner, Maria Lara, decided last year to expand beyond tourism.

“Our visitor industry requests were still consistent, but we saw a need for islandwide service after requests on behalf of elderly residents increased,” Eberle said. “Our phone kept ringing.”

A partnership with Charley’s Taxi gives the company greater transportation capabilities for the new business, according to Eberle.

“The taxi drivers gave us the wheels that we needed to cover all of Oahu so that if we had an order at 2 p.m. in Chinatown, Hawaii Kai and Mililani, we could handle them,” he said. “They will also deliver the groceries to the door and even unpack them if needed.”

Waikiki resident Conrad Smith doesn’t drive on Oahu and has used the new service.

“There’s a small store a quarter of a mile away, but the problem was carrying it,” Smith said. “I tire easily, and when I walk even more so.”

Smith said the cost of the delivery service is not much higher than what he would spend on transportation to get his groceries.