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Tovolo's latest product introductions include the Perfect Poach, which allows consumers to easily prepare proper, water- immersed poached eggs in minutes using no butter, oil or vinegar. Other new products include HighBall Ice Molds that combine the art and science of slow-melting cylindrical ice; Magnetic Bottle Openers that securely mount to any metal surface, easily open bottles, and catch falling caps on an exterior magnet; and a Cupcake Scoop that perfectly measures the same amount every time so cupcakes bake evenly. Also being introduced are Tovolo's Lid Lifters, which keep pot lids open slightly for the perfect air circulation, while preventing any spillage or boiling over; Ladle Clips that keep the tool secure, but always within reach on the side of a pan; and a Crock-Book Holder, a utensil crock that works double time thanks to a newly designed holder that not only keeps all kitchen tools at the ready; it holds a cookbook open to favorite recipes. A new Cherry Pitter is joining Tovolo's lineup as well, and it can pit up to seven cherries (or olives) at a time. Rounding out the company 's offerings are new Lollipop Molds, Holiday Cookie Cutters, and reusable, 1- quart Sweet Treats Tubs. For further information, call 206.633.6066 or visit www.tovolo.com. New Introductions from Tovolo Retailer Profile RETAILER PROFILE www.kitchenwarenews.com n APRIL 2014 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 9 little different than most retail stores," Russo says. " W hen I thought about opening this store, I purposely didn't go and look at my competitors because I didn't want to look like them." Thirty years later, he still designs most of the displays and display fixtures for Executive Chef. In 2013, Executive Chef was the Western Region winner for Le Creuset's "C'est La Saison" display contest. The display was designed by Kelli Furushima, whom Russo describes as his "Right-Hand Lady and General Manager." She's been with the store for 20 years and now, like Russo, divides her time between Ward Centers and the newly opened Kailua store. Kailua is a resort and residential community about 12 miles northeast of Honolulu, and Russo decided in 2011 to open a store there. "As the business environment got tougher over the years, we decided we needed to go where the customers were," he says. About 75 percent of Executive Chef 's customers are Hawaii residents. The other 25 percent are tourists, and of those tourists, Russo estimates 75 percent are from Japan. Kailua is particularly popular with Japanese tourists, precisely because it isn't Waikiki. Many of these tourists visit the island, and Executive Chef, multiple times a year. "They're our good customers, even though they live in Japan," Russo says. The Kailua store has been successful thus far. The cost of opening was offset by the fact that, located as it is in a smaller shopping center and a more suburban area, the Kailua store has a loading dock. The Ward Centers store does not, which meant that for a long time Russo had to maintain an off- site warehouse. When he opened the Kailua store, he was able to close Executive Chef 's existing warehouse. " We'd been thinking about doing that for years," he says, "because the warehouse was really a drag. It wasn't generating any revenue." Another benefit of closing the warehouse has been that Executive Chef 's buyers, who used to spend much their time at the warehouse, are now much closer to the customers. " The buyers have been with me the longest," Russo says. They know everything there is to know about everything that's in the store and, given that the stores have about 3,500 square feet of retail floor space each, that 's a lot of merchandise for customers to peruse. Having the buyers on hand to answer their questions has been great for business. There are challenges to running a retail business in Hawaii, though. The time difference is an issue: a lot of businesses, including wholesalers, are as many as five or six hours ahead, and shipping costs can be extraordinarily high. Then there's the vog. It 's like smog, but it doesn't come from industrial pollution. It comes from Kīlauea, a volcano on the Big Island which has been erupting in a slow flow of lava since 1983. Some days the air pollution is heavier than others, and when the wind's right, or more properly, wrong, the sulfur dioxide and particles of ash in the air end up hovering over Oahu for the better part of the day. "It burns," Russo says." The price of paradise." Executive Chef (Cont. from Page 1)

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