Q: What prompted the name change from Grandpa Hawaii Shave Ice?
A: We have recently changed our name from GPHSI to “Grandpa Hawaii Tropical Treats”. It’s in conjunction with our opening up our take out window at the end of the year 2025. We are now offering a variety of products at the new takeout window as we are “so much more than just Shave Ice”.
Q: So will GPHTT still be offering the Hawaiian Shaved Ice that has been available the past four summers down near the boardwalk?
A: Yes, we will still be offering our Shave Ice at both our trailer down near the boardwalk as well as at our new takeout window at 320 1st Street in Colonial Beach. It will continue as a seasonal offering starting up again in late spring ‘26. It will continue throughout the entire summer into the fall of ‘26.
Q: So what’s new at GPHTT?
A: Besides having a second location to better serve our community, we plan to be the “local neighborhood treat shop“. At the new takeout window, we will be offering a whole new menu, including:
• Hawaiian coffee, and a variety of teas and tropical drinks. Whole bean Hawaiian coffee blend to be offered soon!
• Soft Serve Ice Cream, including a premium “Dole Whip” in both Mango and Pineapple. Other tropical flavors will be rotated into our menu every few weeks.
• Fresh tropical smoothies, coming in a variety of flavors and sizes for adults and kids (including “Pup cups”).
• Hawaiian themed pastries, including mango/banana muffins and cupcakes, our Haw’n chocolate brownies, and our tropical pumpkin pie (all original recipes).
• Take out crêpes will be offered the end of February in both “savory“ as well as “dessert“ crêpes,
• We’ll continue to offer our Hawaiian Shave Ice, including our real fruit syrups, our signature coconut based snow cap topping, along with our premium French vanilla ice cream scoop at the bottom.
• As with our trailer we will also offer a variety of drinks as well as hotdogs, including our infamous “Hawaiian hotdog”.
Q: We had heard of the takeout window opening up for over a year. So why the long wait?
A: Good things in life take time (Qte. from my mother ;-). We ended up doing a full renovation of the building at 320 1st Street here in Colonial Beach. This included creating a commercial kitchen, we had to design the operation according to code with our engineer, obtain multiple building permits, Department of health permitting, and a food safety management certification to be in compliance. And we had to create a front parking lot including a concrete handicap stall / access area. In addition, we had to do the required landscaping and replace the driveway, new roof on the building and all outside vinyl siding had to be replaced. We put up a mural surrounding the take out window and now have installed the most recent “Love / Aloha sign“ in Colonial Beach (Haw’n translation: “Aloha” means Love).
Q: So why establish a takeout window off of 1st Street in Colonial Beach?
A: Remember the neighborhood Treat Shop back in the day? Well, we’re now here as part of the “numbers neighborhood“ to better serve our local community on this side of Colonial Beach. Have you ever wanted a treat but not the hassle of the summer crowds and having to go down to the main drag /boardwalk in CB? We felt it was time that a local business should offer services to this neighborhood and for the parents, students and teachers working at the two schools close by. We’re proud to provide options for this side of Colonial Beach.
Q:) So explain the emphasis in offering products, recipes and treats specifically from Hawaii?
A: If one has ever experienced being in Hawaii they’ll probably tell you what an amazing place it is. No one departs from Hawaii without having their senses, taste buds and perception of life brought to a whole new level. Here at GPHTT, we’re out to perpetuate the “Aloha spirit“. We want all of our customers to get to experience a renewed sense of community, being treated with outstanding customer service and products, and to get a taste of the tropics. To acquire a firsthand understanding of why Hawaii is such a special place that has influence the entire world. That’s why we’re “serving up Aloha“. Come and sample our expanded menu of tropical treats along with our infamous seasonal Hawaiian Shaved Ice. All inspired by the people of the islands.
With Aloha, GPH
(GrandPa Hawaii)
