Kent coffeeshop all about the spirit of Aloha

Mychal Boiser grew up in Kauai, Hawaii, where according to his wife, Maryum, the people would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, you are welcome in Hawaii,” Maryum said.

They call it the “Aloha Spirit,” and the Boisers wanted to bring that same vibe and energy to Kent when they opened Kona Kai Coffee, at the corner of West Gowe and Fourth.

“It’s also the only state in the union that grows coffee,” Mychal added with a twinkle in his eye of the Aloha State.

Serving exclusively organic Hawaiian coffee as well as Hawaiian foods and now Hawaiian beer, the Boisers have worked to make Kona Kai into a place where that spirit of welcome isn’t just part of the decor or atmosphere, but part of the business model.

“It’s a different type of atmosphere from all the other coffee houses,” Mychal said.

With that in mind, Kona Kai has started adding local and regional musicians on a regular basis, providing a new venue for musicians in the Kent area, especially those with an ear toward jazz.

Among those who have performed at the coffee house since it began hosting shows in October are Kent teacher and sax player Darren Motamedy, who along with several kids from the classes he teaches, performed in the first concert at Kona Kai.

“I think this place has much potential to be a great jazz place,” Motamedy added of the vibe there.

But even the music serves a larger purpose, as the goal is not only to provide a venue for the community, but also to begin hosting a concert during the holidays to raise money for local charities.

Founding what they call the “Halos Network,” Mychal and Maryum say it is just part of the same Aloha Spirit that drives them.

“Hawaiian culture has always been a giving culture,” Mychal said. “We want to raise funds to help charities or organizations that help women and children.”

“Our vision was for it to a community gathering place,” Maryum said of the shop. “We wanted it to be very community-oriented.”

According to Maryum, one of Mychal’s passions has been to start a non-profit organization to help the community and he always saw the store as a way to do that.

“How can we be of service to the community?” he said, answering his own question. “There’s an epidemic in Washington alone of too many homeless people.”

It was there that the idea for the Halos Network began. While it is admittedly in the early stages, Maryum said the hope is to have everything together in time to host a Christmas concert with all proceeds going to a non-profit, such as Vision House, a group dedicated to helping the homeless, with whom the coffee shop presently works.

The shop also takes on interns from Washington Women’s Education and Employment, a group that helps women break the cycle of poverty and become self-sufficient.

Though the non-profit plans are more long-term in nature, the Boisers are well into the expansion of their humble coffee shop into something more, adding the performances and a monthly dinner show, complete with a five-course meal and jazz performances.

At the last dinner, beef Wellington was served and guitarist Paul Johnson performed to a packed house.

Mychal admits he was never all that interested in getting into the restaurant business, “but in these times you have to think out of the box to be successful.”

The store is also hosting a new open-mic night, usually on the second Saturday of each month, as well as looking for new ways to bring the community together.

“Everybody has a gift, what you can give the next person,” Maryum said. “I think our gift is our store and what it gives the community.”

Kona Kai Coffe will host a performance by Susanna Fuller from 7-9 p.m. March 7. For more information visit http://konakaicoffee.blogspot.com/