Goos Plantation Store: Mr. Goo was a legendary man

Our Goo’s Plantation Store is in honor of the original The Old Plantation Store that used to be just up the street, close to the LDS Temple, which was operated by Lai’e’s own Charles Goo from 1955 to 1980. Some would term Mr. Goo as a curmudgeon, but only if they didn’t know him, or, if as a kid, they didn’t quite behave themselves in his store. Those who knew him understood that under a gruff exterior beat a heart of gold. Times could be tough in the country. Many people needed credit, others needed help. Charles Goo was always there to lend a hand.

Find a Lai’e citizen who grew up here and they would be happy to tell you of their experiences…summer days enjoying an ice cream while hanging with their friends on the porch of the store, stopping after school to grab a pake cake and soda and Saturday evenings playing their favorite song on the old jukebox. Others might laugh about the time Mr. Goo scolded them for stealing a mango from his tree. But most will tell you about what he and his family did for them, and all the ways his family still continues to give to the community.

Charlie Goo was one of a kind, and we are proud to carry his name here at the Hukilau Marketplace.