TS Restaurants, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2027, now operates 12 restaurants across Hawaii and California with several more planned for the next few years. The company, founded by Rob Thibaut and Sandy Saxten in 1975, focuses on locations that offer a balance between work and lifestyle. Jackie Reed, the CEO, noted that the founders wanted to build a business around places they wanted to live and work, a concept that was unusual in the mid-1970s.
A Legacy Built on Place
The group’s portfolio includes multi-unit brands like Duke’s and Hula Grill, along with smaller concepts such as Keoki’s, Jake’s, and Leilani’s. The first location opened in 1977 at Kimo’s, a nearly 400-seat restaurant in a historic Lahaina waterfront building. It was there that the signature Hula Pie, a dessert made with macadamia nut ice cream and hot fudge on a chocolate-cookie crust, was first served. Today, the pie is a staple across all TS Restaurants brands.
TS Restaurants has repeatedly faced severe weather events, often at a steep cost. The original Duke’s in Kauai, which opened in 1989, was destroyed by a hurricane just weeks after opening and took three years to rebuild. Last year, the Duke’s Malibu location narrowly avoided a fire but was later hit by a landslide that filled the restaurant with mud. The venue had to be gutted and restored over a year, and it reopened in March, though the Pacific Coast Highway remains under construction.
The 2023 Lahaina wildfire, which pushed through the beach town and killed more than 100 people, completely destroyed Kimo’s. No staff members were injured, but many lost their homes. The waterfront site is still being evaluated for redevelopment, but the company plans to open a Kimo’s in the nearby Chan Wa Building, a historic site being restored by Kent Untermann and Mousa Hassan. Reed said the company wants to be part of the town’s rebuilding efforts.
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Despite these setbacks, TS Restaurants continues to expand. A Duke’s is scheduled to open in Kona at the end of this year, and another is planned for Oahu in 2028. This growth will bring the Duke’s brand count to eight. The company is also selling its Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge at Lake Tahoe to a local operator as the lease expires.
Founders’ Vision Endures
Rob Thibaut and Sandy Saxten met in the early 1970s while working in leadership roles at The Rusty Scupper, a restaurant chain where they traveled to open new locations. Both had attended college in California and shared a close friendship that would later shape their business approach. As they entered their late twenties and faced the prospect of starting families, they made the decision to leave The Rusty Scupper and spend three months traveling through Europe.
Leadership and Legacy
Though Thibaut and Saxten have passed away, their families remain actively involved in operations, holding a majority on the board. Susie Saxten, Sandy’s daughter, serves as chair. The founders’ emphasis on family and community continues to guide the company’s decisions, including its response to the 2023 Lahaina wildfire that destroyed Kimo’s.
Reed, who joined the company as a hostess at age 18 and became CEO in 2015, reflected on the culture created by the founders. She described TS Restaurants as an ohana, a Hawaiian term for family, where employees are nurtured and supported. The company’s commitment to destination sites with scenic views and strong community ties remains a core principle under her leadership.
