Ululani's Coming To Livermore In Bay Area Debut

LIVERMORE, CA — One of Hawaii’s most popular franchises is saying “aloha” to the Bay Area this weekend, right in Livermore.

Ululani’s Shave Ice, a Maui chain renowned for its diverse array of shave ice, is opening its first Bay Area location Saturday at the Shops at Livermore at 3016 Jack London Boulevard. From 12-8 p.m. on Nov. 11, visitors can enjoy the iconic treat brought to Hawaii by Japanese immigrants working on sugar cane plantations.

Shave ice is made from a block of ice that is drenched with flavored syrups containing sugar, fruit juice and fruit puree. Popular Ululani options include combinations of passion orange, mango, guava, coconut, pina colada, and more than 35 other tropical delights.

“Aloha Bay Area 🤙🏾🌺 Thank you so much for your patience; the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! We are so excited to invite you to celebrate our official opening day this Saturday November 11th! Please bring your family, friends, and loved ones to this very special occasion as we strive to deliver quality shave ice 🍧 and share the Alohatude,” Ululani’s said in an Instagram post.

David Yamashiro, Ululani’s co-founder and CEO, told The San Francisco Chronicle that he initially considered San Francisco for the first Bay Area location, but chose Livermore because it’s warmer. “It was recently pretty warm in Livermore. I’m a little surprised the weather is that nice in November,” he said. Livermore will be the franchise’s fourth location on the mainland, following Stockton, Los Angeles, and Round Rock, Texas.

Yamashiro and his wife Ululani started the eponymous franchise in December 2008 in a 65 square-foot shop in Lahaina, the Maui city devastated by wildfires in August. It became so popular they had to open another one there two years later. They soon expanded to seven locations in Hawaii. Sadly, both the original Lahaina stores burned down during the fires, but Yamashiro has raised $182,644 in a GoFundMe campaign. 75% of that will go to help employees, while the remaining 25% will go to charities helping affected Lahaina families.

Visit ululanishawaiianshaveice.com for more information.