Paul Taber, who founded Hobee's in 1974, died at the age of 72 on January 23, 1998.
Paul was born and raised in Rochester, New York. He served in the United States Navy and was awarded the Purple Heart during the Korean War in 1952. Following his tour of duty, Paul settled in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he had been stationed by the Navy. There, he met his wife, the former Mary Chambers. They wed in 1953.
Early on, Paul realized the enormous career potential in Hawaii's burgeoning hospitality industry. For nearly two decades, he enjoyed success as owner or part owner of several of Hawaii's most popular restaurant's, including The Hofbrau, The Green Turtle, and The Sand Box in Honolulu, as well as the historic Pioneer Inn in Lahaina.
In the early 1970's, Paul and his family – Mary, and children Peter and Connie – moved back to the mainland, where Paul was charged with opening restaurants for a large foodservice conglomerate. During this period, Paul became increasingly disillusioned by the cost-cutting mandates he received from his employer, which were directly at odds with his personal standards for food quality and customer service.