HONOLULU (HI Now) – In 2009, a father on the North Shore of Oahu quietly bought a small restaurant behind a gas station in Kahuku without telling any of his seven sons. His announcement was simple: “Too bad, I already bought it. Everyone’s working on Monday.” Seth Hanneman, the third of the seven brothers, was the biggest skeptic. But they all showed up, and over time, they all fell in love with what they were building.
The brothers each developed their own signature creations, crafting a menu of handcrafted, homemade burgers that would become legendary on the North Shore. Their commitment to quality guided by their father’s principle of doing everything “as homemade as possible” along with a deep spirit of ohana and humility, became the soul of Seven Brothers. The crown jewel of the menu, the Paniolo Burger, remains their number one best seller to this day.
In the early days, payroll was uncertain and the brothers were navigating financial waters they didn’t know existed. That’s where Mele Dwayne, Kahuku Branch Manager for First Hawaiian Bank, became essential providing small business loans, lines of credit, and patient hands-on guidance that kept Seven Brothers afloat and positioned them for growth. “It was like a big hug every time an approval came through,” Seth said warmly…